Going beyond the rockstar mentality
In the latest edition of the 3-2-1 series, you'll discover
- Three resources to deepen your understanding
- Two lessons from my experiences
- One technique to elevate your team today
Ready? Let's go:
High performing teams are more than just groups of rockstars. They are cohesive units that collaborate, innovate, and consistently outperform their peers.
Take a moment to think about the best teams you've been part of.
My bet?
Those teams exhibited traits of high performing ones.
Three Resources
1. "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable" by Patrick Lencioni.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team helps us identify & overcome the five cause that lead to a team's failure.
You guessed it folks,
I've got a retro template for that. Check out the 5 Dysfunctions Retro to help your teams to address their dysfunction.
2. [Study] "Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups" by Woolley et al.
A study from MIT and Carnegie Mellon University introduced the concept of "collective intelligence" and how it's not just the intelligence of team members that matters, but how they work together
Also, look our for the works of Diana Larsen for more on co-intelligence
3. Video - What makes the highest performing teams in the world?
Simon Sinek shares bitesize chunks and stories from the Navy Seals.
Two Lessons
1. High performing teams aren't afraid to disagree with one another
Conflict is healthy.
Teams that challenge one another, hold each other accountable and invite dissent are more likely to benefit from divergent thinking and innovation solutions to problems.
2. Alignment towards a common purpose
Chucking a bunch of individuals together because they share a skill set doesn't make them a team.
This is a sure fire way to create disengagement. Not catalyse high performance.
A unified sense of direction plus clarity as to how their role fits into the bigger picture is key.
Don't make people feel like JIRA ticket machines.
Sprint goals and Team Canvases that are regularly reviewed are a great way to maintain that alignment.
One approach you can use today
1. Team Canvas by Drawify
A free template you can use to:
- Understand individual strengths and how they complement each other.
- Set clear team goals and ensure everyone is on the same page.
- Foster open communication and address potential conflicts head-on.
This is one of my go-to approaches for working with teams as it co-creates the foundations for high performance.
Whilst still being customised to the unique needs of the team.
