6Ts of Transformational Teams
Few things get done without teamwork. What do teams that excel do differently?
Build Trust proactively
Trust is like air you don’t realise it’s gone until it’s no longer there.
I like to say that “we cannot actually do anything in this world without trust.”
Strong mutual “vulnerability-based trust” is fundamental when it comes to team performance.
Transformational teams are deliberate about creating and managing it.
Commit to a clear common Target
“Begin with the end in mind” is a famous quote from Stephen R. Covey.
A team is only a team if there’s a shared goal. Otherwise, it’s just a group of people working alongside each-other. Nothing wrong with that, but don’t confuse the two things!
Whilst it’s obvious that you need a clear target, we often underestimate what it takes to crystallise that and create real commitment. Great teams invest the time needed.
Are Truthful with each other
If we have strong trust, we can say what we feel – without fear of reprisal or criticism.
We should be truthful whilst showing empathy and mutual respect.
Two key areas are key: holding each other accountable to deliver what was committed to. And flagging and addressing behaviours that negatively impact the team.
Track Progress
Great teams define how they want to measure progress together.
It’s not something the leader dictates, because then the team will not commit to the process.
They then develop a strong shared discipline to honour the process.
As said in the point above, it’s not just progress on organisational objectives, but also on behaviours.
That is just as important!
Drive Transformation & Results
In other words, they manage the day-to-day and drive the transformation necessary to sustain organisational performance in the long-term.
But there’s another dimension, which is transformation on the individual level. i.e., individuals grow and develop – which allows the team to raise the bar on performance.
Work Together
A fundamental question for team is whether we are really “working together.
In its purest definition a real team is one where members will sacrifice individual agendas for the common goal.
However, if we look at executive teams, we need to crystallise what are true “common goals” (what we really must do together) vs. things that are driven individually or in “silos”.
A team should be clear and explicit about this. If it’s 75% individual/silo and 25% together, it’s the latter that is going to be the primary driver of synergy and teamwork.
You need to harness the power of the work accomplished together to create cohesion and drive performance across the broader organisation.
How do you lead your team to success?
Jakob
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