Most businesses require more than one person to function successfully. You may be a team of 2 or 20 or have multiple teams in your business. There are proven strategies to transform your team into a high-performance team that knows what they need to do and why.
We generally hire for skills our business needs and then have to find a way to get individuals to work together. Personalities clash, miscommunication causes frustration, mistrust abounds and collaboration suffers. The biggest obstacles teams have to overcome are lack of trust, avoiding conflict, low commitment, poor accountability, and vague objectives.
​
Typically businesses tend to throw in a few ''team-building'' exercises and hope for the best. This doesn't always work though, because the core issues have not been addressed, and this takes time. These kinds of changes don't happen overnight. I have several proven strategies to help overcome some of these obstacles.
​
Using a scientifically validated tool like The Heartstyles Indicator, we can measure current behavior to create awareness and understanding as to why individuals do the things they do, and how to choose differently. Improved communication, greater trust, respect, compassion, and creative collaboration will benefit any team! After all, when individuals become better versions of themselves, the whole organization can flourish.
A typical team intervention could include an in-depth process to create awareness of how the behavior of the team affects the individuals and the organization as a whole. It would cover why we behave the way we do, and how to choose more effective strategies or behaviors, and more importantly, why to choose differently.
​
Example Roadmad:
1. Measure - Use the Heartstyles Indicator survey tool to measure current behavior
2. Activate - using a tailored program, we explore why they do the things they do and how to choose differently
3. Ongoing Development - bespoke training to address specific opportunities for growth identified through Heartstyles
'Leading with Heart' by Heartstyles
​
The other essential element to creating a high-performing team is to unite the team around a mission that motivates and energizes them.
Using a proven strategy of creating a set of guiding principles, you can have a:
1. Compelling mission statement,
2. Key characteristics to guide behavior,
3. Actions to ensure you will accomplish the said mission,
4. Create a story pitch to attract resources, and
5. Meaningful ''why'' for your mission.
This will unite your team around your mission.
(Tools from Donald Miller's StoryBrand and Business Made Simple)
If you and your team are ready to cultivate a more productive environment, let's create a Team Coaching roadmap!
PS.
​
How important are soft skills (which I prefer to call power skills) here in New Zealand? The recent findings from Hays NZ reveal that just about all (98%) New Zealand employers consider soft skills to be either more important or equally important to a candidate’s hard or technical skills. Soft skills are also called human skills or core skills, but I much prefer to call them power skills because that's what they are. They enable you to overcome many of life and work's challenges.
Based on findings in the recruiter’s FY23/24 Hays Salary Guide, the top soft skills employers want are communication (60%), adaptability (54%), attention to detail (46%), critical thinking (45%), and emotional intelligence (43%). Agile Leadership (66%) and soft skills (64%) are numbers 2 and 3 on the list of top skills employers need over the next 5 years.​
If you or your team need to grow in these skills, let's get started!