Gene Kim and Steven J. Spears point out in their book, “Wiring the Winning Organization,” that leaders are responsible for enabling their people to work easily and well, generate and deliver valuable products and services that benefit society, and feel appreciated and treated with dignity.
The best leaders create, sustain, and improve their organizations’ social circuitry, * the overlay of the processes, procedures, routines, and norms that enable people to do their work easily and well. While individual specialists focus their attention on the problems immediately in front of them, this social circuitry establishes the patterns by which information, ideas, materials, and services flow, setting up people for success and integrating individual efforts for a common purpose.
I am sure many of you and your teams feel challenged by our current times. There are no quick solutions to staying the course in turbulent times. However, one organizational positive is having an agile and motivated team enabled to achieve what confronts them. As leaders, our goal is to foster an environment where team members are empowered, engaged, and able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and deliver to expectations. To accomplish this, I will share some steps that continue to prove successful.
Clear Vision and Goals: Start by establishing a clear vision, clear goals, and clear outcomes for the team. Ensure that everyone understands the purpose of the team and what they are working towards. This provides direction and alignment for team members.
Empowerment and Autonomy: Provide team members with the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. They have much knowledge and first-hand experience. Select members for their expertise and capabilities. Empowerment fosters a sense of responsibility and encourages creativity and innovation. Trusting your team members to make decisions also increases their motivation and engagement.
Open Communication: Always encourage open communication. Provide an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas, concerns, and feedback. Be sure to hold regularly scheduled formal and informal meetings and keep everyone informed. Establish a feedback loop where team members receive regular feedback on their performance. This is critical learning.
Continuous Learning and Development: Support your team’s professional growth through opportunities for learning and development. Consider training sessions, workshops, conferences, or mentorship programs. A sound investment is in your team's development. The payback is in improving their skills and increasing their motivation and engagement.
Flexibility and Adaptability: Embrace change and encourage flexibility within the team. Agile teams will thrive on adaptability. It is essential to be open to innovative ideas and willing to adjust plans as needed. Do not shut out feedback. Encourage experimentation and learning from failures rather than punishing mistakes. Be prepared to alter the course.
Recognition and Reward: Recognize and reward their contributions. Use verbal praise, awards, bonuses, or other incentives. Celebrating achievements is big and reinforces positive behavior as well as motivating team members to continue at their best.
Collaborative Culture: Foster a collaborative culture where teamwork is valued and encouraged. Break down silos between different departments or teams. Collaboration improves productivity and builds a sense of belonging and camaraderie among team members. Collaboration nurtures and encourages creativity.
Work-Life Balance: Recognize the importance of work-life balance and support your team members in achieving it. Encourage taking breaks, setting boundaries, and prioritizing well-being.
Lead by Example: As the leader, you must be transparent and lead by example and embody the values and behaviors you want to see in your team. This includes work ethic, empathy, and resilience. You must clear the roadblocks. You must have their trust. Remember that you set the tone for the team and influence their behavior and motivation. Each member of the team must be held accountable.
In summary, to be a high-performance organization, you must be their inspiration and use a combination of the steps I have discussed. You have the ability to create an agile team that will be responsive and motivated to succeed.