When you are trying to build a solid team as a new leader, you will go through some well-trodden pathways that are rarely avoided. But you’ll want to set yourself apart as a great leader!
You will find that the team dynamic will very often conform to the early stages of Bruce Tuckman’s team development model, where roles and alliances are being established. This is tried and tested ground, but as everyone in every team is an individual, there will always be a unique combination of challenges that you are facing.
You will find that as your team grows around you, and you grow into your role, your leadership style within that team will naturally evolve. Even though your preferred style may not reflect this, you will probably want to follow Tannenbaum and Schmidt’s leadership continuum, starting with the directing style then as the team matures, move through a coaching style on to a participating style and then finally a delegating style. (More information on the Tannenbaum and Schmidt leadership continuum can be found in this great article on Business Balls.) Well, that’s the textbook approach and sounds great doesn’t it? But there is something that you really need to develop if you want to set yourself apart as a great leader and work this little conjuring trick.
For a team to reach its potential
If you want your team to knock it out of the park and become one that both you and they can be proud of, you’ll need to build a great team culture. I am sure you have heard about the big companies that are hailed as having great team cultures, arguably the most notable being Google.
There are characteristics that were developed by founder Larry Page back in 2002, that were unorthodox at the time, but have been widely credited for the company’s ability to corner such a huge market share in their field. These characteristics enabled his employees to become part of a team with a great workplace culture, and principle amongst those characteristics was the development of good team relationships. This means that people who worked at Google often referred to themselves as being part of the Google family and importantly felt they belonged there and that they were protected. People who feel this way are not afraid to be innovative and creative and are prepared to put the work in to see the realisation of their ideas.
Now many of you may be thinking, ‘what a load of airy-fairy nonsense’, right? Well a great many studies have been conducted into how Page managed to inspire people the way he did, and I can promise you, it was no accident that creating the nurturing culture in his team yielded results.
Easier said than done
You must start by throwing away all the desks and making everyone sit on gym balls. Well, not really, but how do you do it?
Good work culture is not some esoteric mythical force that either surrounds a group or it doesn’t. Culture is something that you actively do, you actively achieve through definite and specific actions.
Group members need to be drip fed messages that they are in an environment where their position within the formal structure is much less relevant than the contributions they are able to make. We need to be able to take away any perception of infallibility and subordination when it comes to the creativity process. And this is achieved through very deliberate means.
By building a sense of protection and belonging we are signalling to the team members that we want them to take risks, be vulnerable, to make mistakes, and that they won’t be blamed. Nothing is off the table.
Cue group chemistry
For you to be able to progress through The Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum of leadership you’ll need to foster connectivity. Group connectivity is about creating an environment where other people can excel, not just you. Creating this environment involves paying very close attention to the subtle messages that group members are sending to you and others. Then we need to develop the art of giving people our own cues in response. Additionally, if you have people in your team that are struggling for motivation or are feeling cynical, you’ll need to be able to counteract the cues they are giving off too.
New leaders must resist the urge to hide any areas of inexperience or gaps in their knowledge to appear competent. This is a very common mistake. New leaders find themselves trying to establish their credentials to their reports by seemingly knowing all the answers and independently setting direction. There are many problems with this. Firstly, it’s obvious to everyone around you that you are doing it and it has the opposite effect to the one you had hoped.
We also isolate ourselves and harm any collaborative approach that would have been so valuable if we had successfully achieved it.
The cues that you give to your team members need to reiterate that any ideas they have or solutions they want to suggest are valid. They are in an environment where they are welcomed, and their views have value. Setting your team up to run utilising a collaborative approach is vital, some of the benefits of this are covered more here.
Swagger ye not
You know you are the boss, and they know you are the boss, but underlining it at every opportunity will destroy the culture you need to create.
Swagger Ye Not
We are looking to make it clear that ideas are weighted based on team member’s unique experiences, and not seniority within the group (either position or age). The attitude of I know best because I’m the boss is patently absurd and betrays you as being someone who is undeserving of the position. Don’t let this creep in.
Obviously, as you are the leader, you are responsible for the outcomes and actions of the team, and your ability to manage the outcomes of collaborative processes are key. This should not however cause you to stifle the input of even the most junior members.
A golden tip here is not to forget the value of showing your own fallibility. Make it clear that you are not the last word on any subject, start your interactions with phrases that encourage people to contribute, such as, “I had some thoughts on this, but I could well be off the mark… I was thinking… have you any suggestions here?”
You need to foster a feeling within the group that opinions are weighted by the results they have yielded, either professionally or in social settings, not by who is putting them forward. Nothing is too radical or off the wall. Remember, this world is a big place and made up from people of hugely disparate backgrounds and that means that different people have different ideas, each with validity in the right circumstances. You might think you’re the expert, but that shy kid who doesn’t say much… he may have ideas you’ll never dream of.
So… What is the ONE skill that sets you apart as a great leader? The one that will cultivate this culture of belonging and encourage every one of your team to get their creative juices flowing?
Listen with intent
Being able to listen to the individuals in your team sounds obvious and easy, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that this isn’t any great revelation. But here is the thing, it’s not just listening to the person that we are trying to achieve, we are trying to convey to that person that they are protected and, in an environment where they can communicate openly with you. And this isn’t as straight forward as many people think.
Think of yourself in a pantomime titled, the speaker and the listener. You are in a dimly lit theatre and there are people watching right at the back of the theatre. How are you going to make it obvious to those people that you are listening intently to the person sat opposite you?
Well, the first step, the most crucial one is simple. You must genuinely be interested in what the other person is saying! You need to be fully engaged and immersed in the conversation!
I’m all ears
Next, you need to exaggerate the whole process. You see, you know you are listening, but remember, your direct report sees you as an authority figure. It may be that they have had experiences with other managers where they were belittled and patronised. You need to overcome this predisposition and that takes clear cues.
Use open body language, where you face the speaker and incline your head and upper body in their direction. Shoulders should be square on and your arms should be unfolded, you must avoid the classic body language cues that show you are the ‘alpha’, you know, ones like making a steeple with your fingers in front of you, as this has ‘alpha’ written all over it – destroying the belonging vibe.
Make sure to keep your eyes trained on theirs and try and avoid unnecessary blinking. Obviously, we are not going for trying to see who can last longest without blinking here, but we are trying to convey that you are immersed in what they are saying.
Try and hold a slightly enquiring look on your face, where your eyebrows are raised in the centre, actively trying to achieve this prevents you inadvertently scowling at your team member.
People need audible encouragement to continue if they have any self-doubt (or even if they don’t). It seems cheesy, but remember we are looking to over-act our role here, so regular affirmative sounds, like, “yep, go on” or “uh huh”, and head nodding are necessary. Relevant and well-timed questions and seeking clarification compliments these affirmative signals too.
Active listening
And now the big one! … no interruptions! Sitting back and really listening to what they are saying can only be achieved if you don’t ruin their thought flow by interrupting. Nothing shows a lack of synchronicity more plainly that either interrupting them or worse, finishing their sentences for them.
When a group of people demonstrate smooth turn-taking in a conversation, allowing each speaker to finish their point before the next person naturally moves the conversation forward along a similar theme, creativity spikes.
What if someone is telling you something you don’t want to hear? What if its bad news? This is a tough one, but it is essential to make them feel like they have just done you the biggest favour they ever could! If there is something going on that has potential or actual negative consequences for you, then it has probably taken them every ounce of their courage to raise it or admit to it. You need to know this stuff, so genuinely thank them for telling you, so that they will feel comfortable telling you next time! This means no judgement.
Silences are not opportunities for you to fill them. It takes a little discipline and nerve, but just let those silences sit. Creativity needs time for cognitive connections to fire, and that means a little time. If you jump on silences, you are inadvertently pressuring the team members to finish their points, and worse still, hijacking the time they need to think by distracting them. Be patient.
When it seems like all has been said and done, the final stage of this process is for you to try and briefly summarise what has been said to you. By reflecting back, the main points of the conversation, you show you have been paying attention. Any areas where they feel you have misunderstood them can be highlighted and clarified at this point.
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Get involved
As you can see from the post, I am trying to give simple practical help to leaders wherever I can. I would love to hear your thoughts on the tips in this article, so it would be great if you could leave some comments below. Have you worked in good or bad workplace cultures? Let me know below!
I will be offering lots of pointers on this site as I develop the content and so let me know about anything you’d like me to cover too. I am also developing some great resources for leaders.
See you for the next article!
Until next time
Greg Bennett is a Public Health Professional and
Leadership Coach
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