So how do we find and shape them to create a winning team?
In team sports an enormous degree of importance is placed on attracting and keeping the best manager for the club, whether it be football, hockey, skiing or equestrian. Frequently from one season to the next the players remain virtually the same but with a new leader, and the right leadership style for that team the results are very different. We also see that a manager or leader may enjoy great success at one club, but find themselves unable to duplicate that success in a different environment. The fit has to be just right, and it seems the intangibles dictate success levels!
For a moment just imagine that it is possible to get a crystal clear view on those intangibles and on exactly how able each leader is to create a high performance team.
What if you could identify exactly what management skill needed to be improved to generate higher engagement, motivation, productivity and overall performance levels?
And what if the intangible or X-Factor generating that ability could be broken down into 5 measurable inputs; each of which when addressed, could be improved rapidly through pragmatic and open discussion?
The good news is those 5 factors do exist, and have been scientifically proven over the last 12 years to stimulate “Breakthrough Performance”. Many of the existing competencies you in your HR roles are nurturing and promoting relate in one way or another to these 5 factors. Just perhaps not quite as explicitly as they could be. Take a look at these….
AFFINITY – When there is affinity with the leader, team and organisation things happen faster and more easily. We don’t question, criticise and push back making progress smoother and faster. But leaders earn that level of connection and trust through the quality and integrity of their communication. It only takes one example of someone not walking their talk and that affinity is reduced. So coaching work on authentic leadership. The ability to chair open and frank discussions with the team to formulate high quality tactical plans, and the ability to coach and give feedback in real-time, on the job, are all essential skills.
OWNERSHIP – the application and quality of work conducted by members of a team who experience a strong sense of ownership of the success of the team they are a part of, is recognised as being far higher than that of people who simply “show up“ for their 9-5 role. The Holy Grail is generating that sense of ownership so you can enjoy the excellence generated by it.
INTERDEPENDENCE – the ability of the team to work together, holding a mutual goal, without ego blocking perfect collaboration. This element is frequently a direct reflection of the leadership style. Keeping things to oneself, wanting to be the superstar and taking credit for the ideas and the good work of others will block collaboration. But when a team trusts and works together, like the teams in the Pits in Formula One motor racing, the impossible becomes possible. Who thought it imaginable to refill the fuel and change all 4 tyres in under 7 seconds?
PURPOSE – When a group of people relate strongly to a purpose or mission there is nothing that will stop them. They can move mountains. How you communicate your mission or purpose is vital and the feedback on how effectively that is happening shows up in this aspect of the diagnostic.
RISK – this factor does not mean what the name suggests literally, it measures the level of freedom to communicate that the staff experience. How able do they feel to take a risk and air an idea, or say what they feel needs to change? It is the very bedrock of innovation. If any one of these factors is low, there are missed results and opportunities in your business. In short the team is sub optimal as is the leader. In addition to be able to measure the 5 factors, imagine getting the perspective on each of those through 3 different lenses:
the leader the team the organisation
Now in 2018 it is possible for HR and management to get a crystal-clear view on how able each leader is to create those factors in their teams and therefore what needs to be affected where. No more generalist expenditure on courses and coaching with no real feedback on the return on investment. With the Performance Diagnostic, you get this snapshot every 6 months; along with graphs or charts to depict the results in a more impactful way.
In short you empower your leaders and managers to become highly effective at generating a breakthrough performance environment; plus you can see the effectiveness of your talent management investment in the numeric scores that follow, leader by leader and team by team.
It is a simple and scalable process to measure and address the otherwise hidden leader and team dynamics that directly impact execution and results. It provides scientifically validated data and insights that empower leaders and teams to change the conditions that produce performance. The approach includes a digital diagnostic, feedback methods, action-planning, online workbooks, and customised analytics and insights at the enterprise level. It can be applied to as many or as few teams or organisational layers as you wish.
The Performance Diagnostic enables organisations to evolve continually by cultivating an environment that develops strong leaders and elicits high performance from teams. We believe the leaders are the holders of organisational capability, which is why we have made it our business to hire the very best, provide insightful and effective developmental interventions and partner in the success of those organisations we apply our integrated HR approach with.
We now believe that providing only one aspect of the HR requirement, such as recruitment, is limiting. Somewhat like riding a one wheeled cycle. You can’t go as far or as fast, which is why over the last 10 years we have added a second wheel. We no longer only FIND the talent you need, we also OPTIMISE your talent and HR structures, because we are focussing on the end game which is making a measurable difference. A two wheeled cycle will get you there faster, more safely and it’s a much smoother journey.