“Leaders need to be sure that they're providing the right behavioral examples of what's needed to support the effectiveness of this team. And this is tricky because you're not always clear about what those things are.” - Peter Axelson

In this podcast episode, Winnie and Peter, wrap up their Team Development Masterclass by discussing nine universal best practices that apply across the Team Development Methodology, which was explored in the previous 10 episodes.



Episode Highlights:

Role Modeling

Leaders must serve as role models, setting examples for their teams. Asking for feedback regularly can help gauge whether they are providing the right examples.

Investing in Relationships

Sound interpersonal relationships are fundamental for collaboration and team effectiveness. They encourage making time to intentionally deepen work relationships.

Changing Mindsets and Behaviors

Increasing team effectiveness requires individuals to change their behavior. Behavioral change typically starts with a shift in mindset, which can be achieved by examining internal narratives.

Emphasizing the Process

Effective processes are differentiators in team performance. They emphasize the importance of paying attention to "how" work is done, as team expertise and intelligence are fixed at the start.

Grappling with Big Questions

It’s important to grapple with significant questions, such as defining team culture - “What do we want to be?” Addressing such questions can be time-consuming but fruitful in the long run.

Creating Room for Experimentation

Team development often involves establishing new processes to build effective teams. Teams should be open to experimentation, assessing results, and customizing processes that work best for them.

Making the Implicit Explicit

It’s critical to uncover and address assumptions that can lead to costly consequences. By making the implicit explicit, teams can avoid misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and damaged relationships.

Asking for Feedback

Winnie and Peter underscore the importance of asking for feedback, especially from fellow team members regarding collaboration. They emphasize that this is a vital habit to develop.

Pause and Reflect

Peter and Winnie advocate regularly slowing down and considering how the team is functioning. These continuous improvement practices are the "secret sauce" for increasing effectiveness over time.

Resources

Winnie da Silva on LinkedIn 

Get the whole season and the companion guide at Winniedasilva.com