Successful Teams- are you bold enough to change?
My son who recently moved to Silicon Valley and landed a position contracting at Google, enthusiastically shares about the campus. What a role model for all of us on attracting and retaining exceptional teams!
In a recent study, they attributed the success of teams down to 5 key components – Psychologically Safety the focus of thoughts for today, and a learning any company of any size can adapt – that is – if you are committed to truly walking the talk toward a culture shift.
“Google defines this as “We’ve all been in meetings and, due to the fear of seeming incompetent, have held back questions or ideas. I get it. It’s unnerving to feel like you’re in an environment where everything you do or say is under a microscope.
But imagine a different setting. A situation in which everyone is safe to take risks, voice their opinions, and ask judgment-free questions. A culture where managers provide air cover and create safe zones so employees can let down their guard. That’s psychological safety.” ”
Considering starting the shift with-in? Begin to re-frame business situations and conversations removing the “emotional right vs wrong” perspective, into listening and evaluating without jumping to presumed conclusions. Just be with the process and let natural dialogue lead to the “team truth”.
So often I have experience owners who dismiss employee input, presuming they KNOW the best course because of their experience and journey, the impact of this mindset has 2 easily visible potentially negative consequences:
Employees are less willing to share, knowing their opinion and feedback is unimportant or not valued
Diversity of thought and collaboration is stifled, thereby reinforcing a linear, ‘same old thinking ‘environment.
Think of the possibilities to growth of your organization, diversity of thought, attracting and retaining great employees, and reducing stress associated with all these factors as well as that inherent in leading with emotions when approaching challenging situations.
What are your thoughts, we would like to know..