Peak Performers by Tiffany Uman

How to lead teams effectively

October 30, 2023

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Here are a few things that you may have missed last week:

Peak Performers newsletter: How to build your executive presence.

My FREE LinkedIn Learning nano-course (just 11 min): Nano Tips to Fast Track Your Career.

My latest CareerTALKS Real Talk podcast episode with my co-host Orlando Haynes: Building your LinkedIn presence.

My latest Forbes feature as Forbes Coaches Council member: 15 misconceptions about leadership (and how new leaders are impacted)

Leading teams successfully is no small feat.

For many, it can serve as their downfall. Far too often, I see professionals enter into people manager roles who lack the necessary training, skills or capabilities to take on the challenge of leading a team.

Safeguarding and enabling the development of a team is not for the faint of heart.

It is something that requires commitment, passion and enthusiasm to deliver in this role with confidence and excellence.

The ability to guide and inspire teams towards collective success not only requires strong interpersonal skills but also demands a deep understanding of the intricacies of human behaviour and organizational dynamics.

As such, leaders must adapt their approach to foster an environment that nurtures productivity, creativity and allows their teams - and employees - to flourish.

Peak performers understand that they need to connect with their teams on a deeper level to bring out the best collectively. They operate in such a way that reflects how much they care about their team beyond simply driving results.

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt

The moment you bridge human connection, effective leadership and operational excellence within your team management strategies, a resulting win-win environment ensues increasing employee engagement, empowerment and happiness.

Here's how.

Avoid these pitfalls.

Despite many team managers wanting to succeed in their role, they often miss the mark on essential factors that would allow this to happen effectively.

You do not want to set the wrong precedent or lead amazing talent to walk out the door because you have not been able to support your team in the way they truly needed you to.

With that in mind, here are 4 mistakes that undoubtedly lead to more employee dissatisfaction and premature turnover and what to do instead:

→ Lack of communication and feedback channels: The absence of transparent communication and feedback loops that lead your team to feel disconnected and undervalued. Rather:

Set the right expectations by clearly defining job roles, responsibilities and performance expectations in collaboration with your team members.
Schedule regular 1:1 meetings to discuss progress and address questions.
Provide constructive feedback for improvement as they often miss their own blind spots. Do this in a way that shows how it benefits their own development goals.

→ Micromanagement and lack of autonomy: Micromanagement stifles creativity and hampers your team's growth. Rather:

Identify the different levels of seniority of your team members and create personalized development plans to give them the needed freedom to thrive.
Be clear on where you want to be involved but also where they have free reign.
Empower them to feel in control of their work and that you respect their initiative.

→ Ignoring work life balance: Neglecting the importance of well-being will absolutely lead to burnout and disengagement. Rather:

Recognize your team members' individual needs, personally and professionally.
Do not assume what is important to them. Ask.
Assist them with workload challenges and prioritization to focus on high-value tasks.

→ Inadequate recognition and reward systems: Failing to acknowledge and appreciate employees' efforts often results in a lack of motivation. Rather:

Let your team members know that their work matters and how it contributes to the bigger picture.
Acknowledge things you appreciate about them and the impact they are creating.
Encourage individual and team recognition moments to create more unity and boost morale.

Your role as an effective leader and team manager is to inspire, influence and empower your teams in the work they do and in the purpose they feel day-in and day-out.

5 best practices to lead teams effectively

1/ Create a safe space environment

Encourage an open-door policy to ensure employees feel heard and valued, and lead by example in this regard.

Whether you are working with more junior employees or seasoned talent, every voice matters; it is your duty to ensure your team feels that every single day. You can create moments for this in 1:1 status meetings with individual team members as well as in team meetings to encourage open sharing of feedback and updates.

Beyond this, show your team that you take action.

There is nothing more demotivating than a team member sharing important and constructive feedback with you and not seeing anything change as a result. Do not be that type of leader.

Show them that you take feedback seriously and do what is within your control to improve certain situations that arise. Additionally, provide your team members with autonomy and trust their capabilities by delegating tasks and encouraging independent decision-making.

You can even offer opportunities for skill development and promote a sense of ownership in their work, as well as sharing of best practices.

Finally, practice active listening to understand viewpoints and concerns, demonstrating empathy and fostering meaningful connections. This also creates a conducive environment for forward-thinking dialogue and collaboration.

2/ Set clear goals together

It is impossible to have a high performing team without being clear on where it is headed.

It is like driving a car without an end destination in mind. This runs the risk of your team going in circles, having to do then redo again or worse, completely misaligning with the company's goals and priorities.

Take the time to understand what drives your team, and align this with each individual's objectives and the company's own goals.

Sounds simple, and yet so many leaders get this wrong.

Most organizations are results and profit driven; unsurprisingly, these end-goals normally take precedent. However, the moment you understand what truly motivates your team - what gets them excited each day - is when an extraordinary unlock occurs for sustainable and high-performing results.

Here are 3 easy action steps to help you with this:

→ Work individually with each team member to determine their goals that are both specific and measurable. Ensure these align with both their respective career development goals and broader company priorities.

→ Outline team goals so they have a sense of how their role/impact plays into that. You do not want your team members feeling like they are working in silo but that they are contributing to a bigger purpose.

→ Have regular check-ins with your individual team members as well as team statuses. You can also use this time to adjust goals and strategies where needed based on changing circumstances.

3/ Focus on coaching and development

Beyond the work itself, your team wants to feel like there is a clear path forward for them. They want to know that their efforts will have a payoff in both personal and professional development and advancement.

Bring clarity to your team members as to what this path looks like for them based on where they are at and what they would like to achieve.

Here are 5 ways to incorporate this:

→ Collaborate with each direct report to create individual development plans. Identify areas for growth and skill enhancement tailored to their career goals.

→ Provide opportunities for mentorship and training to develop their skills.

→ Encourage them to take on challenging projects to expand their learning and exposure.

→ Leverage performance reviews to assess their progress and remain forward focused in helping them achieve their goals.

→ Utilize regular touch points outside of weekly status meetings to give them feedback on their career progression and low-hanging fruit opportunities.

4/ Celebrate your team

Implement a structured recognition and rewards system that acknowledges and appreciates employees' contributions.

Celebrate milestones, both big and small, and publicly recognize outstanding performance through larger award ceremonies and personalized notes of appreciation. Give them credit where it is due while also providing direct opportunities for them to showcase their work and results. Also, celebrate the progress they are making to reach their target outcomes.

Peak performers acknowledge that recognition is the fuel that bridges team unity, motivation and commitment.

Never discount the small wins. Micro-wins create a compounding effect over time that can lead to impactful changes and improvements. Infuse this into your celebrations and watch your team thrive towards a higher level of performance.

5/ Prioritize well-being

You must ensure to foster an environment that promotes well-being.

Having a team that is overworked is a recipe for disaster. The longer such an environment persists, the more it endangers your team's health. As a result, what fundamentally drives the business forward towards desired outcomes is unlikely to materialize.

Leverage time management to facilitate your team's productivity while also maintaining healthy boundaries.

Here are 6 ways to support your team members in this:

→ Help your direct reports prioritize their tasks based on importance and deadlines.

→ Suggest time-saving tools and technologies that streamline work processes for you and your team.

→ Create post-mortem assessments that highlight learnings and best practices on how to behave most effectively for future projects as well.

→ Encourage your team members to eliminate time-wasting habits and tasks and to bring this to your attention if they need more of your input on this. The goal is to create more efficient workflows and maximize the outcomes of your team vs. inputs.

→ Promote a healthy work-life balance to prevent burnout amongst your direct reports. Lead by example and respect their personal time outside of working hours.

→ Reiterate your expectations around “on” and “off” working time so there is no ambiguity here.

How will you choose to lead your teams?

In the intricate web of team dynamics, effective leadership is the linchpin that holds together a motivated and engaged employees. By steering clear of common pitfalls and embracing the above best practices, you will foster a culture of trust, growth, and respect, ultimately leading to enhanced employee satisfaction and retention.

You've got this!

This week's mission is designed to improve your strategies as an effective leader and team manager. Dedicate uninterrupted time to answering the questions below and leverage these reflections to influence your day-to-day actions and longer-term strategies.

1/ Create a safe space environment for your team:

List out 3-5 actions that you will implement to foster a feeling of safety and openness amongst your team members.
Share these actions with your team for feedback and encourage additional ideas.
Then, decide which ones you will prioritize first and take action.

2/ Identify problem areas in your team dynamic:

What are the key pain points arising?
How can you instil more support to improve productivity, morale and empowerment?

3/ Celebrate your team:

For each team member you have, find a moment to celebrate 1 thing they did recently or this week. Choose to do it individually or publicly.
Ask your team members to think about a strategy, process or task they completed that can be replicated as a best practice and allow them to share that to the broader department or division.

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