Teams Look A Like A Families
The more conversations I have with clients and get to know their team dynamics, the more I realize corporate teams look a lot like families when it comes to communication styles and emotional EQ.
Some familes, for example, argue openly and loudly when there is a conflict. The same is true for some company cultures.
Other families quietly move on as if nothing is wrong in the face of conflict. We’ve heard of the term, “sweeping it under the rug,” and many teams do this when faced with internal conflict.
Some families don’t spend time together because everyone is too busy. When this happens to leadership teams, it can cause work silos, inefficient work streams, and confusion.
Do any of these dynamics sound familiar when you think of your team?
Underlying Causes
Just like families, teams cannot thrive in these types of environments. Employees cannot maximize their potential to do good work when there are “elephants in the room” that are not being addressed or there’s a fear of being publicly yelled at or humiliated if a difference of opinion is expressed, for example.
This happens for several reasons in this order:
- Lack of psychological safety
- Lack of trust
- Lack of communication skills
You need all three to create the atmosphere that allows your people to fulfill your company’s mission in a way that benefits everyone, including your employees.
3 First Steps
1. Celebrate the wins
It can be tempting to start a new year with goals and expectations instead of a look back on all that was accomplished and overcome in the prior 12 months. Be sure to personally thank any leaders who showed exemplary resilience and creativity, acknowledge any hard circumstances such as layoffs, and openly dialogue about the victories that were had.
Benefit: By acknowledging the current state of affairs but also looking at the wins, you’ll demonstrate a mindset of both/and – things can be hard AND we can do good work.
2. Hold a roundtable meeting with your leaders to kick off the year
Roundtables are meant to be a way for you to hear feedback from others and collectively share ideas. Invite an open discussion about how things are going, what obstacles your team might be facing as you tackle the goals you have for the upcoming year, and start to brainstorm how to solve for these.
Benefit: By modeling that you are open to feedback and facilitating a discussion, your leaders will be more likely to share honest feedback about what might be standing in the way of success.
3. Make a list
Create a list of things you want to address with your team including ways of working, carving aside a budget for team building, or changing the way meetings are run.
Benefit: Listing the changes you want to see will help you determine if you have the resources and expertise to tackle these challenges by yourself or if you need to hire outside help.
As we approach the holiday season, there’s a high likelihood many of us will be triggered by family dynamics at home, many which are out of our control. On the other hand, how we show up as leaders and how our team shows up for each other is entirely within our purview.
In fact, it’s our most important role as leaders and one we should dedicate more time, energy, and resources to in the coming year.
As always, if there’s anything I can do to help, I’m a phone call away.
Wishing you and your team a restful Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year!