2024- Year of the Team
As 2023 draws to a close, I want to thank all the exceptional leaders and executive teams I’ve had the privilege to work with this year. Thank you for trusting me to walk alongside you on your leadership learning journey. Your determination and courage have been inspirational and so appreciate all you have taught me.
One highlight of this year was working with executive teams who unconditionally committed to become more high performing teams. In appreciation of their efforts, and to encourage you to make 2024 the year of your team, I thought I’d share what they did differently to team better together.
First, they all started their team learning journey committed to bring about new possibilities to improve performance, implement lasting change and inspire increased levels of engagement.
Second, each completed the 5 Disciplines of a High Performing Team assessment and recognised they floundered more than flourished as a leadership team.
Third, to become more high performing teams, what they did differently was simple, easy, and impactful.
Here’s how they made the difference:
CONNECTED
They first focused on building stronger working relationships.
They invested time and energy to get to know and understand one other.
They focused on developing greater trust, showed more respect, and appreciated one another.
Through stronger connections, they made it safer to be braver to speak more of their truth to one another.
COMMITTED
They shared a will to flourish.
They took responsibility for their own and each other’s learning, growth, and success.
They spoke less about diversity and inclusion and committed more to including diversity.
Team members consistently asked of themselves: “how can I make it easier for you to work with me?”
COLLABORATED
They accepted that collaboration dances with conflict.
They secured greater understanding and commitment by caringly conflicting, criticising, and challenging each other.
They shifted their language from “I, me and my” to “you, us and our.”
As they felt listened to and respected, they more willingly accepted decisions they did not necessarily agree with.
As you move into 2024, give thought to how your team could connect, commit, and collaborate more and transition to become a more high performing team. To do so, does not require the team develops a new set of capabilities, but rather create the conditions to access a capacity all already have. To flourish is a choice.
To help you, I’ve committed to make 2024 the Year of the Team and expanding my offering. I look forward to discussing how my offerings could help you in 2024:
Team Better Together team coaching program – enables teams to transition to flourish and achieve the greatest things possible.
5 Disciplines of a High Performing Team assessment – will help you identify the team’s strengths to harness and opportunities for change.
Team Time-out a space for leaders of executive teams to come together and feel safe and supported to share and learn with and from one another.
A free e-book on How to Team as a Team, to be launched in March of 2024.
Speaking about teams – to help inspire your teams at your 2024 kick-off or other internal business events and conferences.
Meantime, I wish you a restful and fun filled break over the festive season, and I hope 2024 brings you and your family all you would wish for.
May we all flourish.
Bernard