Strategies for Advisors to Build Strong Teams

90% of leaders think their teams are effective. Only 15% actually are. Where do you fall? If you've been struggling with team performance, I've got a framework that transformed my own leadership approach. The traditional way to build teams focuses on individual performance. We hire for skills, evaluate based on output, and reward personal achievement. But this approach misses something critical: true high-performance comes from how people work together, not just how skilled they are individually. In my experience leading multiple teams across different industries, I've found a simple but powerful approach: 1. Establish Clear Goals  Not just what needs to be done, but why it matters. When team members understand the purpose behind their work, motivation soars. 2. Foster Open Communication Create an environment where everyone feels safe to share ideas, concerns, and feedback. The best solutions often come from unexpected voices. 3. Emphasize Collaboration Set up systems that reward collective achievements over individual heroics. This shifts the focus from "me" to "we." 4. Celebrate Diversity Different perspectives lead to better decisions and more creative solutions. Actively seek out and value varying viewpoints. 5. Lead by Example Show the behaviors you want to see. If you want collaboration, collaborate. If you want open communication, communicate openly. High-performing teams don't happen by accident. They're built intentionally. What's one team-building practice that's worked well for you? ✍️ Your insights can make a difference! ♻️ Share this post if it speaks to you, and follow me for more.

Do you feel part of a real team? Or are there moments when you feel isolated, uncertain, and disconnected, even though you're surrounded by colleagues? In the early stages of my career, I had the simplistic view that bringing together a bunch of high achievers would naturally create an outstanding team. However, the reality was quite different. Instead of creating synergy, there was noticeable discord. The team didn't seem to gel; it was akin to cogs not aligning in a machine. Every top performer, exceptional in their own right, appeared to follow their own path, often pulling in different directions. The amount of energy and time lost to internal strife was significant, and the expected outcomes? They remained just that – expected. This experience was a clear lesson that the success of a team isn't merely based on individual talent; it's about harmony, alignment, and collaboration. With today’s workplaces being more diverse, widespread, digitized, and ever-changing, achieving this is certainly challenging. So, in my quest to understand the nuances of high-performing teams, I reached out to my friend Hari Haralambiev. As a coach of dev teams who care about people, Hari has worked with numerous tech organizations, guiding them to unlock their teams’ potential. Here are his top 5 tips for developing high performing teams: 1. Be Inclusive ↳Put a structure in place so that the most vocal people don’t suffocate the silent voices. Great teams make sure minority views are heard and taken into account. They make it safe for people to speak up. 2. Leverage Conflict ↳Disagreements should be encouraged and how you handle them is what makes your team poor or great. Great teams mine for conflict - they cherish disagreements. To handle disagreements properly make sure to separate discussion from decision. 3. Decision Making Process ↳Have a clear team decision-making method to resolve conflicts quickly. The most important decision a team should make is how to make decisions. Don’t look for 100% agreement. Look for 100% commitment. 4. Care and Connect ↳This is by far the most important tip. Teams who are oriented only on results are not high-performing. You need to create psychological safety and build trust between people. To do that - focus on actually knowing the other people and to make it safe to be vulnerable in front of others. Say these 4 phrases more often: ‘I don’t know’, ‘I made a mistake’, ‘I’m sorry’, ‘I need help’. 5. Reward experimentation and risk taking ↳No solution is 100% certain. People should feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. Reward smart failure. Over-communicate that it’s better to take action and take accountability than play it safe. Remember, 'team' isn't just a noun—it's a verb. It requires ongoing effort and commitment to work at it, refine it, and nurture it. Do give Hari a follow and join over 6K+ professionals who receive his leadership comics in his newsletter A Leader’s Tale.

A Simple, Often Overlooked Action That Significantly Boosts Leader Effectiveness As leaders, we often fall into a common trap without realizing it. We speak first, share our thoughts, and unknowingly set the direction for the entire conversation. This can have unintended consequences on team dynamics and decision-making. When a leader speaks first, it can unintentionally: 🔇 Stifle creativity 🚫 Overshadow other ideas 🤐 Discourage other perspectives 🏛️ Reinforce hierarchical thinking -----Why Teams Go Silent----- 😟 Lack of confidence: They doubt the value of their ideas 🤐 Lack of skills: They don't know how to contribute effectively 😑 Apathy: They've stopped caring or feel their input doesn't matter 😨 Fear: They're afraid of disagreeing with the boss or making mistakes 🤫 Introverted personality: They prefer to process information before speaking 🎭 Authority bias: They automatically attribute greater accuracy to the opinion of an authority figure (the boss) So, what's the solution? It's simpler than you might think.... -----The Power Move: Speaking Last----- Here's how it works: 1. Present the topic or problem 2. Invite team input 3. Listen actively 4. Summarize what you've heard 5. Then, and only then, share your thoughts This small tweak in your communication style can yield big results: ✅ More diverse ideas ✅ Increased engagement ✅ Stronger team ownership ✅ Enhanced problem-solving This isn't a new concept, but in the rush of daily business, it's easy to overlook. Now, I'm curious to hear from you: 💬 What strategies have you used to encourage more input from your team? 💬 If you've tried speaking last, what changes did you notice in your team's dynamics? Share your experiences and insights below. Let's learn from each other and grow as leaders!

This took me 5+ years to figure out... The power of compounding in leadership. Successful leaders build: • trust • collaboration • psychological safety • momentum Here's my story: When I first became a manager, I had no idea what I was doing. I had only a few skills to effectively lead the team. And I soon realized that I needed more. So I read books and articles. I asked questions. I took courses to expand my skills and knowledge. And I learned that it's not any one action or idea. Instead, successful leaders understand how to compound their results. → 1% better every day = 37x better in a year Each action builds on other actions. Here are 10 areas on which to focus: 1️⃣ Hold 1:1s 1:1s provide opportunities to set goals, motivate, and give feedback together. ↳ Don't cancel or reschedule. ↳ Do ask questions and listen. 2️⃣ Communicate Teams thrive when there is clear, frequent communication. ↳ Don't hide information. ↳ Do repeat info through several mediums. 3️⃣ Delegate Responsibility Employees are more engaged when given the trust and responsibility to complete tasks. ↳ Don't abdicate responsibility. ↳ Do consider task-relevant maturity. 4️⃣ Set Goals The team should clearly understand what they are working towards, and how they contribute. ↳ Don't dictate goals unilaterally. ↳ Do allow for personal and stretch goals. 5️⃣ Share Knowledge Teams work more efficiently and effectively when accessing collective knowledge. ↳ Don't try to do everything yourself. ↳ Do have the team share best practices. 6️⃣ Ask Questions Questions signal that the team's opinions and insights are valued, promoting collaboration. ↳ Don't ask questions but ignore answers. ↳ Do pose open questions for more insights. 7️⃣ Give Feedback Feedback motivates employees and reinforces the right actions aligned with goals. ↳ Don't use the feedback sandwich. ↳ Do give sincere praise and celebrate wins. 8️⃣ Create Vision and Values Clear vision and values align your team around shared goals and guide actions. ↳ Don't set and forget your MVVs. ↳ Do involve the team when developing. 9️⃣ Promote Continuous Learning Investing in continuous learning leads to high engagement and retention. ↳ Don't be afraid to coach and mentor. ↳ Do view failures as learning opportunities. 🔟 Foster Resilience Resilience helps teams effectively manage challenges, as well as recover from setbacks. ↳ Don't ignore the impact of stress. ↳ Do set an example by taking time off. Although we expect instant results these days, you need patience to build a high-performing team. When you do these actions consistently over time, you let compounding work its magic! PS. Which of these do you find most challenging? ***** 👋 I'm Chris Cotter. 🔔 Follow for more on leadership. ✳️ I help managers level up for success / happiness. DM me!

Every leader eventually faces this question– 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺? An HBR study outlines four types of team members: • 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝗸𝘀: Skilled but difficult to work with • 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀: The ideal mix of skill and likability • 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀: Personable but lacking key skills • 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝗸𝘀: Neither skilled nor likable While Lovable Stars are ideal, most teams consist of a mix of personalities, working styles, and skill levels. The real challenge is balancing high performers who are tough to manage with those who are well-liked but lack key skills—without letting either hinder the team's progress. Here’s how effective leaders approach it: 1️. 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 ↳ Leverage the expertise of skilled but challenging team members while fostering collaboration. ↳ For the well-liked but lacking in key skills, focus on their positive impact and place them in roles where they can grow. 2️. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 ↳ Offer behavior-specific feedback to help challenging individuals understand how their actions affect team dynamics. ↳ Provide clear guidance on key growth areas for those who are well-liked but lack skills. 3️. 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 ↳ Provide coaching to foster self-awareness and emotional intelligence for the skilled but challenging. ↳ Create skill-building opportunities for those who are engaging but need development to boost team performance. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹? Foster a team where competence and collaboration drive success. Strong leadership requires tough decisions—addressing behaviors and investing in development so that diverse talents become assets that elevate the whole team. 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲? 📌 Share this to help others balance competence and collaboration in their teams.

Most leadership teams focus on what to do. The best ones focus on: How to do it. Let me tell you about one of my favorite transformations. I worked with a small senior leadership team—14 leaders from a pharmaceutical company.    When we first met, their meetings looked like this:   -Everyone sat down -Gave individual updates, -Reported on progress, and left. No collaboration. Just reports. Their goal? To shift from being a reporting team to a collaborative team—one that makes decisions together.  But before they could do that, they needed to fix one crucial thing: How they worked together. So we started with the basics:   1. Ways of working. – What’s the structure for communication?   2. Feedback rules. – How will they give and receive feedback?   3. Tools and practices. – What tools will they use, and how will they use them?  The realization was simple but powerful: Most teams focus on what they need to work on. Few focus on how they’ll work together. Six months later?  They told me their collaboration was smoother than ever. No more confusion, fewer frustrations, and more time to focus on big decisions.  Here’s the takeaway:  If you want a high-performing team, don’t just talk about the work. Talk about how you’ll do the work. Because when you set clear norms from the start, you eliminate the friction that holds teams back—and unlock the potential to achieve much more together.  📌 Want to build your best team ever? Join 27,000+ who receive these insights in my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gCv_2MQ2

How to build high-performing teams and cultures of excellence with authentic leadership: 1️⃣ Create transparent and collaborative relationships within your work group and with the teams you support. I was successful at large, matrixed corporations because I was committed to building relationships at all levels of the organization. This included scheduling meet-and-greets any time I entered a new role or company, engaging my active listening skills to creating lasting connections. 2️⃣ Create environments where people understand their role and how their work performance will help the team achieve its goals. I firmly believe in qualitative and quantitative goals, and breaking down those goals into small, digestible pieces that your team can truly own and influence. For me, it starts with a three- to five-year strategic plan process that is inclusive, transparent, and collaboratively developed. 3️⃣ Allow anyone to earn their way into "the room where it happens." I learned from Bob Iger that hierarchy kills creativity. Don't let status or position be the deciding factor on your team. Let people prove they belong with their ideas and solid execution. 4️⃣ Consider an "open-door policy," to allow free flow of conversations and ideas. Good ideas can come from anywhere, and two heads are better than one. Of course, I employed amazing gatekeepers, and there were and are times I need to work behind closed doors, but I try to keep that to a minimum. 5️⃣ Embrace the realities of today's workforce and competition for talent. If you are open to a hybrid way of working and not being bound by geography, you are opening your access to true talent. I do not think we will ever return to five days a week in an office setting. I still believe it is important to pull your team together for key work events or strategy sessions, but as the leader, you must create and craft these opportunities to maximize the in-person times. I learned these lessons the hard way, through decades of trial-and-error, big wins and painful losses, through good times and bad! What would you add? How do you think about building high-performing teams? #leadership #authenticity #allpridenoego

Building A Strong Foundation for Healthy High-Performing Teams The baseline for team effectiveness is having a group of capable and engaged individuals. But having talented individuals is not enough! Leaders need to create an environment that facilitates employees feeling heard, valued, and capable of doing their best work. A practical model for developing a foundation for team effectiveness is called GRPI, an acronym for 𝗚oals, 𝗥oles, 𝗣rocesses, and 𝗜nterpersonal. Without this solid team foundation, trust and performance will be an ongoing issue. 𝗗𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗥𝗣𝗜 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗚oals The importance of effective goals on team performance is well-documented. Goals give teams direction and unite each individual effort in getting there. Goal clarity includes Purpose, Values, Team and Individual Goals 𝗥oles Clarity of each member’s authority, responsibilities, and tasks are needed to effectively accomplish team goals. Each person should have a clear picture of who is responsible for what and the extent of their authority. 𝗣rocesses Effective processes for decision-making, problem solving, communication, resource allocations, learning, etc., support team goals by defining the important interactions needed for success. 𝗜nterpersonal A strong social support system is the most important factor in creating great teams. Dispersed and matrixed teams make it easy for team members to feel isolated. Teams must take time to celebrate wins, show gratitude, build cohesiveness and emphasize collaboration. 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘: Many people ask why isn’t it the GRIP Model and the answer is because without clear and aligned goals, roles and processes a team’s environment is not set-up for promoting healthy relationships. Unclear and misaligned goals and roles are the most common root causes of workplace conflict. What else do you consider a foundational characteristic of high-performing teams? Share your COMMENTS below. ⬇️ To learn more about this post read my LinkedIn newsletter article, How To Develop Teams That Build Strong Relationships And Deliver Great Results: https://lnkd.in/eNZ6_fV8 * The GRPI model for team effectiveness was developed by Richard Beckhard, one of the founding pioneers of organizational development. Click the 🔔 on my profile to be notified when I post | Tony Gambill #leadership #management #careers