Tips for Supporting Team Success

Trust is built through actions, not words! Trust is at the heart of any effective leadership style. I’ve found that it can make or break a team's performance, morale and overall success. Today, I want to share some insights on building and maintaining trust within your team, based on my 20+ years of experience in leadership roles. Transparency is Key: Share important updates, both good and bad. If something isn't going well, it’s better to let your team know rather than keeping them in the dark. People appreciate honesty. Open-Door Policy: Make sure you're approachable. If team members feel they can come to you with any problems or suggestions, you’re on the right track. Be Consistent: Try to treat everyone fairly and keep your promises. If people know what to expect from you, they're more likely to trust you. Acknowledge Mistakes: We're all human... we all make mistakes. Owning up to them shows maturity and reliability, two qualities that help build trust. Provide Feedback: Positive or constructive, feedback helps team members know where they stand and how they can improve. It's a two-way street... encourage them to provide you with feedback too. Tip: Always use Positive Reinforcement when giving feedback... don't make it all about the individuals shortcomings. Empower Your Team: Delegating tasks or responsibilities not only shows you trust your team's skills but also encourages their own development. The sense of ownership they get from it often leads to better results. Show Appreciation: Recognize and reward good work. Simple acts of appreciation can go a long way in building a positive and trusting work environment. Stick to Your Values: Integrity is crucial. If your actions reflect your words, people are more likely to trust you. Active Listening: Take the time to listen to your team's concerns and ideas. This not only fosters trust but can also provide you with valuable insights. Follow Through: If you commit to something, do everything in your power to make it happen. This confirms that you're reliable, further building trust. Leadership isn't about pretending to have all the answers. Simon Sinek - "In leadership, the quickest way to lose trust is to pretend you have all the answers. The best way to build it is to prove you don't." #LeadershipTrust #BuildingTeams #TransparencyInLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #EffectiveLeadership

Psychological Safety is the secret to high-performing teams Ever wondered why some teams seem to effortlessly excel, while others constantly struggle? The answer might surprise you: it all comes down to psychological safety. Psychological safety is the magic ingredient that unlocks a team's true potential. When team members feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and take calculated risks, innovation thrives. What does it look like in action? Imagine a team where: - Ideas are openly shared, even if they're half-baked. - Honest mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, not reasons for blame. - Healthy debate is encouraged, leading to better solutions. In Google's Project Aristotle, we also found that Psychological Safety was a key factor in teams that were rated the most effective: https://lnkd.in/gmAMp_JS This great cheat sheet by Ronnie H. unveils two powerful tools: 1. Amy Edmondson's Matrix: This simple framework shows how the sweet spot of high performance lies at the intersection of psychological safety and clear standards. 2. 9 Actionable Tips for Leaders: These are battle-tested strategies used to cultivate psychological safety in teams. Here are some of these tips, with my personal insights: 1. Build Trust: Be transparent, keep promises, and follow through on commitments. My Tip: Share your own vulnerabilities and struggles. It shows you're human and encourages others to do the same. 2. Don't Blame: Focus on solutions, not fault. My Tip: Use "we" language to create a sense of shared responsibility. 3. Listen Actively: Pay attention not just to words, but also body language and emotions. My Tip: Ask clarifying questions and paraphrase to ensure understanding. 4. Normalize Failure: Mistakes are inevitable; view them as stepping stones to growth. My Tip: Celebrate learning moments and share stories of overcoming challenges. 5. Give Everyone a Voice: Encourage participation from all team members, not just the loudest voices. My Tip: Utilize anonymous surveys or suggestion boxes to gather ideas from introverts. Psychological safety is a necessity. Insist on it and watch your team transform. Download the cheat sheet and start building a safe space for your team to thrive! P.S. Repost to spread the word and make work a better place for everyone. ♻️ Follow Ronnie H. Kinsey, MBA, for more leadership insights like this. #motivation #productivity #leadership

You start from 0 with any new team you lead. So where do you begin? → Seek knowledge. → Establish credibility. → Score easy successes. → Don't make radical changes. → Build a foundation for the future. The first few months serve as a critical period. You build a foundation on which your team will rise or fall. Here's what I do: 1️⃣ Start with the people ↳ Understand their skills and attitudes. ↳ So you avoid issues with team dynamics. 2️⃣ Build relationships ↳ Get to know the people in your team. ↳ So you build trust and a positive culture. 3️⃣ Communicate clearly and often ↳ Set the expectation that information is shared. ↳ Effective teamwork depends on communication. 4️⃣ Be humble. ↳ Show that you don’t have all the answers. ↳ So you are approachable. 5️⃣ Lead by example ↳ Model the behavior you expect from your team. ↳ So the team aligns around the right behavior. 6️⃣ Create a feedback culture ↳ Encourage constructive criticism. ↳ So there is continuous improvement. 7️⃣ Think about feedforward too ↳ Identify proactive solutions. ↳ So you create momentum for change. 8️⃣ Improve processes and practices ↳ Get input on inefficiencies and improvements. ↳ So you and the team can build successes. 9️⃣ Prioritize team development ↳ Invest in and prepare your team for the future. ↳ So as your team grows, so do their successes. Remember: Your new team is assessing you, your skills, and the culture you want to create. Their morale, productivity, and success depend on your actions. PS. What steps do you take in a new leadership role? 🔔 Follow Chris Cotter for more on leadership.

Do you want to lead a top-performing team? Someone once shared with me that a true sign of a strong team is how they operate and perform when their leader is absent. This idea stuck with me, and I became curious about what it would take to build a team that could function at a high level without me. I concluded that if I wanted my team to be the best, I needed to make myself less of a factor (”zero” myself out). Not so I can disappear and play golf; I am horrible, by the way, but more so to ensure the team continues to elevate. With that, I asked myself a couple of questions: - What do I need to do differently as a team leader? - What factors should I consider as I go through this process? Here's what I landed on: 1. Empower Through Delegation: Give your team autonomy and ownership over meeting agendas, projects, and tasks while providing guidance and support when needed. Trusting your team members to make decisions fosters confidence and boosts morale. 2. Encourage Collaboration: Foster a culture of collaboration where ideas are valued, respectfully challenged, and everyone's voice is heard. Encourage open communication and teamwork to leverage the collective intelligence of your team. Collaboration not only enhances creativity but also strengthens togetherness. 3. Provide Ongoing Development: Invest in your team's growth by offering continuous learning opportunities. Whether through 1:1 connects, team calls, or training programs, prioritize their development. 4. Provide Access: Connect your team to different departments and resources within your company. To enhance their network, try to give them access to some of the leaders and decision-makers you interact with. This not only gives them valuable exposure but also allows them to gather information and influence decisions. 5. Celebrate Successes: Recognize and celebrate your team's achievements. Celebrating successes reinforces positive behavior and motivates the team to continue their collective journey. Remember: -Be present daily for your team. -Success belongs to the team; the leader owns any misses. -Tailor your approach to your team's abilities. -Enjoy watching your team grow! #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamSuccess

I was fortunate to work with some other Senior Leaders to teach a Leadership class where we focused on empowering front-line leaders with practical tools to ignite their teams' potential and inspire superior business results. Here are four simple yet impactful steps we emphasized: 1️⃣ Connect the Dots It's crucial to ensure every team member understands how their daily efforts contribute to the organization's overarching goals. When everyone sees the bigger picture, motivation and alignment skyrocket! 2️⃣ Goal-Driven Empowerment Embrace a quarterly goal-setting approach where team members are empowered to set both professional and personal growth goals. This fosters ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement. 3️⃣ Regular Check-ins Establishing regular check-ins isn't just about discussing goals; it's about nurturing strong personal connections. These interactions build trust, enhance communication, and pave the way for collaborative success. 4️⃣ Feedback & Recognition Leverage intentional and continuous feedback, recognition, and communication to uplift and inspire each team member. Acknowledging their efforts fuels morale and fosters a culture of growth and excellence. While these steps may seem straightforward, they're often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of leadership. However, investing in these foundational practices can unlock your team's full potential and inspire remarkable results. Let's commit to prioritizing these fundamental principles and watch as our teams soar to new heights! 💼✨ #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamEmpowerment #BusinessSuccess #ContinuousImprovement

“I’ve seen what my team is capable of, but right now, they are not performing to their full potential, and I don’t know why…” 🤷♂️🤷♀️ This is a common frustration I’ve seen when working with CEOs, and after having done many consultancies to find an answer, here is a checklist ✅📝 I’ve developed that might help you as you lead your team to peak performance: 1️⃣ PRAISE 👍: Typically, there is less than 10% overlap between how good people are and how good they think they are. So, show them what they are capable of by giving timely and specific praise. Help them be aware of the reasons behind their success so they know how to replicate them. 2️⃣ CLARITY ON EXPECTATIONS 📋: Make them aware of what excellence looks like and what specific actions they need to take to succeed. 3️⃣ MOTIVATION 📣: Check in with your leaders on their motivation level. → Are they going through something challenging in their personal life? → Are they on a path to burnout and need time off? → Do they feel stagnant in their role and need new challenges? 4️⃣ TEAM DYNAMICS 🤼♀️: ask your leaders if they feel supported by their teams. → Are there altered roles or responsibilities? → Is there a perceived lack of recognition or change in status? → Are there conflicts that need mediation? 5️⃣ YOUR LEADERSHIP 💼: at least 30% of employees’ performance is the product of how they’re managed, meaning that your leadership could play a big role in determining whether people are reaching their potential or not. So, ask your team for feedback on whether your leadership is supporting them or not and how it could improve. -- #skillfullcommunication #betterrelations #assertivecommunications

How do you foster employee empowerment and high performance within your team? Would like to know your approach, feel free to comment or send me a direct message 😊! As a former athlete, my approach to fostering employee empowerment and high performance within my team is ingrained in my DNA … 1. **Setting Clear Goals:** Like in athletics, clear goals are crucial. Define specific, achievable objectives for each team member, aligning them with the overall team goal. 2. **Encouraging Ownership:** Athletes take ownership of their performance. Allow employees to make decisions, take risks, and learn from mistakes. This builds accountability and empowerment. 3. **Continuous Training and Development:** Just as athletes train to improve, provide regular opportunities for learning and skill development. This not only enhances performance but also shows investment in their growth. 4. **Promoting Collaboration:** Successful teams in sports collaborate seamlessly. Encourage a collaborative environment where individuals support and learn from each other, fostering a sense of unity and high performance. 5. **Recognizing and Celebrating Achievements:** Celebrate successes, both big and small, just as athletes celebrate milestones. Recognition boosts morale and motivates further performance. 6. **Feedback and Communication:** Effective communication is key in sports and teams. Provide constructive feedback regularly, creating a culture where feedback is welcomed and used for improvement. 7. **Leading by Example:** Athletes follow inspiring leaders. As a manager, lead with passion, integrity, and dedication. Your attitude sets the tone for the team's mindset and performance. Sharing a great memory with you when I was an onsite leader - General Manager of wonderful HOA with over 1200 homes…

Last week I shared something that caused a lot of reaction from the CS community: CSM burnout. First of all, apologies to the CSM who started that thread on Reddit, I had no bad intention of making this post, and I did it with a positive outcome in mind. I think I accomplished what I wanted: bring this very important topic to the surface. Not that it was a secret. So today, I want to write a follow-up. What can CS leaders do to help their team succeed during these tough times? Here are 10 things I would consider: 1. Establish regular feedback loops and take action: Create structured mechanisms for CSMs to provide feedback regularly, whether through one-on-one meetings, surveys, or team retrospectives. 2. Process improvement: Identify pain points in existing processes and workflows and work with your team to streamline or automate tasks wherever possible. How can you make your CSM's job easier? 3. Provide resources and training: Ensure that your CSMs have access to the tools, training, and support they need to perform their roles effectively. This may include investing in additional training programs or expanding the team. 4. Capacity planning: Proactively manage workload and resource allocation by implementing effective capacity planning strategies. Regularly assess team bandwidth and client demands to ensure that CSMs are not overburdened with excessive workloads. 5. Promote work-life balance: Encourage a healthy work-life balance by setting realistic expectations around workload and deadlines. Offer flexible work arrangements, time off, or mental health resources to support CSMs in managing stress and avoiding burnout. 6. Acknowledge hard work: Regularly recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of your CSMs. This could be through public praise in team meetings, personalized notes of appreciation, or performance bonuses. 7. Foster a supportive culture: Cultivate a culture of collaboration, trust, and support within the team. Encourage open communication, peer mentorship, and a willingness to help each other out during challenging times. 8. Provide professional development opportunities: Invest in the professional growth and development of your CSMs by offering opportunities for skill-building, career advancement, and cross-functional training. 9. Create a clear career path: Define clear career paths and progression opportunities for CSMs within the organization. Outline expectations for performance and advancement criteria, and provide guidance and support for those looking to grow in their roles. 10. Lead by example: Lead by example as a supportive and empathetic leader. Demonstrate active listening, empathy, and responsiveness to your team's needs. When times get tough, lead through uncertainty and push your team through. They will appreciate it.

The most powerful tool for workplace engagement and performance costs... $0. (and you already have it.) Gratitude. Most leaders and teams think success comes from pushing harder for results. Focusing solely on metrics. Demanding constant output. But here's what the research and best practices show about a culture of gratitude as appreciation and feedback: Teams where gratitude is expressed are... ➟ 70% more engaged (feeling seen & valued) ➟ 40% more resilient (bouncing back faster) ➟ 21% more productive (motivated by recognition) ➟ 4x more likely to stay (feeling connected & supported) Because gratitude isn't just a feeling. It's an engagement multiplier. It transforms average teams into exceptional ones. Think about it: When someone genuinely expresses appreciation for your work, or gives thoughtful feedback that helps you grow, you feel seen. Valued. You trust more. You can be your best self. That's why great leaders and thriving teams practice these daily: • They give specific encouragement: "Great job on the Q2 report, particularly how you analyzed X data point." • They offer constructive feedback with care: "Your presentation was strong, and adding a summary slide at the end could make it even more impactful." • They celebrate small wins: Not just major milestones, but the daily efforts that contribute. • They defend colleagues who aren't in the room: Speaking positively and with respect. • They respect boundaries and off-hours: Showing appreciation for personal time. • They lead with active listening: Truly hearing team members' challenges and ideas. • They offer help before being asked: Demonstrating support and valuing collaboration. • They include all voices: Ensuring everyone feels their contribution is appreciated. • They share knowledge freely: Fostering growth and collective success. • They give credit generously and publicly: Highlighting individual contributions to team success. We can make progress with strategy. But if we want to truly thrive, we need to pay attention to human connection. Nothing fuels performance, retention, and a positive culture more than genuine gratitude expressed as appreciation and constructive feedback. Make gratitude your workplace's competitive advantage. Your team will thank you. Your results will show it. Your legacy will reflect it. Want to transform your workplace culture? Start with gratitude. The rest will follow. How do you practice and receive gratitude (as appreciation or feedback) in your workplace?

Burnout is everywhere. Most leaders just push harder. Real ones protect their teams. Great leaders are reliable when things go wrong. They build trust. Boost morale. Drive performance. Here’s 11 power moves to protect your team like a pro: 1/ Clear Communication → Transparent goals and feedback eliminate confusion. → Teams thrive when they know exactly what’s needed. 💡 Leaders: Use regular check-ins and AI-driven project tools to ensure alignment and clarity. 2/ Psychological Safety → Encourage open dialogue without judgment. → Safe spaces spark innovation and honest feedback. 💡 Leaders: Foster trust with team-building exercises and anonymous feedback tools. 3/ Work-Life Balance → Respect boundaries and promote sustainable workloads. → Healthy teams outperform overworked ones. 💡 Leaders: Use AI analytics to monitor workloads and flag overextension risks. 4/ Skill Development → Provide training and upskilling opportunities. → Empowered teams feel valued and stay loyal. 💡 Leaders: Leverage AI learning platforms to tailor development plans for each team member. 5/ Conflict Resolution → Address tensions quickly and fairly. → Unresolved conflicts erode trust and productivity. 💡 Leaders: Use AI sentiment analysis to detect team friction early and mediate effectively. 6/ Resource Access → Ensure teams have the tools and support they need. → Frustration from lack of resources kills momentum. 💡 Leaders: Deploy AI-driven resource management systems to optimize tool allocation. 7/ Recognition → Acknowledge contributions to boost morale. → Recognition fuels motivation and loyalty. 💡 Leaders: Use AI platforms to track achievements and automate personalized praise. 8/ Inclusive Culture → Champion diversity and ensure equitable opportunities. → Inclusive teams are more creative and resilient. 💡 Leaders: Implement AI bias-detection tools to ensure fair decision-making. 9/ Crisis Preparedness → Anticipate risks and have contingency plans. → Teams feel secure when leaders are proactive. 💡 Leaders: Use AI forecasting to predict challenges and prepare actionable responses. 10/ Feedback Channels → Create systems for team input and act on it. → Ignored feedback breeds resentment. 💡 Leaders: Set up AI-powered surveys to gather and analyze team insights in real time. 11/ Lead by Example → Demonstrate accountability and calm under pressure. → Teams mirror the behavior they see from their leader. 💡 Leaders: Use AI self-assessment tools to reflect on your leadership style and improve. Protecting your team isn’t just about shielding them. It’s about empowering them to thrive with confidence and purpose. Start leveraging these strategies to transform your leadership into a force for trust, growth, and unstoppable impact. Which of these strategies will you try first? Comment below. _________ ♻️ Repost if your network needs to read this. Follow Carolyn Healey for more leadership trends & tactics.