Session 7 : Team Leadership: Inspiring Others to Deliver Results

1. Session 7: Team Leadership: Inspiring Others to Deliver Results

2. Performance Pressure

3. Performance Pressure in Action “ ” - Partner, Big Four accounting firm We were seriously feeling the heat … it was a make-or-break project for us. We threw our best and brightest against the problem, but the more we rallied our team, the worse it got. I still don’t know what went wrong.

4. Performance Pressure Paradox In high-stakes projects, when teams need to use their best, most innovative knowledge… They do so the least

5. Team Dynamics under Performance Pressure

6. “Crowding Out” Effects of Pressure Pressured teams “We have got to cut costs people. Ideas?”

7. Spot the “Crowding Out” Effects of Pressure Consensus Drive As teams push toward completion, they drive for consensus in a way that shuts down paths to further exploration. • Keep up the debate and we’ll be here all night. • How does it USUALLY play out?

8. Spot the “Crowding Out” Effects of Pressure Conformity to Team’s Hierarchy Everyone begins unwittingly to defer to authority • C’mon, that’s enough already. Safer to shut up

9. Spot the “Crowding Out” Effects of Pressure Focus on Common Knowledge Everyone lends more weight to commonly held information than to individuals’ unique knowledge. If we all think it, it must be right.

10. Lead Your Team to High Performance Think RED to lead your team to high performance Reflect V Equip V Deliver

11. Small Group Experiences

12. Instructions Build the Tallest FreestandingStructure – teams holding any part of it will be disqualified The Entire Marshmallow Must be on Top Use as Much or as Little of the Kit Break the Spaghetti, String or Tape as Desired The Challenge Lasts 18 minutes ANY QUESTIONS?

13. “Ah-Ha” – What Did You Learn? Your leadership style? Your “central tendencies” under pressure? Effective (and less so) teamwork?

14. Who Consistently Performs Poorly?

15. Recent Business School Grads!

16. Who Consistently Performs Well?

17. Recent Kindergarten Grads!

24. Why Do Kindergartners Do Better?

25. Lead Your Team to High Performance Think RED to lead your team to high performance Reflect Equip Deliver V V

26. Reflect

27. Preparing an Effective Team Reflect True self-awareness is essential for authentic interpersonal relationships. Reflect, but not in a vacuum.

28. Lead Your Team to High Performance Think RED to lead your team to high performance • Identify and challenge your assumptions • Consider your “central tendencies” - what’s your default style, and when is it (not) useful? Reflect Equip Deliver V V

29. Diverse Skills Matter Specialized Skills + Facilitation Skills = Success 30 20 10 0 Height (inches) CEOs & Executive Assistants Architects & Engineers Average Business School Students Lawyers Kinder-garten CEOs

30. Building an Effective Team • Common Traps for New Leaders: • Sticking with the existing team too long • Tolerating mediocre performance in belief that your own leadership will turn it around Equip Avoiding These Traps Requires: Quick, but accurate, diagnosis of team members to assess technical expertise, interpersonal skills, and personal characteristics Willingness and courage to act.

31. Clarify and Communicate Team Purpose Teams with a strong sense of direction are more motivated, more efficient, and more effective. Equip Clear Shared Meaningful Challenging

32. Secret Weapons against Stress Equip

33. Lead Your Team to High Performance Think RED to lead your team to high performance • Identify and challenge your assumptions • Consider your “central tendencies” - what’s your default style, and when is it (not) useful? Reflect Equip Deliver V • Secure the right resources • Develop a compelling and shared purpose • Prepare yourself physically, mentally, emotionally V

34. Launch the Team Effectively Kickoff Meeting Check-Ins Each team member complete the self-assessment before the meeting Revisit the self-assessments as a team at regular intervals to improve knowledge use & team dynamics • Knowledge & experience you can use on this project • Prior experience? • Similar issues? • Same client / supplier / vendor? • Competitive dynamics? • Culture, politics, and decision-making styles? • Processes, systems, and technology? • Which kinds of knowledge have you brought to bear and how have they influenced the project? Yes Have you contributed as much as you expected? • Which knowledge has been underused? • Have the project’s needs changed? Why is your prior knowledge no longer as relevant as expected? No

35. Lead Your Team to High Performance Think RED to lead your team to high performance • Review how to improve • Identify and challenge your assumptions • Consider your “central tendencies” - what’s your default style, and when is it (not) useful? Reflect Equip Deliver V • Secure the right resources • Develop a compelling and shared purpose • Prepare yourself physically, mentally, emotionally V • Launch the team effectively • Prototype! • Provide feedback and learn from mistakes

36. Take-Away Points

37. Leveraging Performance Pressure Can make people risk averse, less creative, more control-hungry, unwilling to listen. Use it to motivate people to live up to their highest potential – as a team. No pressure, no diamonds. Performance pressure is a double-edged sword.

38. What Are You Still Doing? The best leaders push down not only the work but also the leadership. Team members hold each other accountable, support and inspire each other to achieve their fullest potential.