After many years leading teams and supporting a range of businesses, Firebird Director Chris Thompson is sharing some of his top lessons. Read on for the second of a three-part series including actionable tips for owners and MDs. For part one – on enhancing leadership to enhance work cultures – click here.
In the first instalment of this series, I mentioned that an important part of creating a high-performing team is creating a workplace environment that keeps your team members highly engaged and motivated. Today I share what changes have had the biggest impact on engagement – and therefore performance – in the businesses I have worked with.
Transparent communication
Clear, open communication is key to ensuring all team members are onboard with company goals, with transparency right across the business. When different departments and individuals know what others are trying to achieve, the work atmosphere becomes far more creative and collaborative. By sharing goals and creating clarity around the objectives and priorities of other teams, you remind individuals that they are part of a bigger picture; that their choices directly impact others. They also get to understand how their efforts make a contribution to wider business goals.
This openness extends to finances. As a leader, the prospect of sharing information around money matters can feel especially off-putting, but try not to be squeamish. This is even more pronounced when you are the business owner i.e. “Why would I share details around ‘my’ money with my employees?” Nonetheless, when I decided to be far more open about my financial targets as an MD, my team really bought in to upping their performance and collaboration levels to help meet our objectives.
Balancing rules and autonomy
I discussed setting a few basic rules in my earlier article, but the message is worth repeating: when a team has very clear goals and can visualise what a good (or great) outcome looks like, that is truly empowering. People then know what they ought to be doing, what steps they need to take next, what behaviour is expected of them and how to voice any queries or concerns they have along the way. Too often I see teams who simply don’t know what they are aiming for.
When the staff around you are properly equipped – the right people, well trained, with the right tools on hand – your management of them will become more about being available to provide support than micromanaging, as teams develop their autonomy. You become their mentor and facilitator rather than someone handing out a never-ending list of (sometimes conflicting) tasks.
Try to see your work environment through the eyes of team members who may have different expectations and perceptions to you. Regular informal feedback sessions will help get the balance right. These should allow for two-way communication where team members share their thoughts on what is working well and where improvements are needed, helping to identify issues early and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Conflict management
Naturally, things don’t always go smoothly in the workplace, but the way leaders handle any bumps in the road needs to be as steady and consistent as their management overall. Don’t hold back from tackling problems; instead take clear and decisive action early. Otherwise, delays or lack of clarity around any changes you want to see in your team’s behaviour/attitudes can be hard to reverse.
I was once a manager to someone who had applied for what became my job – and they deeply resented not getting it. In response, and very early on, I involved them in decision-making, giving them clear ownership of projects where they could excel; offering praise and productive criticism when it was needed. The process turned our working relationship into one that was positive and productive.
Conflict resolution in practice: a positive case study…
More recently, I worked with a business where there was a lack of clarity about who was the ultimate “boss” for different departments. The two directors were both extremely hands-on across multiple business areas in a way that was disruptive, unpredictable and unsettling for the team. Creating clarity between the directors about where each could add the most value, plus how and when they should liaise with each other, was enormously helpful for improving overall team performance and satisfaction.
…and a not-so-positive case study
In another example, a team member had ongoing conflicts with a colleague over project responsibilities. The situation was not addressed promptly by management, leading to a buildup of resentment and a decline in team morale. Eventually, this unresolved conflict resulted in one team member leaving the company, disrupting project timelines and increasing the workload for remaining team members. This could have had an entirely different outcome if a mediated discussion had been facilitated early on, a crystal clear scope for the project had been created, and regular check-ins had been maintained.
Actionable tips for leaders
1. Introduce OKRs
As part of embedding clarity and openness in your workplace, I seriously recommend looking at OKRs: i.e. Objectives and Key Results. These help ensure that all team members are aligned with your company’s goals and can understand how their work contributes to achieving those goals. They consist of a clearly defined objective and 3-5 key results, which are measurable outcomes needed to achieve that objective. I am becoming something of an OKR evangelist, do drop me a line if you would like to understand more!
2. Enhance the work environment
Consider how the people you work with will engage with the environment where they spend most of their waking hours. That means providing the basics: comfortable chairs, large-enough desks, a decent kitchen, adequate toilets and so on. If public transport is poor, provide enough parking. Bear in mind the needs of those that work from home as well: do they have what they need to be happy and productive? Don’t forget to enhance working relationships between team members too: planning social opportunities will give team members the chance to socialise outside of work, and understand each other better as individuals.
In the third and final blog for this series, I look at the power of company missions to inspire team motivation and business growth. Click here to read Part Three now.
Chris Thompson is a Director of the Firebird Partnership, with almost 20 years’ experience of leading and growing businesses in the travel and tech sectors. His focus is on creating strategy, building teams, and devising processes that are both efficient and value-building.
Learn all about Firebird at www.firebirdpartnership.com
*
Also by Chris Thompson:
Comments