Three songs come to mind when I think about “creating the conditions for the highs:”
Afroman’s 2001 banger “Because I Got High!”1
Marc Anthony’s balada “Que Precio Tiene El Cielo”3
While it is notable that many songs (and other works of art) allude to achieving a higher state, none of these capture the exact spirit of how we can help our teams achieve peak performance (or at least I don’t exactly endorse the Afroman approach).
One of the hardest lessons for senior leaders to learn is that after we make the most important decision (hiring), we can’t fully control how our teams perform. All that we can do is create the conditions for them to perform at their best.
At the same time, as leaders, we owe it to our teams to create these conditions.
I think about these conditions through two lens: 1) Know the people and 2) Shape the people.
Know the people
Start with developing a deep understanding of each individual. Move beyond the surface of their resume or even their interests and family life. Seek to get a full picture of the human. This includes 1) what motivates them4; 2) strengths and development areas in terms technical skills (i.e., capabilities related to the role you need them to play) and leadership behaviors; 3) potential5; 4) goals and aspirations; and 5) what matters to them outside of work.
Once you have a firm grounding and understanding of each individual, seek to put these complex puzzle pieces together to understand what you have in the team. Specifically, understand 1) where they complement you; 2) what skills may be over-represented on the team; 3) what skills may be under-represented; and 4) how the individual relationships work between them (i.e., communication styles, how they react to stress, decision-making styles).
Shape the people
Similar to knowing the team, shaping the team starts with the individuals. Find ways to coach them on how to get more out of their strengths and make progress against their development areas. Create opportunities and experiences within their existing roles that can stretch them in new ways. Notice which of these experiences draw out the best in them. Keep an open dialogue about what support they need (e.g., including help influencing other key leaders, resources, decisions to get made, thought partnership) and where feasible, take action to get them that support.
In parallel to shaping the individuals, you can make efforts to shape the culture of the team. Define the cultural behaviors and norms for the team, all of which are grounded in psychological safety6 and accountability.7 Then address the underperformers or those that behave in ways that are counter to the culture you want to build.8 Bring in talent that brings skills you identified as under-represented on the team. Reinforce the cultural behaviors and norms through consistent communication.9
If we focus on knowing the team and shaping the team, we can play a role in helping the individuals on our teams achieve their organizational and personal goals and as a result, contribute to them having a more fulfilling life.
And when we ask them why, maybe they’ll go around singing “Because I was high (performing!), because I was high, because I was high…la da da da da da”
Some questions I reflected on this week:
How well do I know my teams? Can I fill out a one pager on all of them with information on the five areas outlined above?
How complementary are my teams?
What new experiences can I create for the individuals on my teams to accelerate their growth?
How am I reinforcing the behaviors that I care about most on my teams?
Not exactly the kind of “high” I am talking about in this reflection, but it is definitely one of the catchiest songs ever written.
This one is uplifting but also not exactly what I am aiming for in terms of theme - a bit beyond the scope of T3. Feels more like a shower anthem.
This song moves my soul, but is more about how love can take us to heaven, so once again, not exactly the theme I am going for here. Nonetheless a good one to dance to with a partner.
My colleagues Jim Intagliata, Jen Sturman and Steve Kincaid wrote an incredibly practical and insightful article on how to measure and spot potential. I suggest taking the time to really understand the nuances of the three factors (Cognitive Quotient, Emotional Quotient and Drive Quotient).
The research from Amy Edmondson on psychological safety is so compelling that I believe this has to be foundational to any team. Take a look at her speech for some data-driven evidence.
See my previous reflection on the “Fruits of Accountability” on why this is such a critical ingredient for teams,
I find this article by the Conscious Leadership Group on Firing People that Don’t Practice The 15 Commitments to be both insightful and really challenging to put into practice. This excerpt in particular is an upward call: “So, YES, we believe conscious leaders and organizations will fire people who don’t practice these commitments. Of course, they will take the time to fully explain, train and align the culture before anyone gets fired. And, most importantly, they and their team will practice these behaviors before they ever ask anyone else to join in.”
Check out this insightful piece from Paul Stansik on the “Chief Reminding Officer.”