Driving Team Performance

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Building Team Cohesion and Culture

We hear a lot of companies say they have the "best" team and an incredible "culture."

But what exactly do they mean?

How then do we build great team cohesion and culture?

Sharing a vision (the thing your company hopes to achieve) helps teams see how they fit into the bigger picture.

This will energise them and motivate them to accomplish greater things.

Communication is key Set up weekly meetings to build relationships with each member and encourage productivity. Take it also as an opportunity to communicate clearly your objectives and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Lastly, invest time and effort Having a cohesive team culture plays an important role in your company’s success. It creates an environment where employees can grow and achieve their fullest potential. However, this is never an easy task But by putting in time and effort, you’ll be able to create a strong sense of community among your employees, helping you create opportunities where your people and your business can both thrive.

Goal setting conversations can help employees find their own drive and motivation, making them all the more efficient and productive at work.

One great way to structure your conversation is to use the **GROW ** Model.

GROW is a coaching model that uses open-ended questions to let employees share their own thoughts and experiences.

Through this approach, employees become their own problem-solvers, decision-makers and role-models.

R is for Reality Encourage your employees to do their own reality check and share your thoughts about how things are going with your employees. Having a clear idea of where they stand will give them the right mindset to keep going.

If obstacle X does not exist, what would you have done instead? If you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you do? What ideas stimulate you? What other solutions or methods can you come up with?

W is for Will Motivate them to take action. Encourage employees to make decisions that will help them know what to do. Here are some guide questions:

Setting Performance Expectations

High turnover rates are often associated with failed job expectations.

Letting your employees know what is expected of them gives them a better idea what succeeding in their job look like.

Saying vague statements like "I'll know when it's done" doesn't really mean much and might cause a lot of misunderstanding.

Communicate effectively

Take time to sit down with your employees and carefully explain to them the expected outcomes of their work.

Tell them the kind of performance expected of them: is it quantity or output-based? Is it quality or behavioural expectations?

Don't forget to also clarify the processes and methods that they should use in fulfilling those expectations.

Lastly, ensure their commitment Document those expectations so you shall have something to revisit shall a confusion or an issue arise later on. If possible, let your employees sign them off in agreement. Making formal agreements like this also helps create a sense of accountability.

Giving & Receiving Feedback

Which do you think is worse?

Giving feedback is never an easy task, especially when a lot of people become easily defensive and offended.

Moreover, too much of it can make employees feel strained. Given them too little, on the other hand, they might end up being complacent.

How then do we share and receive feedback in a way that will strengthen and not strain our relationship with our employees?

State your intention Always keep your emotions in check. Don’t give feedback just because you want to humiliate or discriminate someone. Give feedback only when you know it will help the people involved. You can say: “The reason I want to talk is because I want people to see you as a key performer in our team and there's just one thing getting in the way of that." or “I want to talk to you because I care about your success in this company.”

Step #1 Describe the situation

Step #2 Describe the behaviour

Step #3 Describe the impact

To bring out the best in our employees, it is crucial that we support their professional development.

Having conversations about their career growth will show how much you value them more than just their ability to get the work done.

And when they see that their day-to-day tasks align with their long-term career goals, the more likely they are to enjoy working in your company.

There are many ways to make career conversations effective and meaningful to your employees. Let’s discuss some of them.

Find out what they want to achieve.

Identify the tools or resources that they need.

Agree on a plan Lead them into taking action by creating a written form of their plans and have them accomplish it. Clarify the strategies that they will use and offer insights about their progress. Think long-term. What specific career goals can they attain in 3-18 months?

Having Difficult Conversations

Part of your role is dealing with difficult conversations with the people you manage. This includes discussions about: Poor performance or behaviour News about end of employment Workplace conflict And difficult business decisions These situations are understandably daunting for a lot of managers. And it is not surprising that more than two-thirds of managers would find such discussions uncomfortable. But why is it important that we deal with them?

Avoiding difficult discussions can prolong or worsen a problem over time.

Ignoring it can also imply that there’s no problem and therefore, deny an opportunity for your employees to improve.

Don’t always assume that you know everything about the situation. Always ask and acknowledge what your employees have to say.

When they know you are paying attention, the less they feel angry and defensive. And the less angry and defensive they are, the easier for them to listen to you.

Remain professional Keep matters confidential. Don’t treat employees differently after the conversation.

And in the event that you cannot reach a desired outcome, look for other avenues for help, such as an outside facilitator.