Overemphasizing leadership development over team development hampers progress. 5 steps to move a team from good to great.

User Avatar

Dr. Peter Dry

2y ago

I write about my Elite Thinking methodology to unleash the potential in teams across all sectors. It is a framework that emerges from positive psychology designed to build a world champion mindset. The framework is grounded in the belief that greater levels of self-awareness around the strengths of an individual builds sustainable success for individuals and teams. Whether it is an executive leadership team, sports team, or a school team, Elite Thinking is a solution-focused approach which entails identifying what creates a successful team, who the team is when they are at their best and then aiming to duplicate regularly.

Overemphasizing leadership development over team development hampers progress. 5 steps to move a team from good to great.
Written by @peteradry

People spend a lot of time in teams. And, they are often the first thing my clients complain about. That’s a red flag for me. You cannot have a great team if people don’t want to be in them. A successful team has some core ingredients, but leaders often fail to spend time nurturing those. Leaders must commit to the transformation of their teams.

 

These are the 5 steps that I use to help teams move from good to great:

 

  1. Use a diagnostic tool to gather data.

Before we can change how team members interact and function, we need to get a picture of how they are currently operating. This tool looks at the key elements of successful teams. Individuals look at the degree to which statements reflect the team’s behavior. Statements are around themes like conflict, silos, shared mission, accountability, generative conversations and trust.

 

  1. Use interviews to gather data.

Team mates interview each other asking questions like, “When were we at our best?” And, “Can you describe how the team functioned at its best?”

 

  1. Discuss the results starting by examining the strengths of the team.

Use the diagnostic tool and the data from the interviews to create a list of features of when the team was at its best.

 

  1. Examine what would be required to have the team consistently be its best.

Ask questions like:

  • “What would it take to be at our best more often?”

  • “What behaviors do we need to see more of?”

  • “Do we have the desire to relinquish behaviors that are not serving us?”

 

  1. Commit as a group to transformation.

Discuss and prioritize, “What are the 4 to 5 things we could do that would have the most impact on us being a great team?”


The all-in-one writing platform.

Write, publish everywhere, see what works, and become a better writer - all in one place.

Trusted by 80,000+ writers