Within the 7 habits I’m sharing for effective team leadership, here you are number 6, about improving climate using a case study.
This article can inspire and help you adjust your leadership style if your company is going through times of change, adaptation or digitalization because you need to enhance a climate of collaboration and trust in your team.
Some time ago, I wrote this article about active listening that will help you too.
CASE STUDY:
A few months ago, I started working with the newly appointed CEO and the executive team of a large international company based in Germany because they needed to be more aligned and cooperate more. After a clear understanding of where they were, using a confidential online analysis of their current situation´s opinions, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, both individually and as a group, I offered them the solution of my team coaching approach based on Emotional Intelligence called SKILL-EQ Methodology.
You can’t force people to collaborate; collaboration is a value that is fostered when we generate trust and respect.
To ensure the methodology was 100% effective, I designed a personalized dynamic to work with them. The goal was to align and foster collaboration in their day-to-day activities.
The result, after just two intense days of work, was spectacular (the methodology requires between 12 to 18 hours to cover the objectives and achieve the desired change and results; this team chose to work over a weekend in Madrid, away from their environment).
In the case of this team, where the Chiefs individually are technically good, with vision, broad knowledge, and experience, but work in silos, I focused on improving their internal communication and relationships as a catalyst to align and cooperate more.
39% of employees report a lack of collaboration in their teams.
Effective team leadership fosters values such as collaboration, respect, and communication. This is difficult if team members do not know each other well, if there is a lack of trust, and/or if they do not communicate regularly. To address this:
- There is an exercise that promotes conversation.
- A part that works on building trust.
- Another focuses on the style of leadership and the need to improve and develop emotional intelligence.
As the proverb says:
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” If you want changes to be sustainable over time, it’s necessary to be aligned and create an atmosphere of trust.
The solution I proposed to the CEO of this company, as mentioned earlier, is my SKILL-EQ team coaching methodology, where we learn, use, and develop the team’s Emotional Intelligence to improve their internal communication and relationships.
In most of the teams I have worked with in recent years, this is what tends to be lacking and is the reason why collaboration and trust diminish, affecting the achievement of objectives.
In this company, the teams are diverse, with people from various generations, countries, cultures, religions, customs, etc., with significant differences in their expectations, needs, ways of acting, thinking, and ultimately working and collaborating.
The leadership style of the Chiefs cascades down to the rest of the directors, managers, and team leaders, who emulate what they see and feel.
It’s proven that this diversity is a great asset, but it also requires, in addition to cooperation, a leadership style that denotes and demonstrates adaptability, respect, and appropriate communication.
This quote from the famous Stephen Covey defines it well:
“Strength lies in our differences, not in our similarities”
Creating a trusting environment is critical. This cannot be achieved without working as a team. And this is not possible unless collaboration is fostered, which does not occur if people do not trust each other and maintain healthy relationships.
As you can see, it’s a vicious cycle that needs to become virtuous. And that’s my job.
What do I need from a CEO and their executive team for the SKILL-EQ methodology to work, besides trusting my experience? A good dose of humility and curiosity.
In summary, the results achieved and the issues we have solved and worked on with this team using SKILL-EQ are:
- Active listening.
- Learning to give feedback.
- Responding calmly instead of reacting impulsively.
- Not judging.
- Not imposing.
Final reflection: Don’t take lightly the impact you have on others’ work and lives; it’s your greatest responsibility.
Here is the list of the 7 habits again:
- Leading with Empathy and Using Emotional Intelligence
- My Keys to Introducing Change
- The Art of Being a Mentor
- Resources to Foster Points of View
- How to Drive Diversity
- Best-Kept Tips for a Better Climate
- Learning to Listen and Not Pre-judge
Are you wondering about team coaching? Do you need to quickly have an aligned and committed team?
Visit this link about our SKILL-EQ Methodology and discover how, in just 12 hours (for a team of 6 to 7 people), we help you have an aligned, committed, proactive, and loyal team, capable of taking on any task together.
