4 Strategies to Ignite Team Collaboration and Boost Success

There’s a lot of expectation that comes with leading a team and as I recall my days in management, I remember feeling the pressure to get everything spot on. Sadly, that expectation can erode your confidence, causing you to react to situations, and not bringing your team together to work collaboratively.

?

When you lack self-confidence, it appears easier to stop doing what you planned or, more simply, not start.

?

But how does that leave you feeling? How does that impact your already low self-confidence? How does that then impact your team to work together and be successful?

?

You need to start with yourself, and your level of confidence.

Confidence Builds Up

The whole point of confidence is to help drive you through the struggles to get to the desired outcomes and as a manager, it is a critical skill to develop as you navigate people management, tasks, and teamwork.

?

Think about it; as a baby, you learn to walk. You don’t get up and walk the first time (very rare!). It takes multiple attempts and along the way you crawl, stand and stumble, you fall but you never give up until, presto, one day you can walk! Confidence achieved!

?

What Hinders Confidence?

However, as an adult, you become more self-conscious and put pressure on yourself, and others, to get things right the first time, resulting in overwhelm, stress, and, at the worst end of the scale, anxiety and depression.

?

If you make mistakes, you label yourself (and others) as failures, stupid, and worthless. Is it any surprise that people are unwilling to stumble, to develop resilience in the face of adversity, and to develop the confidence needed to move from incompetent to competent? Isn't it best to avoid it completely?

No! Confidence is about learning. It is a skill that requires you to ‘trust’ things will become possible providing you put the work in.

?

The painful thing about low self-confidence is that it stops you from being all that you can be, having all that life has to offer, and achieving all that your magnificent self is capable of. It can:

?

·????? Keep you in a job that doesn’t meet your needs (unfulfilling but doable)

·????? Make you turn away when personality clashes occur in your team (if you don’t look you don’t have to deal with it)

·????? Stop your wealth creation process (earning potential restricted)

·????? Create poor lifestyle choices that affect your health and well-being (self-soothe disappointments by overeating, excessive alcohol, poor sleep patterns)

·????? Keep you in relationships that do not serve you well (loveless, abusive, toxic)

?

The first step is about self-confidence...then you can build a thriving team. This requires more than just having confidence and assigning tasks.

Once you have the confidence, here are 4 strategies to cultivate a collaborative and successful work environment:

?

1. Define Your Shared Vision. Honesty and transparency are crucial. Articulate your current state and desired future as a team. This includes acknowledging areas for improvement and taking ownership of the journey.? Identify the resources needed, whether training, mentorship, or even mental health support. A clear vision and shared responsibility build trust and commitment.

?

2. Embrace Active Participation.? A collaborative team fosters engagement and initiative. Move beyond passive acceptance. Encourage your team to contribute actively, even if it means encountering challenges or setbacks. Growth and learning are by-products of a "no-blame" environment where calculated risks are encouraged.

?

3. Celebrate Past Successes. Confidence fuels collaboration.? Help your team members build a strong belief system by highlighting past achievements. Instead of dwelling on uncertainties, document and celebrate past wins.? Remembering what they've accomplished individually and collectively empowers them to tackle future challenges.

?

4. Cultivate a Growth Mindset. Stagnation is the enemy of collaboration.? Encourage a culture of curiosity and exploration.? View challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Frame life and work as a continuous experiment, fostering a dynamic and adaptable team environment.

?

And remember, everything can change in one moment with one decision followed by one action. The more you follow this straightforward process, the more your team will grow, collaborate and? succeed in their mission!

?

?

?

This blog is written by Yvonne Bignall, Award Winning Women’s Health Advocate & Self-Care Coach, and Interpersonal Skills Trainer. She is the Founder of YB Limited and Permission to Thrive, an immersive community for women 50+ prioritising self-care needs for health, business, and life. Visit her Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts to learn more about her.

?

Leaders and Managers, if your goal before the year ends is to empower yourselves and your teams to achieve great things, our Positive Intelligence? Coaching can be of help. Get in touch with us today so we can further assist you and your team.