[Leading Better] Nuances to creating effective team Operating Guidelines

Each week alternates between Leading Better and Living Bigger insights. This week…

[Leading Better] Nuances to creating effective team Operating Guidelines

As a leader, you want to ensure your team works well to maximise their performance. This is the realm of how they're ‘being’ with each other. Behavioural guidelines.

A clear distinction between high vs low functioning teams is the clarity and adhesion to these agreed cultural norms.

If collaboratively co-created, they set a strong platform for trust plus a stabilising reference point when difference occurs.

There’re four phases:

1. Create the list
2. Clarify the list (Part I)
3. Clarify the list (Part II)
4. Live the list

1. Create the List

• Ensure everyone in the team is present
• Brainstorm what doesn’t work in teams (e.g. no agenda, favouritism, poor communication etc)
• Then pivot… brainstorm all possible behaviours that would protect against these occurring. Get to a superset of 20-30 [No editing or wordsmithing]

2. Clarify the List (Part I)

• You’re looking for only 7-8 guidelines so ask which are the same? Get those who suggested them to elaborate.
• The resulting clarifying dialogue is some of the richest value within this whole process
• Don’t settle on a general value (e.g. respect). Identify the specific agreed behaviour (e.g. letting people finish speaking)

3. Clarify the List (Part II)

• Once the list has been completed, inform that you’ll go around the room asking for a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the question, “Are you willing to live and abide with this particular behaviour?”
• You’re looking for an immediate ‘Yes’. Any hesitation say, “I take that as a ‘No’”
• Ask, “What just doesn't feel 100% right to you about this is one, or is it the whole thing? What is it?”

4. Live the List

• On a regular basis (say, quarterly), have the team self-assess (x/5) how they think the team is doing on each of the agreed behaviours
• As the leader, you facilitate these rich and honest conversations

You cannot harness your people. You must, however, direct their energy to prevent team energy leakage. ?

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Bruce speaks at conferences, runs leadership workshops, consults and coaches.

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P.P.S. Whenever you're ready, below (in Comments) are 3 ways I work with business leaders to upgrade their leadership battery, engage their hidden fifth gear and support them achieve what matters deeply to them