Is potential the secret to a productive team?

We all want to get more out of the day and ensure that anyone working with us is productive and engaged.? Stress is piled on trying to keep up with quality delivery with a smaller team or fewer resources during difficult times.

Traditional approaches prioritise team-members working harder and longer hours with answering emails in the evening a badge of honour rather than a sign of workplace ill-health. More enlightened approaches move towards 4 day weeks and rights to switch off, based on research showing productivity and wellbeing gains.

Regenerative approaches go one step further and dare to look for (and act on) what is not visible and what cannot even be known (yet).?

If that sounds a bit abstract, it might surprise you to know that’s how all of Life and all Living Systems works.? It’s called Potential – and is that unknown gap between the present and the future.

A focus on potential is the magic ingredient missing in many businesses and the reason leaders and team-members are stressed and overwhelmed.

So, what do we know about potential and its ability to transform our businesses and organisations to achieve their vision?

First, potential can’t be forced.? You might see potential in a colleague but you can’t force that potential to come out.? It needs careful nurturing and ultimately it is the person themselves who will release it into their work. (great learning for parents too!)

Second, potential is easily ignored.? We’ve been raised in education systems and business environments that value past achievements over future potential.? So employers are hiring based on qualifications, even if the person is not a good fit for the organisation.

Third, potential can’t be known for certain.? We do not have a crystal ball - we might hope for potential to emerge in a certain way, but it may well surprise us (this magical uncertainty is called Emergence and will be the topic for another article).? We often have to ‘sense into’ potential in ways other than the analytical – accessing deep listening of people and systems to sense what is waiting to be born. That requires a new skillset and changes in what companies value in leadership.

Fourth, potential brings with it a huge amount of positive energy.? Because when potential emerges in a nurtured environment, the person is motivated to make it a success, and motivated to bring others on board too.? Some seemingly simple changes can transform the negative and sluggish energy into forward momentum.

Fifth, potential can be easily squashed.? Think of all the times you’ve had the seed of a great idea and it’s been put down with a throwaway comment.? Imposter syndrome, stickability, confidence and past trauma are all relevant here, as is creating the right ‘soil’ for potential to emerge.

Six, squashing potential is the enemy of diversity.? Healthy ecosystems (our businesses are all ecosystems) thrive on diversity – and diversity increases as ecosystems mature.? Squash the potential and you squash the diversity, giving you fewer resources to draw on in the future.

Seven, nurturing potential feels good.? Too often in business we are focused on the analytics, the numbers, the left-brain ways of thinking.? But our biggest successes are when we and our team feel good too.? That deep sense of satisfaction when ideas come into reality, or the feel-good factors of great team-work.? Focus on the being and becoming rather than just the doing.

Eight, nurturing potential requires that you work on yourself and your leadership abilities. Worrying that ‘my team won’t do as their told’ doesn’t work ?– look inwards to how your communication and actions are nurturing potential, and listen outwards to what others need from you.

Nine, when potential is being realised a kind of flow and balance occurs – with every member of your team ecosystem playing their part and holding the work in a way that seems effortless. More the hum of a beehive (with beautiful swarms to create new hives) than the grinding of a machine, with its regular breakdowns and lack of innovation.

Ten, the rewards of having a motivated team, aligned with your organisation’s vision and purpose, are endless.? Think healthy growth, happy teams, calm leaders, balanced workload and great financials.

And the best of all I’ve saved for eleven – the healthiest outcomes occur when potential is being realised across all the ecosystems in an organisation (including the biosphere), so nature will thank you too, and reward us all with clean air, water, food and energy for our benefit.

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What are your experiences of bringing potential into existence?? I’d love to hear.

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To explore this issue further, join us for our Regenerative Organisation programmes.

We’ll support you through bringing potential into reality in your team, reducing the stress, overwhelm and burnout for you and your team members.

You can find out more here:?

www.thinklikeatree.co.uk/fundamentals (for individual leaders, team-members, coaches and changemakers)

www.thinklikeatree.co.uk/adventure (for whole team or whole organisations)

www.thinklikeatree.co.uk/experience (in-person team days in natural settings near you)

Guided by Sarah Spencer and JK McQuinn who bring a wealth of regenerative training and experience with leaders, teams and healthy organisational growth.

#teampotential #leadership #regenerativeleadership #regenerativebusiness #inspiredbynature #systemsthinking #workplacewellbeing #productivity