The real secret of successful teams? Working together, really
A team's performance is not based solely on individual skills or available tools. It is based on an often neglected foundation: the ability to collaborate effectively..and to get to know each other collectively.
After more than 30 years in human resources in major groups, I've observed the dynamics of hundreds of teams of all sizes, sectors and cultures. What makes the difference? It's not the budget or the strategy. It's the way people cooperate, trust each other, adjust... and above all..., get to know each other and move forward together.
Today, as a coach, I accompany teams who want to work differently. And I'm convinced of one thing - which I've also experienced as an entrepreneur: working alone doesn't necessarily make you go faster, or further. It's by surrounding ourselves, listening to each other and building together that we become truly resilient, creative and effective.
Why do some teams do better than others?
High-performance teams share several key characteristics:
- A high level of collaboration and commitment:The members talk to each other, listen to each other, hold each other accountable individually and collectively, and help each other in practical ways.
- A culture of trust:Everyone feels safe to propose, create and dare.
- Collective adaptability:They know how to deal with the unexpected and with complexity.
- Caring leadership: Leaders set a clear course while taking care of their employees.
- A real understanding of each other: Each understands the other's way of working, needs and motivations.
These dimensions are essential in a constantly changing world of work: customer expectations, logistical constraints, innovations, economic tensions, new regulations...
Today, we operate in a B.A.N.I. environment. Brittle, Anxious, Non-Linear, Incomprehensible. In this context, team cohesion and collective intelligence - or collective brilliance, as I like to call it - become genuine levers for sustainable performance.
The role of the leader: getting to know your colleagues better to improve cooperation
For a team to work together effectively, each member must feel at ease. seen, heard and understood. It starts with a better understanding of ourselves and others.
This is where the Process Communication Model (PCM) comes into play: a powerful tool for understanding personalities, developed by Dr. Taibi Kahler and then in collaboration with NASA.
The PCM allows you to :
- identify each person's deepest motivations
- better understand behaviors under stress
- adapt your managerial communication
- strengthening the quality of professional relations
At The Laughing Willow,we use PCM to help leaders create more human, fluid and efficient work cultures.
We also offer PCM discovery days, accessible and fun, to introduce teams to this approach.
Three key questions to ask yourself as a leader:
- Do I know the motivational drivers of each member of my team?
- Do we have any genuine collaboration,where everyone can express themselves freely in the service of connection and performance?
- Am I ready to develop my practices to foster lasting, sincere collaboration?
Working together and adapting is no longer a plus
It's a necessity,and also a opportunity to build a strong team culture, even in times of uncertainty, transition or transformation.
Let's talk about it!