Team decisions are, at the core, delegating with superpowers. Using team decisions as a strategy has several key advantages. It means that you clear the way for leadership to focus on what’s important. You build team trust by enabling teams to make executive calls. And you flatten the hierarchy for a bit. Boost trust, enhance positive peer pressure and incentivize innovation. Or at least superior problem-solving, at all levels.
Goals, productivity, and teams. What could be the secret ingredient that binds these three? We admire those that inspire. And nothing inspires us more than the pursuit of greatness. Tenacity. Resilience. The ability to keep going, no matter what. And it is people like these that we want to lead us. It’s no surprise that we tend to follow those who persevere.
People work harder if they know compensation is waiting for them at the end of the line. Yet, studies show that shortly after getting a financial incentive, actually in less than a week, people lose their motivation and their energy levels go down. Financial compensation is a two-edged sword, and should not stand as the only motivator. Truth be told, meaningfulness and recognition matter more. People want to be recognized for their efforts. They need to know if and how they’ve contributed to the team’s success. And they can only find out, if they receive feedback. Regularly, honestly, and with care.
In any process, team or business, feedback is many things. A necessary ritual, a moment of truth, a condition to progress, and sometimes a dreadful experience. This article explains the why, when, and how of giving and receiving feedback. Because, whether we like it or not, people need to know that their work matters, that it has meaning.
After decades of being taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all, more and more companies and organizations are giving up the sugarcoated speech, placing candid communication at the root of their culture. By practicing open criticism, companies are hoping to help team members grow and thus improve productivity.
Let’s see what candid communication is all about and why your team should embrace it.