Foster Shared Accountability

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Navigating Complexity

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Change Leadership Practices

To find out more about how to upskill your leaders in leading change or for support with your next change project, reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

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Fostering Psychological Safety in Teams

Building Trust and Collaboration

Coined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, psychological safety refers to an environment where team members feel safe taking risks, expressing themselves openly, and contributing their ideas without fear of retribution or ridicule.

Psychological safety enables individuals to share their perspectives, admit mistakes, and experiment with new approaches, leading to greater innovation, creativity, and productivity. In psychologically safe teams, members feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering a culture of trust and collaboration.

For leaders, cultivating psychological safety is not just a noble aspiration but a strategic imperative. Teams that feel psychologically safe are more engaged, resilient, and adaptable, resulting in better problem-solving, higher job satisfaction, and superior performance. Moreover, in an era marked by remote work and diverse teams, psychological safety becomes even more crucial for fostering inclusion and belonging.

Practical Steps to Cultivate Safety

In order to create a work environment where team members feel safe to express themselves, it is crucial to have practical strategies that promote inclusion, encourage continuous learning, balance contributions, and facilitate healthy debate.

Promote Inclusion

Fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance within the team is essential for creating an environment where every member feels valued and respected. Here are four strategies to promote inclusion:

1. Cultivate Diversity: Encourage diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives within the team. Celebrate differences and leverage them as strengths to enrich discussions and decision-making processes.
2. Address Bias: Raise awareness of unconscious bias and its impact on inclusivity. Provide training and resources to help team members recognise and mitigate bias in their interactions and decision-making.
3. Create Safe Spaces: Establish channels for open dialogue where team members can express themselves authentically without fear of judgment or discrimination. Encourage active listening and empathy to foster understanding and respect.
4. Lead by Example: Model inclusive behaviours as a leader by actively engaging with diverse perspectives, soliciting input from all team members, and championing initiatives that promote equality and fairness.

Enable Learning  

Connecting individuals and facilitating knowledge-sharing within the team is vital to continuous growth and development. Here are four strategies to enable learning:

1. Promote Mentorship: Pair team members with mentors or create mentorship programs for knowledge transfer and skill development. Encourage senior members to share their expertise and provide guidance to junior colleagues.
2. Use Action Learning: Action learning is a problem-solving process that involves a small group of individuals working together to solve a real-life work problem. This approach allows team members to practically apply their skills and knowledge and learn from each other’s experiences. Action learning can effectively develop new skills, build relationships, and improve team performance. 
3. Encourage collaboration: Foster a collaborative culture where team members are encouraged to work together on projects and share their knowledge and ideas. Provide platforms and tools that facilitate collaboration and information sharing.
4. Offer Learning Opportunities: Encourage continuous learning and growth by providing access to training, workshops, and other learning resources. Foster a culture that values learning and self-improvement and acknowledges efforts to expand skills and knowledge.

Balance Contribution

Ensuring every team member has a voice and an opportunity to contribute is essential for fostering collaboration and harnessing collective intelligence. Here are four strategies to balance contribution:

1. Rotate Roles: Rotate leadership roles, project assignments, and meeting facilitation responsibilities to ensure everyone can lead and contribute ideas. This approach promotes diversity of perspectives and prevents individuals from dominating discussions.
2. Encourage participation: Actively solicit input from all team members during meetings and discussions. Use go-rounds, sticky note brainstorming or anonymous feedback channels to create space for quieter members to speak up and share their thoughts.
3. Recognise Contributions: Acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of all team members, regardless of seniority or tenure. Celebrate individual achievements and recognise the unique strengths and perspectives that each member brings to the team.
4. Address Imbalances: Monitor participation levels and intervene if specific individuals are consistently overlooked or marginalised. Encourage open communication and feedback to address any issues of inequality or imbalance in contribution.

Facilitate debate

Creating an environment where healthy debate is encouraged fosters critical thinking, innovation, and informed decision-making. Here are four strategies to facilitate debate:

1. Establish Ground Rules: Set clear guidelines for respectful and constructive debate, emphasising the importance of listening, empathy, and open-mindedness. Encourage members to challenge ideas rather than individuals and to focus on finding solutions rather than assigning blame.
2. Create a Culture of Inquiry: Encourage curiosity and questioning by welcoming diverse perspectives and inviting dissenting opinions. Foster a culture where it is seen as beneficial to explore alternative viewpoints and challenge the status quo.
3. Provide Structure: Facilitate structured debates or brainstorming sessions to encourage lively discussion while maintaining focus and direction. Use techniques such as Devil’s Advocate or Six Thinking Hats to explore different angles and possibilities.
4. Embrace Conflict Resolution: Acknowledge that conflict is a natural part of productive collaboration and provide support and resources for resolving conflicts constructively. Encourage team members to seek common ground and find mutually beneficial solutions through dialogue and compromise.

By following the practical steps outlined above, leaders and teams can embark on a journey towards empowering individuals to thrive and helping organisations to excel.

To find out more about creating a culture of psychological safety in your team or organisation reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

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Aligning for a Common Goal

Harnessing the Power of Shared Purpose

In today’s dynamic and interconnected world, rallying individuals around a shared purpose is critical for success. Peter Hawkins, renowned for his work in systemic coaching and leadership, introduces a concept crucial for achieving this. Let’s delve into what it entails, why it’s essential, and how to bring your team’s compelling collective endeavour into focus.

Understanding Establishing Collective Endeavour

A team’s Compelling Collective Endeavour is a statement of shared purpose. It articulates an ambition around what the team must do together and can’t do individually or in parallel. Not every work group is or needs to be a team, but one thing that all effective teams share is that they hold a compelling, collective purpose. 

This statement of intent guides their collaboration and gives them the impetus to keep progressing in adversity. By harnessing the power of collective endeavour, teams can align for positive change and achieve remarkable outcomes together.

How to Establish a Compelling Collective Endeavour

Here are some approaches to establishing a compelling collective endeavour. These strategies are all valuable, and you can try them in different sequences depending on your situation. Additionally, you can approach them individually or collaboratively with the rest of the team.

Start with Self – How might your leadership perspective inform the team’s collective endeavour? 

Effective leadership begins with self-awareness and personal commitment. Engage in introspection to clarify your own values and vision. Then, use your personal leadership perspective to initiate a dialogue with the rest of the team around a proposed shared purpose. Lead by example, set out your vision and create space for others to contribute. Identify the overlaps in perspective as a place to start, then try one of the other strategies to refine further.

Questions to help:

1. What are your core values, and might they inform your team’s purpose?
2. Reflecting on past experiences, what experiences have resonated most, and how might they be integrated into your team’s collective endeavour?
3. What personal strengths and expertise do you bring, and to what team purpose might they best contribute?
4. In envisioning the team’s future success, what specific outcomes or milestones do you aspire to accomplish, and why are they important?
5. How can you effectively communicate your vision for the team’s purpose, ensuring clarity and alignment among team members?

Connect with Stakeholders – How might stakeholder needs inform the team’s collective endeavour? 

Identify critical stakeholders and immerse yourself in their perspectives and needs. Imagine their priorities and concerns, fostering empathy and understanding. Use this insight to initiate purposeful dialogue, inviting stakeholders to contribute their unique insights and perspectives. Bring your insights and observations to the team to open a conversation about the value the team must create for others. Identify the overlaps in perspective as a place to start, then try one of the other strategies to refine further.

Questions to help:

1. Who are your key stakeholders, and what are their respective roles and interests relating to your team’s objectives?
2. What are each stakeholder group’s primary needs, priorities, and concerns, and how might they inform our team’s shared purpose?
3. How might you immerse yourselves in stakeholders’ perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding of their unique challenges and aspirations?
4. What specific insights or observations have you gathered from stakeholders, and how can you leverage this information to shape your team’s purpose and direction?
5. How can you initiate purposeful dialogue with stakeholders, inviting them to contribute their perspectives and co-create value with your team?

Translate Strategic Intent—How might the organisational strategy inform the team’s collective endeavour? 

Consult the strategy for inspiration about the team’s potential collective endeavour. By doing so, you can link the purpose to strategic intent and create a compelling narrative that aligns with the existing mission and values. Work with the team to translate the strategic imperatives into tangible, team-level actions they can get behind. Identify the overlaps in perspective as a place to start, then try one of the other strategies to refine further.

Questions to help :

1. What are the overarching goals and priorities outlined in the organisational strategy, and how do they relate to your team’s purpose and objectives?
2. How can you align your team’s collective endeavour with the strategic imperatives to ensure efforts contribute to broader organisational success?
3. What initiatives in the organisational strategy directly impact your team, and how can you incorporate them into your collective endeavour?
4. What are the core values and principles embedded within the organisational strategy, and how can you ensure that your team’s purpose and actions align with these guiding principles?
5. How might you engage with organisational leaders and stakeholders to gain deeper insights into the organisation’s strategic direction and ensure alignment with your team’s goals and activities?

Build on Strengths— How might the team’s strengths and capabilities inform their collective endeavour? 

Recognise and leverage the collective strengths and talents within your team. Use these aspects of team capability as a starting point in drafting a collective endeavour. Building on strengths creates a robust foundation for pursuing the shared purpose. Engage with your team to get their view. Identify the overlaps in perspective as a place to start, then try one of the other strategies to refine further.

Questions to help:

1. What specific skills, expertise, and talents do each team member bring, and how might these inform shared purpose?
2. Reflecting on past successes and achievements, what core strengths and capabilities have contributed to your team’s effectiveness and cohesion?
3. How might you foster a culture of recognition and appreciation for individual and collective strengths within our team, encouraging collaboration and innovation?
4. How can you capitalise on your strengths to overcome challenges and seize opportunities to envision our team’s future goals and objectives?
5. What strategies or approaches can you implement to further develop and enhance your team’s strengths, ensuring ongoing growth and adaptability in pursuit of our collective endeavour?

Scan the Setting – How might the contextual forces inform the team’s collective endeavour? 

Stay attuned to the external environment, scanning for emerging trends and insights. Identify opportunities and challenges that indicate where the team should focus its energy. Bring your team together and invite them to scan the surrounding context. Identify the forces that seem most important and use them as a prompt for drafting a collective endeavour. Identify the overlaps in perspective as a place to start, then try one of the other strategies to refine further.

Questions to help:

1. What are the current market trends and industry shifts that could impact your team’s goals and objectives, and how can you capitalise on these opportunities?
2. Are there any emerging technologies or innovations that could disrupt your industry or create new avenues for growth, and how can you adapt your endeavour to leverage these changes?
3. What regulatory changes or geopolitical factors influence your operating environment, and how might they pose challenges or opportunities for your team’s initiatives?
4. How do competitor actions and market dynamics inform your understanding of the competitive landscape, and what strategies can you employ to maintain our competitive advantage?
5. What social, cultural, or environmental factors shape stakeholder expectations and preferences, and how can you align your team’s purpose and activities with these broader societal trends?

Establishing a Collective Endeavour offers a transformative approach to leadership and collaboration. Fostering purposeful dialogue and alignment enables individuals and organisations to achieve excellent outcomes. Embrace the journey towards a shared purpose, and watch as new possibilities unfold.

To find out more about creating a collective endeavour for your team reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

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Creating Effective Shared Team Routines

A Practical Guide

Successful teams rely on more than just individual brilliance. They need shared routines—coordinated habits and practices that enhance collaboration, productivity, and team performance. In this post, we’ll explore the concept of shared routines and how leaders and teams can implement them effectively.

Shared Routines and Why They Are Important

Shared routines are the collective habits, processes, and rituals teams adopt to simplify their work. These routines promote smooth coordination, build trust, and improve team dynamics. The right shared routines boost team success by improving efficiency, bonding, stability, and learning.

How Can Leaders and Teams Begin Using Shared Routines?

When it comes to implementing shared routines in a team, there are several steps that leaders and team members can take.

1. Target Areas: The first step is defining the criteria, setting intentions, and identifying potential metrics. This part clarifies why shared routines are needed and which might help the most. Starting with the areas where shared routines will likely provide the most significant benefit to the team with low to moderate effort is essential. Consider shared work patterns that could be simplified, standardised or scaled. Below the steps is a list of areas to consider.
2. Prototype Ideas: Once you have generated a set of target routines, the team can develop prototypes for selected routines and gather feedback from team members to refine them. A prototype routine is a trial run of a team process or habit to test and refine. Teams use prototypes to gather feedback, identify issues, and fine-tune their routines to align with team goals and enhance collaboration.
3. Embed Tools: Simple technology practices can differentiate between routines that stick or sink. Spend time thinking about how tools and tech can support your shared routines. If you are asking people to switch from using one tool to another, be conscious that this will require additional effort and potential training support.
4. Test and Iterate: Try out your routines and see how they work. Collect feedback to improve and refine routines for better outcomes. Remember, shared routines are not rigid rules—they’re adaptable guidelines and options for teams to build collective practice.

Creating successful shared routines is more than just setting goals and processes. Leaders must foster a culture of experimentation and learning, encouraging their team to follow a common rhythm while remaining open to improvisation and change. By following these steps, teams can establish routines that support their joint endeavour, ultimately increasing the chances of success.

Descriptions and examples for each category of potential shared team routines:

1. Set direction and focus attention: Establish clear objectives and guide the team’s focus towards achieving them. For example, conduct regular team meetings to align on overarching goals and break them down into actionable tasks.
2. Adapt goals and prioritise work: Flexibly adjust objectives and tasks based on evolving circumstances and priorities. For example, hold weekly or bi-weekly planning sessions to reassess goals and adapt task priorities based on new information or changing requirements.
3. Plan work and schedule activity: Organise tasks and activities in a structured manner to meet deadlines and objectives. For example, create detailed timelines or Gantt charts to allocate resources effectively and ensure timely completion of deliverables.
4. Make decisions and solve problems: Collaboratively resolve challenges and make informed decisions to overcome obstacles. For example, hold regular ideation sessions or problem-solving workshops to address issues as they arise and identify practical solutions.
5. Monitor progress and manage risk: Track milestones, identify potential risks, and implement mitigation strategies. For example, you can conduct weekly progress reviews to assess whether the team is on track to meet milestones and proactively address emerging risks or issues.
6. Handle change and uncertainty: Adapt to unexpected changes and navigate uncertainty while maintaining productivity. For example, establish a communication protocol for promptly disseminating updates and changes to team members and stakeholders to ensure everyone is informed and can adjust their plans accordingly.
7. Promote wellbeing and inclusion: Cultivate a supportive and inclusive team culture that prioritises all members’ physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. For example, implementing regular check-ins or wellness activities fosters camaraderie, addresses potential sources of stress, and promotes a healthy work-life balance.
8. Manage stakeholders and partners: Engaging with external stakeholders and partners to ensure alignment, collaboration, and effective communication. For example, holding periodic meetings with stakeholders to gather feedback, address concerns, and provide updates on progress.
9. Enable learning and development: Facilitate continuous learning and growth within the team by providing opportunities for skill development and knowledge sharing. For example, organise internal workshops, training sessions, or lunch-and-learn events where team members can share expertise, learn new skills, or discuss industry trends.
10. Acknowledge contribution and celebrate success: Recognise and appreciate the efforts and achievements of individual team members and the team as a whole. For example, host regular team celebrations or recognition ceremonies to acknowledge milestones, accomplishments, and exemplary performance.

To find out more about improving team routines reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

Defining Expectations and Shaping Accountability

Keys to Effective Leadership

Establishing clear expectations and accountability within a team is crucial for its success. To achieve this, a leader must define the scope of each team member’s role, delegate task responsibilities, agree on expectations and commitments, and walkthrough scenarios to ensure that everyone is aligned and understands their roles. Let’s explore these strategies and learn how leaders can implement them effectively.

Clarify Role Scope

Visualising role scope and key responsibilities can help build cross-role understanding within the team. Here are practical steps to achieve this:

1. Create Role Maps: Invite members to develop visual representations illustrating their role scope and responsibilities.
2. Hold Role Clarity Sessions: Facilitate collaborative workshops to enable members to share their understanding of how their roles work together.
3. Promote Flexibility: Explicitly encourage cross-functional collaboration and role-sharing to help members better deal with ambiguity.
4. Review and Update: Regularly update role definitions to stay aligned with evolving needs.

Delegate Task Responsibility

Delegating task responsibility involves more than just assigning tasks; it requires careful consideration of what, to whom, when, and how to delegate for optimal results.

1. Understand Team Members: Identify individual strengths, skills, and preferences within the team.
2. Provide Clear Instructions: Communicate task objectives, deadlines, and expected outcomes clearly.
3. Empower Autonomy: Encourage team members to make decisions and take ownership of tasks.
4. Establish Accountability: Set up regular check-ins to monitor progress and provide feedback.

Clarify Expectations and Commitments

Effective teams thrive on clear expectations and commitments that define the give-and-take dynamics within the group.

1. Communicate Goals: Clearly articulate non-negotiable team goals, objectives, and priorities.
2. Invite Discussion: Ask members to outline their key areas of responsibility and what support from the team they might need to perform at their best.
3. Establish Agreements: Facilitate discussions to elicit offers of support and establish mutual agreements and commitments.
4. Document Expectations: Write down key expectations, agreements, and commitments.

Walkthrough Scenarios

Stepping through various situations, issues, and decisions can help refine team expectations and enhance preparedness.

1. Anticipate Scenarios: Identify common challenges or decision points the team may face.
2. Visualise and Discuss: Facilitate interactive sessions where team members map out scenarios and discuss critical moments.
3. Reflect and Learn: Discuss lessons learned and areas for improvement after scenario walkthroughs.
4. Develop Plans: Create contingency plans based on insights gained from scenario discussions.

Defining expectations and shaping accountability is essential for leaders. Experiment with the above strategies to create a culture of clarity, collaboration, and preparedness within your teams. 

To find out more about shaping accountability within teams reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.

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Five Disciplines of Successful Teams

Navigating the Art of Collaboration

Amidst the dynamic landscape of organisations, teams serve as the driving force behind progress. But how can leaders elevate a group of individuals into a seamlessly functioning, high-achieving team? Dr. Peter Hawkins, a prominent figure in organisational development, offers some insight with his Disciplines of Successful Team Practice, which are introduced below with strategies for bringing them to life. 

How the Disciplines are Organised

The disciplines sit upon a matrix delineating team product, process, and internal versus external focus. 

Team product refers to what the team is to create and is concerned with its mandate, purpose, vision, mission, priorities, goals, etc. 

Team process refers to how the team will go about its work and is concerned with ways of working, culture and interactions that the team uses to achieve its goals. 

Internal orientation refers to the team’s inward focus on its goals and working methods.

External orientation refers to the team’s focus on its external environment, such as customers, stakeholders, and the broader organisational context.

Commissioning: Setting Sail with Purpose

Imagine a ship embarking on a voyage. Before hoisting the sails, the crew must know their destination. Similarly, teams need a commission—a clear purpose and scope. Commissioning is the first discipline, and it’s all about defining the team’s mandate. Why do we exist? What are we here to achieve? What value must we create? How does our mission align with the organisation’s goals? Without a well-defined commission, teams risk drifting aimlessly.

Strategy 1: Capture the Mandate: Define a precise mission statement. Work with the commissioning manager to define and capture their expectations of the team’s purpose and reason for being. 

Strategy 2: Align Stakeholders: Gather the team and stakeholders for a visioning session. Discuss the team’s purpose and goals and how they align with organisational objectives. Encourage open dialogue and ensure everyone feels ownership of the team’s mission. 

Strategy 3: Check-In Regularly: Periodically revisit the team’s purpose with key stakeholders. Is it still relevant? Has anything changed? Regularly assess and adjust as needed. A dynamic commission keeps the team focused.

Clarifying: Unraveling the Purpose Puzzle

Clarifying involves creating a shared understanding of collective purpose, defined roles, and critical goals within the team. Why does this team exist? What specific outcomes do we seek? Who plays what role? By answering these questions, teams align their efforts and foster a sense of collective purpose.

Strategy 1: Build Role Clarity: Host workshops to clarify individual roles within the team. Discuss responsibilities, decision-making authority, and how everyone contributes. Ensure everyone understands their part.

Strategy 2: Use Visual Cues: Create visual aids like process maps or role diagrams and display them prominently in team spaces. Visual cues reinforce clarity and serve as reference points.

Strategy 3: Share Defining Stories: Share stories illustrating the team’s purpose. Use real examples during team meetings. Stories resonate and help embed clarity.

Co-creating: The Art of Collective Genius

Co-creation is about joint decision-making and problem-solving. Teams co-create their processes, norms, and solutions. By involving everyone, teams tap into diverse perspectives and enhance creativity.

Strategy 1: Encourage Diversity: Assemble cross-functional teams with diverse backgrounds and skills. Encourage brainstorming sessions where everyone contributes ideas. Diversity sparks creativity.

Strategy 2: Use Collaborative Design: Introduce design thinking techniques. Ideate, prototype, and iterate together. Collaborate to create processes, norms, and solutions.

Strategy 3: Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Create a safe space for experimentation. Encourage risk-taking. When something doesn’t work, extract learnings. Failures become stepping stones to success.

Design and Implement Effective Processes and Shared Practices: This discipline emphasises the importance of designing and implementing effective processes and shared practices that enhance collaboration, innovation, and performance.

Connecting: Beyond Team Borders

Connecting is about extending impact. Teams engage with stakeholders, other teams, and the broader organisation. They share insights, learnings, and enthusiasm, creating a collaborative network that enhances their influence.

Strategy 1: Apoint Ambassadors: Set up liaisons to represent your team’s values and advocate for your mission and achievements. Establish connections with other teams and share narratives about your impact.

Strategy 2: Deploy Scouts: Encourage your team to explore new opportunities, trends, and insights. Connect with external resources and networks. Innovate by identifying novel approaches and sharing findings.

Strategy 3: Develop Partnerships: Collaborate with other teams, departments, or external organisations to achieve common goals. Foster synergies and align objectives with partners through strategic thinking.

Core Learning: The Team That Evolves Together

The heartbeat of a successful team lies in its ability to learn and adapt. Teams reflect on experiences, celebrate victories, and learn from setbacks. They become more than the sum of their parts. It’s not just about individual growth; it’s collective evolution.

Strategy 1: Run Retrospectives and Reviews: Conduct retrospectives regularly after completing projects or milestones. Reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Capture lessons learned and apply them to future endeavours.

Strategy 2: Engage in Peer Coaching and Mentoring: Encourage team members to mentor each other. Pair up individuals with complementary skills. Peer coaching accelerates learning and builds a culture of continuous improvement.

Strategy 3: Experiment and Innovate: Create a safe space for experimentation. Encourage team members to try new approaches, technologies, or ways of working. Celebrate both successes and “intelligent failures.”

Dr Hawkins’ Five Disciplines empower teams to align, execute, collaborate, expand, and evolve. So, whether you’re leading a startup, managing a research project, or captaining a sports team, remember the secret lies in mastering these disciplines.

To find out more about improving team effectiveness reach out to us via info@soji.com.au.