How to Foster Greater Workforce Performance?
I read a LinkedIn quote from the company Better Up that stated, “Every employee is high potential with access to the right support.”
This quote really spoke to me because it gave me the words that I had struggled to find in the past when consulting executives and senior leaders about engagement and retention.
The reality is that so many leaders have fallen into the mindset that there are fits and not so much of a fit in their organizations.
Now I am aware that there is a small group of people who, because of their personal decisions, refuse to put in the work and invest themselves into anything which may cause them to automatically not be a fit for your organization.
But that isn’t most people. Honestly, I believe it has more to do with the lack of intentionality, training, and support from us leaders. The lack of employee and/or team effectiveness is more times than not the fault of the leadership and its lack of support and resources.
As a result, I want to offer 2 ways we leaders can get more out of the people we lead.
Increase Team Collaboration
One of the mistakes many leaders make is leading in isolation. We leave our teams out of the decision-making and creation process. Throughout history, we’ve been told the lie that leaders are to go into a room by themselves and come up with all the ideas and then direct their people to accomplish them.
The problem is that by doing things in this way, we create a culture where our people are servants who tend to our needs rather than creating a culture of teammates and family who takes ownership of their involvement in the organization.
By operating in isolation, we minimize the success of the organization and limit personal investment from team members which in return creates disengagement and high turnover.
Research has shown that collaboration amongst teams has led to better outcomes and higher workforce performance. As leaders, we should often find ways to involve our people in the creation process and decision-making process. It doesn’t mean everyone makes decisions, but it does include them in the process even if you ultimately make the final decision.
Increase Team Diversity
Most leaders fall into the trap of thinking that they need to surround themselves with people who are just like them. This is a great mistake. When I was in business school, one of my research projects revealed that the most innovative organizations were a product of diverse thinking that collided with new ideas.
The reality is that diversity can create discomfort and disruption but as expert, Frans Johansson quotes, “True success and breakthrough innovation, involves discomfort.”
In other words, creating a space for healthy tension through diverse perspectives is the launch pad for innovation and high performance. And to produce that type of result, creating a diverse team is vital to performance.
As you prepare for 2023, how can you foster a culture of greater collaboration with your team? And how can you attract or invite greater diversity within or to your team?
Recap: How to Foster Greater Workforce Performance?
Increase Team Collaboration
Increase Team Diversity
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