Cracking the Code. What does it take to build a high-performing team?

From trust falls to ropes courses to analytics and assessments, I have been working on team effectiveness for the better part of two decades. (And I am still fascinated by team dynamics!) What is it that makes one group gel, and another group fracture? 
 
This month’s CBODN Book Club discussion was on Daniel Coyle’s book The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. (Many thanks to our facilitator, Heeral Coleman.) The book looks at what makes groups successful, and Coyle presents three skills that contribute—building safety, sharing vulnerability, and establishing purpose. For a summary of the book club discussion, which includes highlights from the book and other ideas sparked by the book discussion, click here. Below, you’ll find some of my take-aways.
 
How to Create a High-Performing Team

1. Listen like a trampoline. Love this phrase from Coyle’s book! It’s a reminder to listen fully and bounce energy back and forth with the other person. Important note: You do this NOT to take over the conversation or forcefully add value with some brilliant thought—but instead to help energize the discussion.
2. High-Proficiency or High-Creativity Group? (Pick One.) Coyle talks about, when creating a group, you are to first identify your goal. The approach for setting out to form a High-Proficiency environment is not the same as what you would do to cultivate a High-Creativity environment. Great point!
3. Psychological Safety. Is this the new buzzword? I don’t know, but it shows up in the (now famous!) research from Google regarding secrets to high-performing teams. One book club member referenced David Rock’s TedTalk when he talks about what happens in the brain when one feels shunned socially. The brain activates the same area in the brain as a physical threat—like having a gun pointed at you! In a team setting, Coyle says that groups are successful “not because their members are smarter, but because they are safer.” To foster safety, you need to foster belonging—and this is not a “one and done” activity. You need to refresh and repeat your commitment to the team through your actions and your words.
4. Vulnerability. Brené Brown has sparked a lot of thinking about vulnerability, and Coyle had some related messages as it relates to team effectiveness. His core message: Building group vulnerability starts with the leader. Once the leader sets the example for how to demonstrate, “Hey, I’m still learning! I need you to help me out!” everyone else can follow suit. I have coached many leaders who struggle with this at work and outside of work. Here’s a tip. For leaders who are doing a 360 review process, it’s helpful to thank your reviewers and also share some of the themes from your development feedback. Sharing what you are working on shows everyone that you’re human, you’re doing the best you can, and you’re open to others’ support. 
5. Threshold Moments. Coyle describes these as either positive or negative moments. In a group setting, this is the first instance where a person or the team is vulnerable—it could be the first mistake the team makes or the first negative feedback the team receives. It could also be the first big win that needs to be celebrated. If it’s a negative situation, of course you will need to address the issue and build a plan to move forward, but Coyle’s point is that you also can learn and grow from it. Here are some of my strategies for “meta talk” that work well for leaders when addressing setbacks with teams.
   • Point out what you’ve noticed WITHOUT blame. “Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on what happened. This is something we’re all disappointed about, but I know we can get through this.”
   • Take a step back, or look at the conversation from above. “I just want to do a quick 'time out' and acknowledge that we were in a healthy debate and—Look! It made us come up with better solutions.”
   • Call out moments of positive behaviors that you want to see repeated. “This is a great discussion because you were all able to take ownership, but kept the conversation focused on how to improve the situation for the future. This is what we mean when we talk about 'resilience.'”
6. Tip of the Iceberg. You see the tip of the iceberg above the waterline, but there’s so much more to the iceberg below the surface of the water. In his Ted Talk on “The Power of Authenticity,” Mike Robbins tells a story (min 6:45) about how he was facilitating a team meeting and an exercise he used to disarm a group that was skirting important issues…
   • The facilitator asked everyone to say, “If you really knew me, you’d know that…” The facilitator then started with a very candid confession of his own, “If you really knew me, you’d know that I don't want to be here today. I don’t feel that I’m doing a good job facilitating.”
   • Then he turned to the next person in the meeting, and everyone took a turn sharing their personal insights, starting with, “If you really knew me, you’d know that…” Ultimately, one person opened up about her concerns, and others followed, one by one.
   • The key issue? The group respected the boss, but they were also intimidated by the boss. The candor allowed them to get into a discussion about their team dynamics and truly move forward. What a great exercise to have in your back pocket…just in case!
   • And here’s my related “bonus tip”—If ever you are facilitating a meeting like this, bring a stuffed elephant with you. When someone is brave enough to address “the elephant in the room” they can hold the elephant as a symbol for others to see, and also to add levity to moment that takes courage.

 
Please let me know what ideas or insights my short list sparks for you! Always love your feedback.

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