Sunday, July 13, 2008

Fixing it

This is what we know: it won't get better on its own. It is almost certain that someone is going to feel threatened or defensive or competitive in a cross functional team - especially if they feel like some kind of "secret" is going to be revealed. Maybe you're working on something that they have known to be a problem, but they hoped nobody would find out. Maybe you are working on something that they could be blamed for. Maybe they don't believe in what you are working on and are actively (or passively) trying to sabotage it. Maybe they don't want to "stir up" whoever is responsible for the problem.

It won't get better on its own. Talking about it works.

Would you be surprised if I told you that over 90% of the team leaders asked (in a survey of over 900 six sigma team leaders and participants in 20 companies on 200 projects) had experienced these issues?

It doesn't get better on its own. Talking about it works.

When a skillful leader, the study says, created even a MODERATELY safe environment for the team, the likelihood of success increases by 50%-70%.

Hat's off to skillful leaders - we may fix it. If we start by creating safety.

How do we create safety? We are rigorously authentic and engaged and open and empathetic. Many of us hold back from this because it makes us feel vulnerable - but it actually gives us power. If you think of every true leader you can remember, you will remember that they were authentic and they were powerful. Otherwise, we won't follow them. The power originates in the authenticity. We trust those that are honest with us; that share with us. We feel safe with them. Engagement is taking time to understand the other person's point of view - for NO REASON OTHER than to understand it. Openness is being willing to be persuaded based on new information. Empathy is experiencing another person's feelings about something - sharing emotion.

Leading - living - from that mindset is how we create safety.

And that's how we start to fix it. It doesn't get better on its own.




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