Continuous Improvement

Harvard University research (The Mindful Body, Langer 2023) teaches us that there are three levels of thinking. Level 1 is characterized by ignorance. Viewpoints and decisions sit upon a platform of nothing. Level 2 is characterized by judgement. We rush to conclusions that best corroborate our bias. These folks are frequently wrong and rarely in doubt. Level 3 is characterized by curiosity. This requires the ability to consider other perspectives. It comes with the question, “What would need to be true to make this make sense?”

The growth mindset approach doesn’t work very well with people who have decided to stop growing. It’s the classic H.R. interview when the candidate claims ten years of experience only to discover they’ve accrued one year ten times. It happens with individuals, couples, teams, and organizations – they sacrifice development in lieu of whatever the benefits of staying the same are. Sadly, it equates to the choice to die early.

Who would you put up to bat in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded and down by a run? Would you deploy the player who is eager for the chance or the teammate who fears pressure? Expectations influence outcomes. If you think your project is likely to fail, the chances of failure increase. Likewise, if you expect success, your odds go up. Why is this true?

When was the last time a day turned out the way you expected? Never, right? There’s always a twist – sometimes in the form of adversity and, occasionally, a pleasant surprise. Whether your day has headed north or south, it’s all about adaptability. What happens next has many options.

Confession: I’ve learned to skim and absorb most of my reading material quickly. I’m willing to trade depth for speed. I can synthesize an academic journal article in fifteen minutes. Anything less rigorous takes me about two. Many social media platforms predict how long it will take to read their posts, with an eye toward expedience. No need to dive in if you don’t have 4.5 minutes to spare. This blog promises “60 seconds on the Team Clock.” I endeavor to put readers out of their misery in less than a minute. It’s a dupe. My blogs are usually two-minute reads.

You probably shouldn’t ask the question unless you are willing to hear the answer. More importantly, you may not want to invite the conversation unless you plan to do something with the information. Feedback is a double-edged sword. The choice to strengthen a weakness almost always makes sense until you acknowledge how much work is required. When that realization sets in, many teams opt to perpetuate ‘normal’ rather than taking on the labor of growth.

I greeted a friend recently with the question “How are you?” A freight train happened to be passing by at the moment I asked so she misheard the words as “Why are you?” Her answer surprised me. In less than 30 seconds, she served up a theme-based version of her life story. It was a veritable purpose statement. It got me thinking about how many of us are seeking direction when the destination has already been well established. Perhaps it’s just the path that hasn’t yet been chosen.

Most of the choices we exercise throughout the day are inconsequential. Sometimes, there are days or decisions that have the power to pivot lives. Whether to have Wheaties or Cheerios for breakfast doesn’t alter the universe. Voting does.

The teamclock.com website was originally designed as a tool for teams. With a few clicks, you could easily find best practices on team effectiveness and a path to diagnose your organization’s wellness. That was a decade ago and, like most tools, we’ve needed to refresh our approach a few times. Like all living things, the Center for Team Excellence has evolved through many cycles of change. Our new website reflects today’s focus: helping our partners know what stage of growth they are managing, why they are in that stage and what to do next to move forward. We encourage you to take a self-guided tour after enjoying this preview.

The normal human reaction to success is to celebrate. Often, this is the moment the opponent seizes to catch you back on your heels – while you’re celebrating. Martial artists master the timing of a counter-strike to take advantage of their opponent’s vulnerability immediately after an attack. In sports, championship teams avoid the natural letdown that follows achievement by refocusing and staying in the zone. They don’t get too high after a positive moment and they don’t get too low after a negative one. Can you apply this to your workplace?

If you could only choose four, what ingredients would you include in a recipe for a thriving team? Begin with the broadest range of history, experience, and perspective. Add a commitment to a common goal. Sprinkle in the energy of new ideas. Finish with resilience in the face of change. Diversity, cohesion, creativity, and adaptability. Together, they keep the team moving forward.

Often, the task of blending cultures begins after the merger/acquisition has been consummated. The integration decision is made upon the faith that both sides can blend their similarities and differences like mature adults. Unfortunately, the human dynamics that fuel struggle are usually beneath the surface when potential partners size each other up for marriage. Imagine how the new relationship might get off the ground if both sides could see what was hidden.

The ideal team flows from challenge to challenge moving flexibly over, under, around, or through obstacles. Despite the dynamics that get most teams stuck, they understand the purpose of their struggle and keep working the problem. As diverse as teams are, there are four common causes to derailment.

There are few intolerable consequences for settling for good-enough performance. Risking the pursuit of greatness isn’t for everyone. It comes at a cost not many are willing to pay. In most professional endeavors, good enough is good enough. Why, then, do some people, some partners, some teams, and some organizations reach for the sky?

Building a dream team involves both design and maintenance. In the design phase, gather a unique collection of personalities who share a common goal and diverse paths to attainment. In the maintenance phase, catch early warning signs of vulnerability and repair proactively. Whether anchoring the team’s infrastructure or tweaking performance, consider these guideposts and engage in a continuous gap analysis of opportunity:

The holiday season brings time for reflection. Why squeeze your resolutions into the first week of January? Each day of the year offers a chance to grow. Consider more frequent assessment and reassessment of your direction. What questions might you ask?

Whether you’re a part of an organization, a team, a relationship, or engaged in a staring contest with a mirror, poor choices and mistakes create the secret path to evolution. Despite the elusive goal of perfection, true beauty lives in the flaws of being human and, thus, a work in progress. The goal is not to become the ideal. It is to follow our struggles as guideposts for growth. What is your personal strategic plan?

A long time ago, I was running a distance race on college track team when I noticed my shoe was untied. The only reason I became aware of the problem was because my shoe was slipping at the heal and slowing me down. Buried in the middle of the pack, I had to decide whether to “make a pit stop” and tie my shoe or finish the race with the impediment. If I stopped to tie my shoe, I would fall behind. If I fought the slippage, I would have to perform at less than peak ability. What would you do?

Here we go – one more time around the cycle. Traditions and celebrations will mark the coming weeks as we take stock of a year gone by and prepare for the year ahead. Other than turning the page on the calendar, though, what will really be different? Consider these 4 easy steps:

The six members of the leadership team entered the conference room looking preoccupied with the activities they abandoned to come to the team assessment debrief session. The team leader commented that the day had been like one fire drill after another.

It seems odd to be grateful for a mistake. When we make mistakes, the typical physical responses kick into gear: the pit in the stomach, the heart sinking, the flushing face, the “oh $#%!” moment of “WHAT DID I DO?!?” The alternative is achieving perfection. But is perfection a worthy goal? Do we learn if we’re perfect? Or should we protest perfection and thank our mistakes?

“How are we doing?” “Fine, why do you ask?”
“How are we doing?” “Well, since you asked…”