#3 – Diversity Drives Team Success

#3 – Diversity Drives Team Success

by | Apr 23, 2024

In today’s episode we are talking about the power of diversity in teams and how diverse teams accelerate the power of teamwork exponentially.

In today’s business world we are witnessing a profound shift taking place as diversity is being defined to extend beyond the conventional boundaries of gender and ethnicity to encompass a kaleidoscope of thoughts, experiences, and cognitive styles. This seismic transformation isn’t just a social change, it’s a strategic manoeuvre that is fundamentally altering the how business succeeds. Welcome to the era where diversity isn’t just a buzzword but its the engine of innovation.

Diversity is no longer a quota to be met rather its embedded into the fabric of business providing unique perspectives on every aspect and so crafting a resilient organisation that thrives on innovation. We are witnessing an evolution from diversity as compliance to diversity as a strategic competitive advantage.

The Stats

The empirical data is irrefutable; diverse companies see a staggering 2.5 times higher cash flow per employee. Inclusion catapults teams to outperform by 35%, and decisions made by diverse teams are superior 87% of the time. This isn’t mere coincidence; it’s the outcome of harnessing a variety of experiences that resonate with the multifaceted nature of global markets and the complex issues they present.

Diversity of thought is the unsung hero of innovation and the catalyst that propels teams to challenge the status quo and approach problems with fresh, disruptive perspectives. Today’s

workplace is a melting pot of generations, cultures, and neurodiversities, each adding depth and colour to the organizational narrative.

It’s Not All Plain Sailing

However, building a diverse workforce is not devoid of challenges. The quest to populate the boardrooms and C-suites with a fair representation of society is ongoing and arduous. This journey is marred by the subconscious biases that often skew our perceptions and decisions. The transformative process of building a diverse team is not merely about hiring practices that reflect a wider spectrum of society but fostering an environment where every unique trait is not just acknowledged but celebrated.

To mitigate unconscious biases, companies must adopt comprehensive hiring panels, conduct bias awareness training, and implement structured interview processes. A culture that actively solicits diverse opinions is a culture poised for success. But beyond the structural changes, there is a profound need for a shift in mindset – one that values every voice and recognises the strength in differences.

As business leaders and executives, I invite you to reflect on our organisations’ diversity and inclusion efforts. Are we merely scratching the surface, or are we delving deep into the untapped potential that a truly diverse team offer?

We need to move past traditional notions of diversity and foster a holistic environment that cultivates all forms of diversity – the seen and the unseen, the loud and the silent, the norm and the neurodivergent.

The call to action is clear: to harness the superpower of diverse teams, we must embark on a relentless pursuit of inclusivity, challenging our preconceived notions and embracing the diversity that lies within and beyond our office walls. It is a journey that promises to redefine workplaces, ignite innovation, and lead businesses to not just survive but thrive in the unpredictable tides of the global market.

In conclusion, the mandate for businesses is to not just build teams that are diverse but to cultivate ecosystems where diversity is the bedrock of innovation, strategy, and growth.

Show Notes:

(2:48) Diversity as a competitive advantage

(3:15) Key Stats of having a Diverse Team

(5:30) What do we mean by Diversity?

(6:51) Different kinds of Diversity

(8:20) Invisible aspect of Diversity

(12:18) Why do we need Diverse perspective?

(14:48) Case Studies about having Diverse Team

(18:50) Removing Unconscious Bias in the workplace to create a Diverse Team

(20:00) My experience with Unconscious Bias

Resources:

Josh Bersin – Diverse companies earn 2.5x higher cash flow per employee
McKinsey – Inclusive teams over 35% more likely to outperform competitors
Women in the Worplace – 23% C-Suite made up of women

7 in 10 millennials offer loyalty in exchange for workplace diversity

#2 – Discover the ABCDE’s of Leadership

#2 – Discover the ABCDE’s of Leadership

by | Apr 15, 2024

Today, I’m eager to share some enlightening perspectives I’ve gleaned about the transformative approach to leadership that’s rooted in the wisdom of the natural world, specifically the world of horses. This approach has reshaped not just my business strategies, but my life philosophy, and the essence of how I engage with my teams. It’s a lesson in leadership far removed from traditional hierarchies—instead, it’s about the dynamism and distributed responsibilities seen in a horse herd.

This brings us to the heart of today’s discussion: the power of shared leadership. Inspired by how a horse herd operates, with shared roles between the lead mare and the stallion, and each member contributing to the herd’s well-being.  Shared leadership is about every team member taking collective responsibility for success. It promotes a collaborative environment where trust, harmony, and unity flourish.

Trust in leadership hinges on four key aspects. Leaders must be attentive to subtle shifts, give clear direction, energize the team appropriately, and exhibit authenticity. This model is articulated through the ABCDE of Shared leadership, inspired by the Diamond Model of Leadership created by TeachingHorse.

Diamond model containing letters ABCDE

Within this model of leadership each letter stands for a different leadership attribute we need to embody to effectively navigate change and so lead our teams to success.

A is for Attention:

Leaders must be observant and aware, not just of the team and environment but also of themselves. Attention is where energy flows, and leaders must discern where to best focus it. 

Leaders need to notice what’s happening for ourselves and for our team members, and also for the environment that they’re operating in.  And we can notice this by paying attention to our breath, our five senses, those intuitive hits.  What we know is that when we get anxious, we get up tight, and we unconsciously hold our breath. This makes our bodies taut. And when we’re in that state of kind of slight anxiety and fear, we can’t pay attention to what’s going on about us as we are so focused on ourselves

Where are you placing your attention? Are you placing your attention on things that can make a real difference? Are you wasting, placing your attention on things that make the you can make no difference to so there’s a real art to where we place our attention. Because wherever we place our attention, that’s where our energy goes

B is for Belonging:

At the core of shared leadership is the sense of belonging. As humans we all want to belong and belonging is integral for any collaborative effort.

And as a team, we all want to belong. Relationships are the lifeblood of teams.  As humans, we want to be part of social interaction at some level. And one of the things that the pandemic showed us was actually that we were social creatures. And most of us needed other people to get along with, we want that sense of connection, and belonging that comes as being part of a team.

C is for Congruence:

Leaders must be authentic, with their external actions reflecting their internal beliefs.

Congruence is about the emotional authenticity of leaders. It’s about being in touch with one’s feelings, as they provide essential insights into our thinking and responses to any situation. Authenticity fosters trust and confidence in leadership 

The horses are very instinctive about this, they know when it’s time to move, they’re paying attention to what’s going on around us. And they get a gut sense maybe if there’s a predator in the environment, and they go and run away at that point in time. And as leaders, it’s really important that we use our authentic voice, because this helps increase trust and confidence in our leadership. And we need to share with the team what’s happening.

D is for Direction:

Selecting a clear focus point is essential, as is maintaining a balance between the big picture and the next immediate steps.

Direction requires setting a course based on what matters most, aligning with our mission and values. It’s about maintaining momentum, knowing when to amplify our efforts and when to conserve them.

Being in motion is really important. So moving forward becomes a fluid motion between seeing what’s on the horizon and taking your next step. So we need to keep balancing this against the big picture. When we stay too focused on the big picture, we can get confusion about what to do next. But we when we stay too granular, too myopic, then we lose the big picture. And we’re not sure why we need to take the next step. And when we’re leading and moving in the direction, we need to increase our energy to get things moving

What I often see happening in organisations is us trying to solve the problem of a lack of direction with more energy. And that’s just like putting your foot on the accelerator in your car, with no idea of where you’re going, you’re going to end up in the wrong direction.

E is for Energy:

Leaders should manage not just their energy but also the team’s—identifying when it’s high and leveraging it, and recognising when it’s low and recharging it.

Managing energy is crucial for the success of any team. Energy takes various forms: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Each type of energy requires different methods to replenish it, and it’s a leader’s role to facilitate this within their teams. Just like horses conserve energy for when it’s truly needed, we must learn to balance energy expenditure with periods of rest and recharging.

So our role as a leader is to harness that energy to use it for the best good. And when we’re in an organisation, and particularly where the energy is depleted, I think it’s really important that we name what the energy is. For example, I’m sensing a reluctance to share some ideas. Or if we reach an agreement and we’ve reached an agreement really quickly, is there anything else we need to say? And it’s just naming this energy. And us having enough attention on what is happening can totally change the dynamics of a conversation. So we need to trust that if we change the energy, we can change the outcome in different direction

To gain a team members confidence, a leader has to demonstrate that they’re paying attention to what’s going on in the community or the organisation give clear direction, which is focused, inspire energy and are authentic, that their intentions can be trusted. And it’s this confidence in leadership that makes a community or an organisation agile, when the time for change can no longer be avoided.

Reflect on these concepts—consider where your attention lies, the direction you’re pursuing, the energy you’re investing, and the congruence of your actions. Engage with these principles, and I’m confident they will guide you towards more impactful teamwork where you feel a real sense of belonging.

 

Show Notes:

Here are the highlights from this episode:

(04:04) The VUCA Prime experience.

(10:10) The A.B.C.D.E model of shared leadership.

(15:52) How to harness your team’s energy and use it for good.

(20:17) Choosing a point of focus in leadership.

(22:00) You cannot lead if you can’t feel!

#1 – What Is IMPACTFUL Teamwork?

#1 – What Is IMPACTFUL Teamwork?

by | Apr 15, 2024

“It’s not finance, it’s not strategy, it’s not technology, it’s teamwork, that remains the ultimate competitive advantage. Because it’s both so powerful and so rare.”

 

These words of Patrick Lencioni have inspired me over the years and are one of the reasons for the launch of my new podcast IMPACTFUL Teamwork.  Over the years I have come to appreciate the power of teamwork to transform business and escalate its success but that wasn’t always the case.

I confess when I was working in the corporate world I never fully appreciated how my team contributed to my success and it was only when I started my own business, and had no team around me, that my thoughts on this changed.

Today I am deeply passionate about the art of leadership and the science of team dynamics, which is why I am so excited to share this new podcast with you.

If you’re tuning into this conversation, you’re likely shouldering the responsibility of a team, searching for that elusive key to seamless collaboration. You may find yourself entrenched in a silo mentality within your organization, or perhaps you’re struggling with a team that approaches you with problems instead of solutions, lacking the passion and drive you exhibit. I understand these frustrations all too well, and it’s my mission to arm you with practical, actionable strategies that you can apply immediately to overcome these obstacles.

My conviction is that teamwork transcends being a mere function of business—it’s the essence of it. Leaders need to recognise that aligned and engaged team members are a formidable competitive advantage..

Through my work, I’ve observed that many leaders possess untapped potential within their teams but don’t know how to unlock and harness this energy effectively. I’ve also experienced the sheer waste of time, energy, and resources when teams work in isolation, duplicating efforts rather than synergising. In stark contrast, the natural world, including my herd of horses, operates on principles of efficiency and interdependence—a model I believe modern businesses must emulate.

‘IMPACTFUL’ is not just a word but an acronym I’ve coined that embodies the attributes essential for peak performance in leadership and teamwork:

Intuition – Embracing our gut instincts to lead wisely.

Mastering Communication – Excellently conveying and receiving messages.

Personal Boundaries – Establishing clear delineations to stay on course.

Authenticity – Being genuine and vulnerable in our professional roles.

Connection – Building profound and trustworthy relationships.

Trust and Transparency – Laying the groundwork for efficient and effective operations.

Full Attention – Staying present, ensuring every moment counts.

Unity – Championing harmony and collaborative success.

Leader Self-Care – Recognising the need for self-awareness and self-preservation to fuel team vitality.

In our discussions, I’ll be debunking myths that often cripple team effectiveness. For instance, diversity within teams is not a hurdle but a strength. Healthy conflict is not a team’s downfall but rather its lifeblood when harnessed appropriately. And the assumption that everyone enjoys teamwork is simply not supported by research—thus, understanding each team member’s unique drivers and working styles is crucial.

Another vital distinction I’ve realised is that managing a team’s dynamics is a far cry from day-to-day operational management. It’s about empowerment versus delegation, inspiration versus direction. Moreover, the myth that senior leaders naturally foster teamwork is often just that—a myth. Real teamwork means sharing power and control, something that can be daunting for leaders concerned about their authority.

In this podcast, I’ll be drawing parallels between the harmonious interplay found in nature and the effective functioning of business teams. By learning from my horse herd, we will uncover lessons on maintaining health, harmony, and unity, crucial for any team’s survival and prosperity.

I invite you to ponder this: How can you cultivate impactful teams that not only elevate your business but also contribute positively to the fabric of our global business community? Let this be the beginning of our conversation, not the end.

Over the upcoming episodes, I look forward to unravelling the secrets of successful teamwork with you and urge you to reach out as we navigate this path together towards creating more engaged, productive, and thriving organisations.

Here are the highlights from this episode:

(02:59) Teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage.   

(12:43) Success is a team sport and we all need to participate to win.

(19:18) Trust and transparency.

(24:03) Conflict as an energy source. 

(28:44) Nature and the importance of teamwork.

Trailer for The IMPACTFUL Teamwork Podcast

Trailer for The IMPACTFUL Teamwork Podcast

by | Apr 12, 2024

Hi, I’m Julia Felton, aka the Business Wrangler, and I’m a leadership and team engagement specialist. Thanks for joining me to learn more about IMPACTFUL Teamwork.

This podcast is for you if you’re a business owner, business leader, entrepreneur or executive who knows they want to make a real impact in the world and knows they can’t do it alone.

 You know you need a team to help you but how do you get your team on the same page.  How do you get them pulling in the same direction and not pulling apart. How do you create a connected, collaborative, cohesive team.

In this podcast I will be sharing with you strategies and tactics to help you become the best leader you can be so that you can inspire IMPACTFUL teamwork. Teams that make a real difference.  Each podcast will be full of actionable steps you can take and implement immediately. 

We’ll also be interviewing guests to learn from them what has worked for them and importantly what hasn’t.  

Rest assured there will also be a good dose of wisdom from the natural world as I believe that nature contains a blueprint for how we can all work together to create engaged, enthusiastic, empowered teams.

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