What kind of team leader are you? A fixer or facilitator?

I look forward to my work as a consultant and coach this week. Starting today, I have two team sessions and a coaching session this afternoon. First, I will be with an Oncology department of nurses who have not met collectively in the last four years...let that sink in for a moment. It is primarily a listening session, a town hall, and the beginning of team rebuilding. Later this morning, I am working with a high-functioning, more minor, but mighty Nurse care team that services the needs of 1000s of patients through their social work and nurse team. They are working on clarifying roles, leveraging strengths, and team self-awareness (EQ). Coaching this afternoon will be with an Ortho director in Washington State, leading a turnaround of his team and the culture of his department. Tomorrow, I will be offsite with the construction leader, working on their ability to communicate with clarity, direction, alignment, and inspiration and effectively deliver feedback during the exercises. I am speaking in Denver at a Process Improvement conference to 50-60 leaders on coaching team members on Friday.

First, I am grateful for the diversity, depth, and dynamics at play with every leader and team I can work alongside. It is a privilege to be a trusted thought partner. I do not take it for granted. Second, every team is unique based on the differences of all the team members and leaders represented. However, the principles that shape leadership and teams stand the test of time. The variable is our method to shape effective teamwork.

Whether your team is high-performing or acutely dysfunctional, I invite you to consider...

The primary role of a leader is to facilitate the conversation rather than fix the problem.

Let that statement settle for a moment. Your day may be filled with problems to solve, challenges to overcome, and issues to fix. Is it not the nature of work to provide value by making things work better?

A recent graduate told me I'm ready to get my hands dirty yesterday. I appreciated her youthful enthusiasm to get to work. As we progress in our careers, we develop mastery in nursing skills in the PACU, writing code, cost-based accounting, writing grants, or closing deals. Reflect on your tradecraft; when you do what you've been trained to do, doing it efficiently and well, it feels satisfying. Thus, translating hard skills to soft skills in management and leadership is challenging. As you move further into leading people when the crisis comes and the need for fixing stuff escalates, who steps in to fix it?

Stated once more: A leader's primary role is facilitating the conversation rather than fixing the problem.

For the last 5-7 years, I have echoed this statement as a principle to protect against authoritarian style leadership, broken team trust, and micromanagement. As leaders practice their role as facilitators rather than fixers, it leads to empowerment, collaboration, camaraderie, and innovation.

At the heart of effective leadership lies the recognition that the primary role of a leader transcends mere problem-solving; it entails facilitating meaningful conversations. Rather than simply swooping in to fix every issue, a leader's true value is creating an environment where open dialogue, collaboration, and innovation can flourish. By fostering constructive conversations, leaders empower team members to voice their perspectives, share ideas, and collectively brainstorm solutions. This approach not only promotes ownership and accountability but also harnesses the diverse talents and experiences within the team. Moreover, facilitating conversations encourages active listening and empathy, strengthening interpersonal connections and fostering a culture of trust and mutual respect. Ultimately, by prioritizing the facilitation of conversations over the sole responsibility of problem-solving, leaders can cultivate an engaged and empowered team capable of overcoming challenges and achieving shared goals.

Based on a 2021 study of 142 virtual teams in high-technology organizations, where hybrid teams are commonplace, and demands for performance and growth are sky-high, the quest for high-functioning teams is ever more crucial. However, statistics paint a sobering picture: three out of four teams fail to complete their objectives, with less than 20% of high-tech virtual teams deemed effective (Bull, 2021). A recent study delved into the factors distinguishing successful from unsuccessful teams in this context, focusing on innovation, diversity, and collaborative capacity. The findings were illuminating, revealing a significant % positive correlation of 59% between deep diversity, characterized by a range of functional perspectives, and innovation—moreover, heightened communication within teams correlated with increased perceived innovation performance. Nevertheless, achieving effective communication in virtual teams is no small feat, with challenges ranging from building trust to managing tasks and meeting time demands. However, the study underscores that teams embracing deep diversity, which fosters varied viewpoints and promotes innovation in products and practices, are more inclined to commit to enhanced communication, thus paving the way for measured success (Bull, 2021). Despite the myriad communication barriers posed by distance, language, culture, and work demands, teams and leaders dedicated to fostering collaborative communication stand to reap significant rewards for team cohesion and performance.

An Organizational Development consultant integrating doctoral research on the impact of effective leadership communication, it becomes evident that cohesive teams are not a mere aspiration but a tangible outcome of intentional communication strategies.

Six practices for building effective teamwork.

Leaders who prioritize facilitating team conversations over solely fixing problems employ a range of practices to foster an environment conducive to collaboration, deep diversity, and innovation:

Active Listening and Empathy: Effective leaders understand the importance of active listening and empathy in fostering open team dialogue. They actively seek to understand the perspectives and experiences of team members, creating a space where everyone feels heard and valued. Leaders build trust and rapport by demonstrating empathy, laying the foundation for productive conversations.
Promoting Psychological Safety: Leaders who prioritize facilitating team conversations create an atmosphere of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas, opinions, and concerns without fear of judgment or reprisal. They encourage risk-taking and experimentation, recognizing that innovation often emerges from the freedom to voice unconventional ideas.
Asking Powerful Questions: Instead of providing solutions, leaders pose thought-provoking questions that stimulate critical thinking and creativity among team members. By asking open-ended questions that challenge assumptions and invite diverse perspectives, leaders spark meaningful conversations that lead to innovative solutions.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion: Leaders actively promote diversity and inclusion within their teams, recognizing the value of varied perspectives and experiences in driving innovation. They intentionally seek out team members from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, fostering a culture where different viewpoints are accepted and celebrated.
Creating Structured Opportunities for Collaboration: Leaders provide structured opportunities for collaboration, such as brainstorming sessions, cross-functional projects, and team-building activities. They encourage cross-pollination of ideas and skills, fostering a collaborative spirit that transcends departmental boundaries.
Rewarding Experimentation and Learning: Leaders reward experimentation and learning rather than punishing failure. They create a culture where taking calculated risks and learning from mistakes are accepted and encouraged. By celebrating successes and failures, leaders reinforce a growth mindset and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Building teamwork based on the essentials of deep diversity, collaboration, and innovation requires intentional leadership and a commitment to creating an environment where all team members feel empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and ideas. Influential leaders who prioritize facilitating team conversations are pivotal in cultivating such an environment and driving collaboration, innovation, and organizational success.

Leading teams can be overwhelming when you'd prefer to put your hands to the work to see it done. Inspiring, motivating, aligning, and then getting out of the way by empowering your team to do the work requires new skills and development. If you need help building your team, feel free to contact russell@leadersadvance.net