You’ve got a team of high performers who know what they’re doing and have the results to match. These are the people you count on—the ones who hit deadlines, solve problems, and drive success. But lately, something’s off. They’re still doing a good job, but… The attention to detail you could count on isn’t there. Results have dropped. You had to remind them to get that basic task done—again.

What’s going on? Should you intervene? Are they distracted, disengaged, or worse—burned out? How do you address the situation without coming across like a nag or micromanaging babysitter?

It’s normal for even your best people to experience periods of decreased performance. The good news is that with a collaborative approach, you can address the issue, help them get back on track, and strengthen your relationship.

Let’s look at why your high performer’s results might dip, and the practical steps you can take to help them course-correct without undermining their autonomy.

Why High Performers Hit a Slump

First, it’s critical to understand that a decline in performance isn’t always a sign of laziness, disengagement, or incompetence. High performers aren’t immune to challenges, and their slumps often have specific root causes:

Burnout from Overwork

High performers often take on more than their share of the load (be careful to avoid punishing strong performers by over-relying on their ability). Over time, this relentless pace can lead to burnout, diminishing their energy, creativity, and focus.

Unclear Priorities

Times of rapid change can muddy your top performers’ usual clarity. When everything feels urgent and important, even your best team members can lose focus on what matters most.

External Stressors

Personal issues—like family challenges, health concerns, or financial stress—can spill over into their work life.

Boredom or Lack of Challenge

High performers thrive on growth and new challenges. If their work has become repetitive or lacks a sense of progress, their motivation can wane—especially when they feel that the “basics” are little more than busy work.

Lack of Recognition

Even the most internally motivated people need to feel valued. If they feel taken for granted, they may disengage.

Hidden Barriers

Sometimes, a decline in performance isn’t about motivation or effort—it’s about obstacles they don’t have the tools or authority to remove.

Practical Steps to Address the Slump

Now that we’ve looked at reasons for the downturn, here’s how to address the situation in a way that supports your top performers and helps them find reclaim their mojo.

1. Start with Curiosity

Whatever is happening, you don’t have all the information. It’s time to get curious and learn what’s really going on. Begin with a one-on-one conversation, but frame it as an opportunity to connect, not a reprimand.

Try saying something like: “I’ve noticed a shift in [specific result or behavior]. I know you’re capable of incredible work, so I wanted to check in. Is everything okay? How can I support you?”

This approach keeps the conversation collaborative and shows you care about them, not just their results.

2. Invest in Clarity: Revisit Priorities

Sometimes, a dip in performance happens because high performers are trying to do too much. Help them clarify what’s most important right now.

You can make this a collaborative conversation by asking:

• “What’s taking most of your time and energy?”
• “What feels like it’s pulling you away from your major priorities?”
• “How can we adjust your workload or expectations to ensure you focus your energy where it matters most?”

These questions help them reset their focus while empowering them to take ownership of their time and tasks.

3. Address Burnout Head-On

If you suspect burnout, acknowledge it directly. Your high performers may not realize they’re running on empty—or worse, they might feel guilty about admitting it.

For example: “You’ve been carrying a lot recently. I wonder if you’ve had a chance to rest and recharge. What do you need to bring your best self to work?”

You might need to adjust their workload, encourage time off, or provide extra resources to lighten their load.

4. Reignite Their Passion

When the issue is boredom, work with them to identify growth opportunities, challenges that excite them, or a chance to invest in others. Earlier in our careers, we both thrived with managers who challenged us with new projects or gave us a chance to invest in an exciting opportunity.

You can ask:

• “What’s a project or skill you’ve been wanting to tackle?”
• “How can we align your work with your long-term goals?”
• “You know why this matters more than anyone. Can I ask you to spend a few minutes teaching our newer team members?”

High performers thrive when they feel stretched and engaged, so show you’re invested in their growth.

5. Clear Barriers Together

If there’s a hidden obstacle, they may not feel comfortable bringing it up unless you ask directly.

Try:

• “What’s getting in the way of your success right now?”
• “Is there a tool, process, or resource you need that you don’t have?”
• “How can I advocate for you to remove any roadblocks?”

When you step in to remove barriers, you reinforce your role as a partner, not a micromanager.

6. Recognize Their Contributions

When results dip, it’s easy to hyper-focus on the problem and forget the bigger picture of their contributions. Take a moment to remind them of the value they bring to the team.

You might say:

“I want you to know how much I appreciate [specific contributions]. You make a huge difference here by… [describe the specific outcomes].”

“I know what you’re doing isn’t easy. Here’s why it matters…”

Recognition helps restore their confidence and reinforces your trust in their abilities.

What Not to Do

While you focus on helping your high performer rebound, avoid these common pitfalls:

Micromanage: Don’t hover or constantly check in—it signals a lack of trust and can further demotivate them.

Assume Intent: Avoid jumping to conclusions about laziness or disengagement. Start with curiosity about what you observe, not judgment.

Ignore the Issue: Hoping the slump will resolve itself can make the situation worse. Your silence tells them that either you don’t care about them or that their performance never mattered to you. A timely conversation shows you care and helps them course-correct.

Your Turn

When you approach a high performer’s slump with curiosity, support, and respect, you  don’t just help them get back on track—you reinforce your partnership. High performers want to know you see them, value them as well as their results, and that you’re invested in their success.

When you address the downturn collaboratively, you also build a culture where it’s safe to talk about challenges, recalibrate priorities, and grow. This doesn’t just benefit your high performers; it strengthens the entire team.

Remember, the key to leading high performers isn’t perfection—it’s partnership. You’re not there to babysit or nag; you’re there to guide, support, and inspire them to be their best.

We’d love to hear from you: what’s one way you help your high performers pull out of their slumps?

You might also like:

• Retaining High-Performing Employees: Practical Ways To Support Your Best Talent [VIDEO]
• How to Manage a Strong, Arrogant, Maybe Even Toxic High-Performer
• What to Do When a High-Performer Quits (With Video)

The post When Your High Performers Hit a Slump: How to Support Without Micromanaging appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Being set up as the scapegoat never feels easy. It’s uncomfortable, unfair, and downright isolating. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay the goat in this blame game. Instead, you can fight goats with GOATs—our Greatest of All Time Powerful Phrases for Dealing With Workplace Conflict—and other powerful phrases and rise above the chaos.

Not only will you protect your reputation, but you’ll also foster a healthier, more collaborative team dynamic—and that’s a win for everyone.

Why Scapegoating Happens

When things go wrong, some people toss blame around like a frisbee in a windstorm—random, chaotic, and bound to hit someone who didn’t see it coming. Others launch a deliberate campaign to ensure some unsuspecting nice guy gets the blame.

Scapegoating often has little to do with you and everything to do with their fear of repercussions, a desperate bid to save their reputation or a team culture that sidesteps accountability.

Sometimes, it’s just stress talking—a knee-jerk reaction that shifts focus to someone else.

Recognizing that this behavior is about them (not you) helps you respond with calm and clarity. You don’t want to get caught in the blame spiral. Instead, protect your integrity, steer the conversation toward thoughtful solutions, and focus on what matters most.

The Power of Response

The words you choose in these moments matter deeply.

But when someone’s blaming you for something you didn’t do, it’s human nature to fire up and either fight back or get flustered and unable to respond.

And of course, neither of these helps you. So the first conversation you need to have is with yourself. To get back in a constructive state of mind.

Then you can choose a response that de-escalates tension, preserves relationships, and reinforces your credibility.

To settle yourself and prepare for a productive conversation, start by acknowledging reality:

“This sucks.”

You don’t need to run from the pain or pretend it isn’t something else. It feels massively unfair and that stinks. So call it what it is, take a deep breath, and then ask yourself:

“What can I learn from this?”

Maybe you have some responsibility for the outcome that you overlooked. Maybe this is a chance for you to lead through a messy situation and help everyone find a better outcome. This situation might be a chance to learn the reality of a negative workplace and equip you to work on an exist plan. There is always something to learn – and getting curious about your learning will help move you into a productive mindset.

“What’s at stake if I stay silent?”

Ask yourself this question to clarify your values and what really matters in your specific situation. This clarity will help you find your voice, if you need to use it. (There might be times where the scapegoater lacks credibility and you don’t need to respond.)

From there, you can move into conversation with the scapegoater with a few G.O.A.T.s (Greatest of All Time Powerful Phrases):

“What I’m hearing you say is __________. Do I have that right?”

By reflecting their words back to them, you show that you’re listening while also clarifying any misunderstandings about your role or the situation. Sometimes, assertively repeating what you’ve heard out loud is all it takes to clear the air.

“I’m curious how this looks from your perspective.”

This phrase invites them to share their viewpoint, often uncovering the stress or confusion behind their actions. It also shows you’re more interested in resolution than retaliation.

More Powerful Phrases to Respond to Scapegoating at Work

Here are some additional powerful phrases and strategies to help you navigate being unfairly blamed, one conversation at a time.

1. Begin with empathy (Connection)

“I know you’re frustrated. I am too, and I want to help resolve it.”

Acknowledging emotions—yours and theirs—can defuse hostility. When people feel heard, they’re often more willing to engage constructively.

2. Focus on Shared Goals and the Facts (Clarity)

Remind the team what you’re all working toward. Phrases like, “We all want this project to succeed,” or “Our shared goal is XYZ,” can refocus the conversation on collective success.

And stick to the facts: “Can we take a moment to walk through what happened step by step?”

This phrase keeps the discussion grounded in reality. Walking through the facts together shows you’re not here to play the blame lottery; you’re here to find solutions and move forward.

3. Call Out Ambiguity Respectfully (Commitment)

“It sounds like there’s been some misunderstanding about my role. Let’s clarify responsibilities so we can move forward.”

If someone is misrepresenting your contributions (or lack thereof), this phrase addresses it without sounding defensive. You’re not accusing anyone; you’re inviting clarity.

4. Pivot to Problem-Solving (Curiosity)

“What can we do as a team to fix this issue and ensure it doesn’t happen again?”

Blame is like trying to drive forward while staring in the rearview mirror—sooner or later, you’re going to crash. Instead, focus on solutions and steer the conversation toward what really matters: fixing the problem and learning from it. This phrase subtly says, “Let’s stop the finger-pointing and start brainstorming, because no one’s getting a trophy for winning the blame game.”

5. Stand Your Ground with Confidence (Clarity)

“I want to ensure the full picture is considered here. Here’s what I contributed and the steps I took.”

If the situation requires you to defend yourself, do it confidently and factually. Provide context without casting blame elsewhere.

What Not to Do When You’re the Scapegoat

Even when the urge to fight back feels overwhelming, resist these common pitfalls:

1. Reacting Emotionally

When you feel blindsided, it’s natural to want to lash out or shut down. But emotional reactions can undermine your credibility. Take a breath, pause, and respond thoughtfully.

2. Blaming Back

Pointing fingers in return only perpetuates the blame game. Instead, focus on facts and solutions. This approach positions you as a leader who prioritizes resolution over rivalry.

3. Staying Silent

Silence can be misinterpreted as guilt. Even if you’re caught off guard, take the opportunity to calmly address the accusations and offer a constructive path forward.

When to Involve a Third Party

Sometimes, a direct conversation isn’t enough to resolve the issue. If the scapegoating escalates or becomes a pattern, it may be time to involve a manager or HR. Frame the discussion around team dynamics rather than personal grievances.

For example:

“I’ve noticed some patterns of miscommunication that are affecting how we work together. I’d like your help in addressing them.”

Bringing in a neutral third party can help reset the narrative and ensure the focus stays on solutions.

Preventing Scapegoating in the Future

To protect yourself from being scapegoated in the future, work to build trust and visibility in your workplace. Here’s how:

1. Document Your Work

Keep clear records of your contributions, decisions, and communications. Documentation can serve as a helpful reference if there’s ever a dispute about what happened.

2. Build Strong Relationships

The stronger your relationships, the less likely others are to unfairly blame you. Take time to connect with colleagues, understand their priorities, and build mutual respect.

3. Advocate for Team Accountability

Encourage your team to define roles and responsibilities clearly at the start of any project. This proactive approach can prevent misunderstandings and finger-pointing down the line.

Final Thoughts

Being set up as the scapegoat never feels easy. It challenges your comfort, tests your fairness, and can isolate you deeply. Yet, it offers a chance to rise above, demonstrate professionalism, and model a constructive approach to conflict.

Use these powerful phrases, stay calm, and focus on solutions to protect your reputation while fostering a healthier team dynamic—everyone wins.

The post When You’re the Scapegoat: Powerful Phrases to Address Unfair Blame appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

For over a decade, we’ve been writing about the power of gratitude and appreciation in the workplace. It was fun for us to search “Let’s Grow Leaders” and then the words “thanksgiving,” “gratitude at work” and “appreciation” and read our own advice. We’ve had a good bit to say over the years, and we’re happy to say we’re consistent 😉

Gratitude at work matters.

These insights come from working with you and human-centered leaders like you. AND… hearing your frustrations. We’ve seen firsthand how a simple “thank you” can boost morale, strengthen a team, and create a culture where people feel seen and valued. When people feel seen, they feel safe. Safety leads to better engagement and contribution.

We also see the damage when leaders screw this up.

So, as Thanksgiving approaches in the United States, let’s get a bit meta here, and share some of our “gratitude at work” highlights.

Why Gratitude at Work Matters: More Than Just Saying Thanks

Gratitude isn’t just about being polite or sprinkling around a few “thank yous” like confetti. It’s about building an atmosphere where people feel connected and appreciated for their contributions. When people feel seen, they’re more motivated, engaged, and willing to help.

See True Gratitude: More than Pleasantries or Recognition

In this popular Asking for a Friend, Kerry Wekelo and I explore practical approaches for cultivating a culture of gratitude at work.

Encouraging Peer Recognition: Make It Everyone’s Job

One of the best ways to build a culture of gratitude is to help the team celebrate.

Let’s start with why peer recognition is so important.

1. You can catch more good as it’s happening.

You get more of what you encourage and celebrate and less of what you ignore. There’s likely a lot of good going on that you don’t see firsthand. The celebration will be more meaningful because it can be more specific and timely.

2. It creates a cycle of collaboration and celebration.

When people feel appreciated and valued, they’re more likely to go the extra mile to help their teammates.  When you make it easy for team members to recognize that extra mile, you’ve created a virtuous cycle of collaboration and celebration.

3. Peer recognition builds good habits and grows leaders

And third, you’re growing leaders. When you set the expectation that appreciation is a team sport, you’re equipping your team with valuable habits they can transfer to future leadership roles.

For specific ideas for better team recognition check out “Creative Peer Recognition: How to Get Better at Team Appreciation”.

Make Gratitude a Daily Habit: Building a System for Appreciation

When leaders tell us they struggle with gratitude, “After all, why should I have to say thank you for someone doing their job,” (see “How to Be Great at Recognition, Even If It’s Not in Your DNA”)  we encourage them to turn recognition and appreciation into a task.

Make a plan. Schedule it. Track it.

To get more ideas on how to keep appreciation flowing, read “How to Make Better Employee Recognition a Daily Habit”.

Avoiding the “Empty Thank You”: Get Specific

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a vague “great job,” you know it doesn’t do much. Your can team can tell when your gratitude at work is real =, or when you’re just going through the motions. The key is to make your thanks specific, relevent and meaningful.

Instead of saying, “Good work,” try, “I appreciate how you took the time to walk the new team member through the process. That helped them get up to speed quickly. And as a result, we saved a week on this project.”

This Thanksgiving, aim to be intentional with your words. What did they do? How did it make a difference? Why does it matter?

Check out “Before You Forget: Stop and Do This Now” for more on why specific, meaningful appreciation is so important.

Taking Time for Yourself: Be Grateful for Your Journey

Finally, don’t forget to turn some of that gratitude inward. As you’re appreciating others, take a moment to reflect on your work and growth. What are you proud of? What have you learned this year? Maybe even jot down a few things you’re grateful for in your career. Being kind to yourself is just as important as recognizing others.

See Also: What Do You Like Most About Your Job?

And if, this year has been tough, take a moment to appreciate yourself for making it through. You’ve shown up. Done the work. And, made it to this moment. That’s something to be thankful for.

A Simple Thanksgiving Challenge: Share the Gratitude

To celebrate Thanksgiving this year, try a quick challenge: ask your team to share one thing they’re grateful for about someone they work with. It could be about their approach, a specific action, or how they bring a little joy to the team. The goal is to create a ripple of appreciation that extends beyond the holiday.

If you have a deck of our SynergyStack™ Team Development Cards, you can use the collaboration habits as prompts for thanksgiving and celebration. Invite each team member to share one habit they really appreciate about each team member.

A Decade of Building Better Teams Through Gratitude

Genuine appreciation makes a difference. It’s not just about making people feel good—it’s about creating a culture where people feel seen, respected, and motivated to give their best. This Thanksgiving, take a moment to express gratitude for the people who make your work life richer. It’s a small act that can have a big impact.

Thank you for being on his journey with us, and for making gratitude a core part of your work. Here’s to more years of building strong, appreciative, human-centered teams together.

The post Thanksgiving At Work: Creating a Culture of Gratitude on Your Team appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

When it comes to team alignment, nothing speaks louder than behavior. You know this: the best strategies fall flat without the right habits to back them up. So, how do you ensure your team is truly aligned and working together on what matters most?

It starts with you. If you’re leading a team, your behaviors and habits set the tone. You can’t just tell people what’s important—you’ve got to show them, consistently. The way you respond to challenges, celebrate wins, and communicate expectations creates the framework everyone else will follow.

The secret to success is ensuring that the most critical success habits spread throughout your department through deliberate modeling, communication, and reinforcement.

So how do you do that?

Get started with a team alignment meeting.

How to Host a Team Alignment Meeting in 5 Steps

A team alignment meeting fast-tracks your key initiatives by identifying the practical habits vital for success. In this article, we outline an approach you can do yourself (or drop us a note, we’d love to help).  This is a great activity for an end-of-year meeting, or to kick-off the new year.

Step 1: Get Clear on the Most Important Initiative

First, identify a strategic initiative that’s a priority for your team in the next 6-12 months. Choose a strategic initiative that meets three critical criteria:

• It’s central to your department’s success—everyone needs to understand it.
• It requires collaboration—how people work together will impact results.
• It needs broad ownership—everyone contributes to success in some way.

Before your team alignment meeting, communicate this initiative with your team and why it’s critical. You want them ready to engage in a “how” conversation, not still debating the “should we?”

Step 2: Identify Key Habits

Bring your team together and ask them to select one key habit that, if everyone consistently demonstrated it, would have a significant positive impact on the initiative’s success.

If your team has SynergyStack™ Card decks, have each team member sort through the cards and identify a habit that is:

• Essential to the initiative’s success.
• Not currently widespread throughout the team.

If you don’t yet have a SynergyStack™, invite team members to brainstorm a habit (be sure it’s practical and observable) and write their habit on an index card.

After everyone has selected their habit, have them share why they chose that habit and how they see it impacting the project.

This is where you’ll start to see patterns emerge: Are there common habits or themes? Are there certain collaboration dimensions (connection, clarity, curiosity, commitment) that show up more often?

Step 3: Align on Two Priority Habits

Now, narrow it down. As a team, choose two core habits that will have the greatest impact on driving success for the initiative. This isn’t just about consensus—it’s about choosing behaviors that will influence your culture and outcomes. Once you have your two habits, commit to them and get ready to build your leadership blueprint.

Step 4: Create a Leadership Blueprint to foster team alignment

To ensure these habits stick, every leader on the team needs a game plan for modeling, communicating, and reinforcing them.

Modeling:

Start with yourselves. Discuss specific, observable ways you can demonstrate these habits in your daily work. This isn’t just about big speeches or grand gestures—what are the small, daily actions that will show your team, “this is what good looks like”? Align on at least one or two consistent habits everyone will commit to practicing.

Communicating:

Next, think about how you’ll communicate these habits throughout your department. It’s not just about emails or meetings. Think 5×5 communication (communicate messages five times, five different ways), and include a check for understanding to ensure the message sent is the message received.

Consider:  How will you connect what you’re asking people to do with why it matters? How will you make these habits come to life with stories or examples? Agree on how you’ll cascade communication down and across your teams.

For some very practical communication tips see: Beyond Magical Thinking: How to Ensure Your Team Gets It 

Reinforcing:

Finally, look for opportunities to reinforce these habits over the next 30 days. How will you recognize and celebrate when you see people demonstrating them? How will you hold people accountable when the habits are ignored? f you want these habits to become the norm, they need to be what “people like us do.”

Step 5: Build in Accountability

Create a simple habit-tracking system to monitor progress. At your next team meeting, ask for updates: Who’s seen the habits in action? What’s working? Where are the obstacles? Adjust as needed, but stay focused on making these behaviors stick.

Take Action and Watch the Impact

When you and your leadership team consistently model, communicate and reinforce the right habits, you’ll see a ripple effect through your department. Aligned actions lead to better collaboration, stronger commitment, and ultimately, higher performance.

This isn’t just about another project plan—it’s about building a culture where everyone understands what success looks like and acts accordingly. That’s what team alignment really means. When your team knows where you’re headed, why it matters, and what behaviors will get you there, you’re not just managing projects—you’re building momentum.

And that momentum? It’s the fuel that will carry your team to success.

Gather your team, clarify your initiative, and choose those two vital habits. Then, go make it happen. The alignment you’re striving for starts with you.

The post Team Alignment: 5 Steps to Align Your Team on What Matters Most appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Think about the business culture you’ve always wanted for your organization—the energy, the purpose, the unwavering alignment toward a common vision. Now, think about how much easier it would be if every team member, from the executive team to the front lines, shared that same drive and commitment. Imagine a workplace where people aren’t just showing up for a job. They fully invest in a shared purpose that pushes your organization forward every day.

This kind of culture doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional, visible leadership and a clear, consistent message that speaks louder than words. There are three critical steps senior leaders must take to make this vision a reality:

1. Visibly Model
2. Comprehensively Communicate
3. Intentionally Amplify

Lasting Business Culture Change Starts with Senior Leaders

Our favorite definition of culture comes from marketing guru Seth Godin. Culture is simply “People like us, do things like this.”

But one of the major culture challenges organizations face is that senior leaders might know what activities and habits matter most. But those same leaders struggle to communicate that knowledge and transfer behaviors throughout the organization.

True culture change requires your deliberate action, consistent messaging, and intentional reinforcement at every level. As a senior leader, your commitment to modeling, communicating, and reinforcing the culture sets the tone for lasting change.

1. Visibly Model

What you do matters way more than what you say.

Every decision you make, every action you take, tells your people what’s truly important in the organization. To drive culture change, you must align your actions with the business culture you want to create.

And it’s not just how you act when you’re with your peers. Or how you reason through a decision.

How can the entire organization visibly see you act out the culture you want?

What you do matters way more than what you say.

Here’s a quick gut check: If a new employee, with no training or handbook, watched a film of all your activities for a couple of weeks, how would they describe your culture?

Here are three examples of how you might align your visible actions with your business culture:

Decision-Making Transparency: Making a sound decision isn’t enough to change culture. Everyone needs to understand the reasons for the decision. Be clear about why you make the decisions you do. Explain not only the “what” but the “why” behind strategic choices. This transparency shows your team the values that guide decision-making. And it will help them make similar decisions in the future.

Prioritizing People in Meetings and Conversations: If you want a culture where people feel valued and heard, demonstrate this by giving people your full attention. Put away your phone. Show them that every voice matters by actively listening and encouraging contributions.

Living the Company Values: Identify three behaviors tied to your organization’s core values and commit to visibly demonstrate them each week. For example, if “innovation” is a core value, consider how you can visibly invite new ideas, tolerate a reasonable level of risk in pursuit of innovation, and respond with regard—even when you can’t use an idea.

When your team sees you model the change, they’ll begin to believe in its importance. A cultural shift won’t happen until everyone can see it—and that starts with you.

2. Comprehensively Communicate

Once you’re visibly modeling the desired business culture, the next step is to communicate throughout the organization. This is where a 5 x 5 communication plan is essential. How will you and your managers communicate at least five times, through five different channels?

Your communication strategy should build a culture where everyone:

• Understands the ‘why’ behind the change
• Clearly sees how it relates to their role.

The more you communicate—and the more you empower others to communicate—the more natural the change will feel.

Here are questions to consider as you build your communication strategy:

• How will you connect what you are asking to why it matters – in a way that makes sense to every person in every role?
• How will you ensure that your teams communicate the new business culture habits with fidelity? (How will they cascade communication? And how can you ensure they know how?)
• What are one or two strategic stories you can include in your communication to bring the habits to life? (For example: share a time you struggled with the tension between two values and how you made your decision.)
• How else might you get creative and have fun with communicating your culture, values, and relevant habits? (Check out this list of 101 ways to communicate–even with hybrid and remote teams.)
• How can you engage everyone in the organization to make the culture their own? To ask questions and explore or challenge areas that don’t make sense to them?

3. Intentionally Amplify with Celebration and Accountability

Everyone can see you and your team model the culture. You’ve clearly communicated and engaged everyone to understand what the change looks like in every role.

Now it’s time to build momentum with celebration and accountability.

Celebration and accountability are two sides of the same coin. They both close the loop of an intention. You set out to do something.

When you succeed, celebrate!

When you don’t, follow through with accountability: what can you learn for next time? What needs to change? Is there a way to renew the commitment and follow through now?

Celebration and accountability amplify your business culture. They tell everyone what matters. So don’t leave them to chance. Plan your celebration and accountability strategy from the start.

Celebrate Early Wins and Small Steps

As soon as you see behaviors that reflect the new culture, acknowledge them. Whether it’s a team reaching a milestone or an individual embodying the values, celebrate the moment. Tell these stories. Highlighting these achievements reminds everyone that the change isn’t just words on a wall. Change is real and happening.

Set Clear Expectations for Accountability

Hold yourself and other leaders accountable for embodying the culture. Equip everyone to give feedback—even junior employees should feel empowered to respectfully hold senior leaders accountable. This shows that the new culture applies to everyone, regardless of role.

Continual Reflection and Adjustment

Culture change isn’t a one-time project; it’s an ongoing commitment. Regularly evaluate the progress and adjust as needed. Have a quarterly or semi-annual culture review where you discuss what’s working, what needs adjustment, and what new behaviors need reinforcement.

Celebration and accountability go hand in hand. When you make a big deal out of the behaviors you want to see and create space for accountability, you’re building a self-sustaining culture where people take pride in maintaining the values and behaviors you’ve established.

Want a Blueprint for Your Culture Change?

Sustained business culture change requires intentional effort.

One of our favorite things is to work with senior teams to build your leadership blueprint. Together, you’ll identify the specific habits that will help you model, communicate, and amplify your culture and achieve breakthrough results.

Let us know if you’d like more information.

The post How to Lead Sustainable Business Culture Change: A 3-Step Framework for Success appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

If it feels like you’re experiencing more conflict at work over the last few years, you’re in good company. Our research shows that not only is conflict more frequent, but it’s also getting more challenging to navigate. Today’s examples of workplace conflict can best be described as a complex cocktail of challenges: tired workers in an uncertain economy; a pandemic hangover of isolation and anxiety; rapid social and technological change; and exhausted managers doing the best they can– many of whom lack the training and resources to navigate this well.

4 Examples of Workplace Conflict (And What to Say Next)

This guide is your recipe book, offering you a few Powerful phrases and strategies needed to craft the perfect chaser to the biggest examples of workplace conflict. So, cheers to you as we give you some starter words to navigate these conflict cocktails.

The Conflict Cocktail: The Wedge Driver

The pandemic sped up changes in the workforce. More than ever before, people want meaning in their work. And, work itself is changing fast. The World Workplace Conflict and Collaboration results citing continued overwhelm, economic instability, lower levels of motivation, and poor management are symptoms of this upheaval.

Larger organizations have people scattered across seven different time zones. In a world of remote work, many of these people have never met each other in person.

Most managers don’t have formal training on how to deal with such issues (27% of the respondents in our research attribute the increase in conflict to poor management practices).

If you’re in a matrixed organization, it gets more complicated. Lines of responsibility can be fuzzy, and your priorities or incentives might clash with your coworkers’ goals. But you need your coworkers’ help to succeed at your job.

That’s a conflict cocktail.

What to Say Next

(See Chapters 9 and 11 of Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict: What to Say When You’re Overwhelmed and What to Say When Expectations Aren’t Clear)

This is one of the trickiest examples of workplace conflict, but there is hope. The antidote to uncertainty is clarity, so start by aligning around a vision of success.

“What would a successful outcome DO for you.” 

You may or may not agree on what success looks like, but when you’re dealing with a remote workforce dealing with lots of change, gaining clarity around expectations can save a lot of time and wasted energy. This powerful question also gives you insights into deeper motives and unspoken expectations.

Andi, if expectations are unclear, or there are differences of opinion about how to handle a situation, you can try this combination of Powerful Phrases.

“It seems that we see this differently.”

Rapid change and new technology can often lead to unclear norms. How do we use AI? And, how do we check the facts? What communication channels are appropriate for what messages? Should cameras always be on in team meetings? What about customer conversations? One-on-ones? 

“Here’s the challenge we face..“

And then describe the consequences if the lack of clarity continues.  For example, “There’s no rule about this, so it’s up to us to figure it out. The challenge we face if we don’t agree on how we …. (use cameras in meetings, include people in radically different time zones on decisions, communicate sensitive information when we can’t look each other in the eye). So it’s up to us to figure it out. The challenge we face if we don’t agree on how we use cameras is that we’ll all feel resentful, disrespected, and exhausted.”

It’s also helpful to empower every member of your team with words to say when they’re feeling overwhelmed. Here are a few of our favorites to deal with such examples of workplace conflict.

“If I had to drop a ball here, which one should that be?”

and simply, “I could use some help.”

The Missed Shot

See chapters 10 (I feel visible or ignored), 23 (boss doesn’t see my genius), and 26 (know it alls) 

The missed shot happens when you combine a fast-moving manager with a thoughtful employee with innovative thoughts they’re keeping to themselves because they don’t want to slow things down or appear negative.

What’s left behind? Potentially revolutionary ideas or vital micro-innovations – unspoken, unexplored, overshadowed by the urgency of immediate tasks.

This ‘missed shot’ phenomenon is not just a communication gap; it’s a significant loss for organizational innovation.

The most transformative ideas often emerge from those who take time to think deeply, analyze thoroughly, and speak after careful consideration. When these ideas are overlooked, you miss out on opportunities for big ideas and smaller micro-innovations that would make work, work better.

What to Say Next

So how do navigate this conflict cocktail?

If you’re a manager, be deliberate in your ask. This is more than an open door.

Ask specific courageous questions such as:

“What’s one thing we’re missing in this process?”

Or…

“What’s your biggest concern about the plan we’ve laid out?”

And if you’re the one with the overlooked ideas, you won’t want to miss chapter 10 (on feeling invisible and ignored) and chapter 23 (doesn’t appreciate you or see your genius).

“I have an idea that will ______ (insert strategic benefit statement here).”

A strong benefit statement in the first sentence is the best way to slow down a well-meaning, fast-moving manager.

“I know you haven’t had much opportunity to see my ability to ______. What if I took on _____ (a special project, a pilot of an idea).”

The Power Trap

Several chapters from Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Workplace Conflict work well here (Chapter 13, Matrix Organization; Chapter 18, Micro-Manager, Chapter 20, Boss Won’t Make a Decision,

Has this ever happened to you? You’re on the hook for results, and you want to achieve them. But there’s a catch. You’re not empowered to make the decisions you need to be successful.

Or maybe you work in a matrix environment where every decision requires consensus. Or you’re in a customer-facing role, held accountable for NPS (net promoter score), but your hands are tied to make even small “common sense” choices to delight a customer without placing them on hold to escalate the issue.

Twenty-seven percent of respondents who said they’re experiencing more or significantly more workplace conflict in the last few years said it was due to “poor management practices.” This example of workplace conflict- Accountability without empowerment is certainly one aspect.

So how do you navigate this conflict cocktail?

A few Powerful Phrases can be helpful here… framing your conversations in four dimensions of productive conflict: Connection, Clarity, Curiosity and Commitment.

What to Say Next

 “I’m fully committed to our shared goals (CONNECTION) and am seeking ways to enhance our efficiency. Could we discuss expanding my decision-making authority to streamline our processes” (CLARITY)?”

By starting with a connection to the relationship and the outcomes, you open the door for solutions. And then, you follow up with a specific ask. Be sure to be prepared with specific suggestions.

“Our matrix structure has its strengths, but I believe we can improve our response time (CLARITY). What are your thoughts on creating a fast-track decision path for certain operational decisions” (CURIOSITY)?

With this Powerful Phrase, you’re starting from a positive frame of mind and inviting others to be part of the solution.

The Blown Fuse

This is one of the hottest trending examples of workplace conflicts, tensions between exhausted workers and strung-out customers.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many industries have found it more challenging than ever to attract and keep talent. Employees in the education, healthcare, service, and hospitality industries say they’re sick and tired of rude and hostile customers, students, and patients, grueling hours, and impossible demands.

And customers complain about long waits, poor service apathetic staff, and tip creep.

What to Say Next

Your connection G.O.A.T.s (Greatest of all Time) Powerful Phrases and habits are vital in these complex examples of workplace conflict, and you won’t want to miss chapter 32 on dealing with difficult customers. 

First, the connection G.O.A.T.s

“I care about ______ (you, your experience, your concern), and I’m confident we can find a solution we can all work with.”

Acknowledge the challenge, your difference of opinions, and your confidence that you can work through it together.

“Tell me more.”

Nothing builds connection more than being seen, and this Powerful Phrase gets there in just three words.

“It sounds like you’re feeling __________ is that right? (pause for affirmation. And that you for letting me know how you feel. ”

This Powerful Phrase is a tried-and-true relationship-building technique called “reflect to connect.” When you “reflect to connect” you’re not agreeing with what they’ve said or telling them you agree with their emotion. Rather you’re acknowledging how they feel You see them. When you reflect, you create a common starting place for the conversation.

And now a few for dealing with difficult customers.

“I’m so sorry this happened to you. Let’s fix this right now.”

A good start is always “I’m sorry,”  and acknowledging their concern or emotions.

“I know exactly what we need to do next and I’m on it. I’m not letting you go until we get this resolved.”

Building the customer’s confidence in the first forty seconds of the interaction is another great way to calm a concerned customer. This Powerful Phrase infuses confidence into the conversation and reassures the customer that you care.

Becoming a Master Mixologist.

The post Shaken, Not Stirred: 4 Examples of Workplace Conflict and How to Build Stronger Bonds appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

You’ve got a clear focus on what matters most. Your team seems to work well together, but then you get that call: “I need to talk to you about …” or a team member suddenly explodes at their teammates and storms off the floor. It’s conflict, a disagreement, or a clash of personalities. Handle it well and you’ll build trust and influence. But ignore it or respond poorly and not only do you lose trust and credibility, but the conflict distracts your team from the work that matters most. Team conflict can feel like quicksand and a distraction from your work, but it’s an excellent opportunity to improve morale, productivity, and processes.

8 Ways to Deal with Team Conflict

1. Hire for Conflict Communication Skills
2. De-escalate Heated Conflict in the Moment
3. Reflect to Connect
4. Gather Information with Three Quick Questions
5. Diagnose the Situation: Is this a vent or a problem that needs to be solved?
6. [For Problems:] Discuss and Choose an Appropriate Solution
7. Schedule the Finish
8. Bonus: Equip Your Team with Powerful Phrases to Resolve Conflict Together

Team Conflict is Unavoidable

Early in my (David’s) career, my boss Jim, the Executive Vice President, took me to lunch at a popular spot for business meetings with a bustling dining room. Apparently, he’d seen me struggling with a common problem new leaders face and chose this lunch to deliver some coaching.

As we waited for our food to arrive, I got up to wash my hands. Jim stopped me for a moment and gave me an assignment: “Take the long way through the restaurant to and from the washroom. Walk slowly and catch the bits of conversation you hear.”

I followed his strange instructions and when I returned to the table, Jim said, “Of the conversations you heard, how many of them were complaining–about their boss, a co-worker, or a problem at work?”

“Half or more, from what I heard,” I answered.

He nodded. “And that’s normal. It’s human nature to complain. You can’t respond to every complaint you hear. Not every complaint needs a solution. And complaints don’t necessarily mean anything’s wrong.”

It was an important lesson for a young leader: conflict between people is unavoidable. But there’s always a leadership opportunity when a team member brings you a complaint. Depending on the circumstance, it may be an opportunity for that person to grow, for you to improve your leadership, or a moment to connect, build a stronger team, or a better process.

How to Address Team Conflict Productively

Here are eight steps you can take to address conflict effectively, build healthy professional relationships, and help your team maintain their focus on what matters most.

1. Hire for Conflict Communication Skills

As a leader, you have two choices to build teams that are good at conflict resolution: either hire for the skills or teach the skills.

What doesn’t work is expecting people to have skills you haven’t specifically checked out or taught them. And the fastest way to build a team that’s good at conflict is to hire for those skills. You can do this with a few behavior-based interview questions. For example:

“Tell me about a time when…”

• “A coworker seriously irritated you. What happened? What did you do? What was the outcome?”
• “You radically disagreed with your manager. How did you handle that?”
• “You weren’t able to do your work correctly because of someone else’s behavior. How did you address the situation?”

While many people will describe how they stayed silent, kept their head down, or got frustrated and left, you’re looking for the candidates who spoke up and shared their concerns elegantly.

2. De-escalate Heated Team Conflict in the Moment

A quarrel between teammates escalates into a shouting match. Seemingly out of nowhere, an employee swears, slams a door, and storms into the breakroom or parking lot.

Many managers respond to these heated moments by getting sucked into the drama or trying to ignore it altogether. But either way, the situation won’t improve.

When tempers flare, your first job is to re-establish a safe working environment for the entire team. That means taking a breath and making sure you are calm, centered, and don’t react to the drama. Next, if the people involved are still in a public area or with the rest of the team, move the people involved to a more private space where you can talk.

Rather than talking right away about their unprofessional behavior, begin the conversation by getting the facts. Ask “What happened?”

As you hear their side, check for understanding: “So what I hear you saying is that there were too many people in your space and you couldn’t get your work done. Do I have that right?”

If the person is distraught and says things like, “You don’t understand!” You can help de-escalate the conversation by calmly and quietly saying, “You’re right. I don’t understand. And I’d like to. Can you tell me what happened?”

As you confirm the facts, you can also de-escalate the situation by acknowledging and checking on feelings. For example, “It sounds like having all those people in your space was very frustrating?” (More on this in #3 below).

Once you’ve heard the other person’s perspective and acknowledged their feelings, you can guide the discussion to solutions. This depends on the specific circumstances, what happened, and if they can safely return to their work. An apology might be in order, along with some coaching to help them deal with their frustrations productively. The next steps can help you know what direction to go.

3. Reflect to Connect

When a team member comes to you with a frustration, complaint, or problem, (even if it’s not an explosive situation) the most effective thing you can do to build a productive conversation is to acknowledge their emotion. When they know you’ve heard them, it diffuses some of the emotional intensity and builds a connection that allows you to move to constructive next steps.

We call this process of acknowledging emotion “reflect to connect” because you are reflecting the emotion you observed and making sure you understand what’s on their mind.

For example: “It sounds like you’re really frustrated with the lack of response from marketing and that’s sapping your motivation. Do I have that right?”

Note: you’re not telling them that their feelings are right or wrong. When you reflect, you are checking for understanding and creating a common starting place for the conversation.

4. Gather Information with Three Quick Questions

Once you’ve acknowledged the person’s feelings, your next step is to get more information. Your actions going forward depend on the specific circumstances so it’s vital to know what’s happening. There are three questions you can ask to quickly assess the situation:

• What do you want me to know?—We learned this question from trial attorney Heather Hansen. It’s a fantastic question to help draw out what is most meaningful to the person who brought you the issue.
• How might I help here?—The power of this question is that it quickly reveals whether the other person just wants to blow off steam or has a problem. It also gives you insight into how they perceive the problem.
• Should the three (or more) of us talk together?—This question is helpful in those situations where you suspect the person might have a motivation other than solving the problem (like undermining a colleague or currying favor). For people who complain and want to dump their problems on you, it helps maintain mutual responsibility.

5. Diagnose the Situation: Is this a vent or a problem that needs to be solved?

After you ask these three questions, you will likely have enough information to diagnose the situation. Here are some of the most common types of team conflict to look for:

• The person just needs to vent and get a frustration off their chest.
• There’s a misunderstanding.
• One party is unresponsive or sees priorities differently.
• People are working toward different goals.
• There’s a style or personality conflict.
• You discover toxic behavior.
• There are structural issues with a process or systems causing the conflict.

6. [For Problems:] Discuss and Choose an Appropriate Solution

If the person doesn’t need any action and just needed to blow off steam, your reflect-to-connect will likely be all they need to get back to work. For problems, however, the solution will depend on the specific situation. Here are a few examples:

• If you identify a misunderstanding, equipping the person to have the discussion and clarify what’s happening might be appropriate.
• Sometimes you’ll find that you caused the problem. Perhaps your statement of goals is unclear or you haven’t clarified how values should resolve when in conflict. In these cases, your best path forward is to convene the interested parties and give them the clarity they need.
• For other cases of unresponsive peers, personality or style conflicts, or other situations where a discussion will help, you may bring the people together and discuss the situation and come to a mutual understanding of the way forward.
• When you discover toxic or abusive behavior, you and/or your HR team may formally intervene.
• When you uncover structural issues, fix them if you can. If you can’t take immediate action yourself, let your team know how you will advocate for them and help them work through the specific challenge.

7. Schedule the Finish

Whatever the next steps you and the people involved agree on, be sure to schedule a time in the future when you will all review what happened and ensure that everyone followed through on their commitments and responsibilities. Scheduling the finish ensures that you won’t repeatedly have to revisit this same team conflict.

8. Bonus: Equip Your Team with Powerful Phrases to Resolve Conflict Together

Click here for FREE Sample Chapters

One of the most effective ways you can help your team to resolve conflict is to give them the tools to have meaningful conversations with one another and the expectation that they will use them. The highest-performing teams don’t shy away from conflict. They embrace it and understand that every disagreement is an opportunity to build relationships and improve results.

When there’s a lack of clarity, help your team ask questions of one another, like:

• “What would a successful outcome do for you?”
• “How does this look from your perspective?”
• “Here’s what I understood _______. Did you hear it differently?”

Equip Your Team for Mutual Feedback and Accountability

One of the most important set of powerful phrases to help build feedback skills is the I.N.S.P.I.R.E. Method for accountability conversations. Its balanced approach will help your team members build their relationships while achieving results. And for those situations where they can’t resolve the issue because the problem is a lack of clarity at a higher level, they will be able to figure that out and come to you with a solution request, rather than a vague complaint. 

Your Turn

Team conflict can be productive–and certainly shouldn’t consume you with other people’s drama. You will energize your people and maintain productivity when you acknowledge their emotions, ask a few key questions, create an appropriate path forward, and follow up to ensure everyone followed through.

What would you add? Leave a comment and share your best tip for helping your team resolve conflict, build better relationships, and get back to what matters most.

Related Articles:

Team Conflict: How To Surface and Discuss Simmering Issues (Video)

9 Mistakes That Sabotage Collaboration and Destroy Trust

The post How to Deal with Team Conflict and Get Everyone Back to Work appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

So, you’re ready to build a stronger workplace culture. You want your executive team energized, engaged, and doing work that matters. Maybe you’ve even rolled out a few new initiatives, held a town hall, or added some fun team-building or perks. That’s a good start.

But here’s the thing:  Shaping culture is like crafting a story. If the main characters (your leaders) are poorly developed or behave unpredictably, the story won’t hold up no matter how compelling the plot.

10 Mistakes to Avoid When Working on Workplace Culture (and what to do instead)

We’ve seen it happen so often—a leadership team pours time and resources into “fixing culture” only to wind up with employees rolling their eyes.

If you’re making one (or more) of these common mistakes, you inadvertently undermine the culture you want to create.

Let’s talk about what NOT to do when building workplace culture, and more importantly, what you can do instead.

1. Outsourcing Culture to HR (or to consultants)

Don’t get us wrong. Your HR team should be vital strategic partners in building your HR strategy. I (Karin) spent years in HR at Verizon leading successful culture initiatives. And of course, we know the value consultants can provide.

We would love to partner with you and your executive team to build a practical plan for a high-performing, human-centered culture (it’s what we do best).

But, when executives treat culture as something HR or a “vendor” owns (ask us how much we hate that word ;-), it sends the message that culture is a “nice-to-have” and not a business priority.

Culture comes from the top. Your team will only care as much as you do.

What to do instead: Partner with HR (and maybe even us ;-), to make sure you’re leading the charge, modeling the habits, and visibly owning culture initiatives.

See Also: Leaders Coaching Leaders: How Leadership Development Leads to Sustained Culture Change

2. Talking About Values but Not Modeling the Values

If we had a kombucha for every time a team told us they’re “human-centered,” but then leaders consistently reward results over relationships…

When your words don’t match your actions, people notice. And they stop trusting you.

What to do instead: Translate your values into actionable, measurable habits. Ensure every executive team member team has a practical plan to model, communicate, and build a cadence of accountability and celebration around those habits.

The best way to prevent this mistake is to ensure every member of your executive team can translate your organization’s values into concrete, observable habits and behaviors. This will probably come more naturally for some of your executive team than others, so rather than just talking about your values, bring your executive team together and give them a chance to share exactly how they model the values through visible, concrete actions.

When you see your executive team modeling the behaviors (and developing them in others), thank them. Ensure that they notice you noticing. Encourage them to notice and celebrate the habits and behaviors in one another (and to hold one another accountable when they don’t).

3. Failing to Involve the Broader Team in Decision-Making

Yes. You need your executive team to own the culture. But, if employees don’t participate and share their ideas, they won’t have ownership and will be less invested.

What to do instead: Ask for input early and often. Use skip-level meetings, focus groups, or go for a walk-and-talk with your team. Ensure people feel heard, and they’ll be more likely to champion the vision – because now it’s their vision too.

A few of our favorite ways to do this is through a SynergySprint, where teams align on the critical habits needed to build their desired workplace culture and build practical plans and skills to achieve it.

4. Ignoring Frontline Management’s Role

Your front-line managers are your culture carriers. If they don’t see the big picture, lack communication skills, or are frustrated and overwhelmed, they won’t reinforce the habits you need for lasting culture change.

What to do instead: Train and empower your managers with practical leadership techniques and communication skills. Give them the tools and training they need to be confident culture advocates. And check in with them frequently to see where they need support.

5. Overloading Employees with Initiatives

You want change, fast. And all the initiatives seem like good ones. But, suddenly, everyone’s in “initiative fatigue,” and nothing sticks.

What to do instead: Prioritize a few specific habits that will make the biggest difference—and build tight, integrated plans on embedding those in every area of your culture.

Build a 5×5 communication plan for your executive team to connect what they are asking employees to do and why. Check for understanding to ensure everyone truly understands the habits that matter most. Ensure your leadership team models the behavior every day. Daily actions and accountability will be more effective than complex plans that feel disconnected from other strategic priorities.

6. Prioritizing Perks Over Purpose

Everybody likes free snacks. But, if employees feel overworked, underappreciated, or unclear on how their work contributes to something bigger, no amount of free popcorn will keep them engaged.

What to do instead: Ensure everyone understands your M.I.T. (Most Important Thing) leadership priorities, why they matter, and the initiatives, activities, and habits that align with the bigger picture.

7. Neglecting Accountability for Leadership Behaviors

Ever see a high-performing leader get a pass for poor behavior because “that’s just how they are”? It’s toxic. If people feel like there’s one set of rules for the powerful and another for everyone else, it kills motivation and trust.

What to do instead: Hold everyone to the same standards. Leadership is about modeling the culture you want to see. Make it clear that values are non-negotiable—even for your top performers.

See Also: How to Manage a Strong, Arrogant, Maybe Even Toxic High Performer.

8. Overemphasizing Quick Wins Instead of Long-Term Change

Now and then we get an “emergency” call from an HR manager looking for quick training because the employee engagement survey is coming out next month and the executive team is suddenly concerned.

You won’t change culture with one emergency training class. And you’ll make it worse if your HR manager opens the class by saying, “You asked for training, so here it is. Remember this when you fill out your HR pulse survey.” Most employees can smell a “ flavor of the month” initiative a mile away.

What to do instead: Balance quick wins with long-term strategies. Celebrate the small victories, but always have an eye on building systems and habits that will last.

9. Assuming Culture Will Happen ‘Naturally’

It’s easy to think that if you just hire good people, they’ll naturally create a great culture. But even the best people need a clear direction and intentional leadership development. 

What to do instead: Be deliberate. Define what you want your culture to be, communicate it clearly, and reinforce it every day through your actions and decisions.

10. _____________ What would you add? What are the biggest mistakes you see executive teams make with culture change?

The good news? You’re already thinking about culture, which means you’re on the right track. Culture doesn’t change overnight, but with a little intention, a lot of role modeling, and a commitment to consistency, you can build a workplace culture where people want to work, grow, and give their best.

And when that happens, your people aren’t just working for you—they’re working with you to build something truly remarkable.

The post 10 Mistakes Executive Teams Make When Building Workplace Culture appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

You’ve seen it happen. The same dedicated people carry the load year after year while your most qualified potential leaders hide in the back, politely declining. Or you’ve got some enthusiastic volunteers who step up—but then burn out and walk away. Sound familiar? When attracting busy, talented people to lead, the secret is to start with connection, clarity, curiosity, and commitment. Whether you’re leading a volunteer group, a non-profit, or a community team, these four dimensions will help you attract and retain leaders who can keep your mission thriving.

How to Recruit Volunteer Leaders

1. Start with story
2. Set a rhythm of why
3. Communicate opportunities
4. Facilitate relationships
5. Create bite-size roles
6. Limit terms
7. Identify habits for success
8. Inventory talent and skills
9. Include young people and give them power
10. Empower possibility
11. Allow for failure and learning
12. Schedule the finish
13. Practice accountability
14. Celebrate success

Leadership is leadership—whether you work in a volunteer organization or a for-profit corporation. Same with teamwork and collaboration. And no matter where you lead, the first conversation is with yourself. If you have a poverty mentality (“I have to beg people to do this”), you can’t attract the talent you need.

Instead, you can use the four dimensions of collaboration to create a culture people want to join. With these four dimensions, you’ll attract, keep, and grow leaders in your volunteer organization.

Connection

Connection to a purpose and people is the heart of volunteer service. To attract leaders, connect people to the mission and each other.

1. Start with Story

What’s at the heart of your work? That core “why” should pulse through everything you do. Condense your organization’s work to one sentence that captures what it’s all about. That inspires people to say, “Sign me up.”

Once you have that straightforward “why” spelled out, find ways to tell the story. Think of the people you serve. Tell their story. Better yet, have them tell their story.

Through story, you connect potential volunteer leaders to your values and mission. You want their heart before their time or money.

2. Set a Rhythm of Why

One of the best volunteer leaders I (David) ever worked with started every single gathering with that one-sentence statement of purpose. “We are here to…” It didn’t matter if it was a Board meeting, a happy-hour, or a recognition celebration. He started with WHY. And every member of the organization internalized that why. It drove everything we did and attracted volunteers.

Consistently connect back your WHY to help attract potential leaders to what matters most.

3. Communicate Opportunities

Too often, committees ask, “Who should lead this?” and limit their answers to their established connections. They overlook many qualified people because they don’t know them. Communicate opportunities to cast a broader net and connect your members to the chance to serve and lead.

4. Facilitate Relationships

One of the most valuable benefits of volunteer leadership are the people you meet. You can help your volunteers realize this benefit by investing in relationships. Take time for “connection before content” to help your volunteers get to know one another, understand one another’s expertise, and individual stories.

With limited time, you don’t need to invest hours—even a few minutes at the beginning of meetings for a compassionate conversation starter or SynergyStack habit discussion will help.

Clarity

Clarity about roles, timeframes, and how to succeed is vital for successful volunteers. Invest in clarity to make leadership accessible, help potential leaders say “yes” and succeed in their work.

5. Create Bite-Size Roles

Warning: this will annoy the guy who did the whole job for the last 20 years. You’ll need to politely tell him to chill. He needs relief, and it’s a new day.

Consider breaking the bigger jobs down into something a strong leader with an already booked life could imagine herself doing. As they grow into a bigger role, they may take on more responsibility.

But make that first “yes” as manageable as possible.

6. Limit Terms

It’s easy to rely on the same people to do the same thing year after year. The shoes become too big to fill, and the unintended side effect is intimidation … not to mention stagnation. Plus, knowing there’s an exit strategy is attractive. Everyone saw how the last guy got stuck.

And, the person may want to continue their service. There will still be a place for them.

7. Identify Habits for Success

There are two questions every volunteer (heck every employee, leader…every team member) needs to be able to answer: 1) What does success in this role accomplish?  2) How do I succeed?

Help your volunteer leaders with a clear picture of what a successful outcome achieves for the organization and the specific, observable habits that will help them have that success.

Curiosity

Curiosity helps you tap into the vast set of hidden talents, abilities and experiences your people bring with them. Invest in curiosity to find new people, new approaches, and help people grow in their roles.

8. Inventory Talents and Skills

You need to know what people are eager to give. Some will be too humble to tell you. I (Karin) was directing a children’s musical at our church and was thinking I’d have to bother the usual suspects to paint the set. One of the newer members came to me with his portfolio of AMAZING art, as if he were applying for a job. I had to resist the urge to kiss this man I didn’t know. He spent countless hours creating amazing scenery.

Bottom line, we didn’t know and we never would have asked.

9. Include Young People & Give Them Power

Kids have enormous leadership potential. If you have young people in your organization, scaffold them gently and take some risks. Our teenagers would get so annoyed when adults try to micro-manage their leadership efforts. They’ve got it. Give kids room and watch the magic. Then you can gently coach and help them grow as they run into challenges.

See also: Developing Leadership Skills in Children: 11 Ways to Grow Your Kids

10. Empower Possibility

Some volunteer organizations have a habit of asking someone to “lead” and then tell them exactly how it should be done. That will turn off your most creative volunteer leaders. Be willing to accept radically novel approaches and new ideas. (See Clarity above—if you define what a successful outcome does for the organization, ask them how they might get there.)

11. Allow for Failure and Learning

No one grows without taking risks and stumbling along the way. But criticism and gossip will turn away your best leaders FOREVER. They’ve got enough of that crap in their day job. Encourage, develop, and make it okay to experiment and fail forward.

Commitment

Commitment and accountability tell your volunteers that their work matters. Invest in commitment and accountability to help your volunteers feel a real sense of accomplishment as they fulfill the purpose of their work.

12. Schedule the Finish

One of the most frustrating volunteer experiences is when you work hard to meet a deadline, only to find out that no one else took the work seriously. “Why bother” sets in—and soon you’ll lose those dedicated leaders.

Promote accountability by scheduling the finish and ensuring that everyone has straightforward tasks and a specific time for the team to review progress. Discuss competing priorities to ensure the timelines are achievable.

When you schedule the finish, you bake accountability into the team’s work from the start.

13. Practice Accountability

Many volunteer leaders struggle with accountability. They worry that accountability will drive away their precious volunteers. But it actually does the opposite. When you follow up to ensure everyone follows through, you’re telling your volunteer leaders that you value their work and their time.

Their work matters and they can trust on one another to get it done. Human-centered accountability builds trust and morale as your volunteer team sees the results of their work.

(If you need tools to help you have a human-centered accountability conversation, check out our INSPIRE Method.)

14. Celebrate Success

Your volunteer leaders have contributed their time, creativity, and energy. It’s time to celebrate! Acknowledge what they and their teams have done. Celebrate the progress and achievements. You get more of what you celebrate and encourage, but less of what you criticize and ignore. So if you want more leaders, celebrate them. You will lay the groundwork to attract the next generation of volunteer leaders.

Your Turn

The four dimensions of connection, clarity, curiosity, and commitment will help you attract and grow volunteer leaders—and help your volunteer teams collaborate.

And if you could use a tool to help you build effective teams built on these four dimensions, check out the SynergyStack System. It’s got everything you need to help you accelerate performance, build collaboration, and reduce stress.

Now it’s your turn. We would love to hear from you. What is one of your most effective ways to attract volunteer leaders?

Note: This article was originally written in 2014. With the need for effective volunteer leaders as great as ever, we’ve revised and republished the article—so you will see comments from the original.

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The post How To Recruit Leaders In Your Volunteer Organization appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.

Your team’s under pressure to perform—fast. The stakes are high, the deadline looms, and emotions are running hotter by the minute. Just last week, your team was cruising along. They weren’t going to win any high-performing team awards, but things were working well enough. Sure, there were a few bumps in communication, and collaboration wasn’t always seamless, but nothing too disruptive.

But today you got… the news.

Suddenly, everything feels like it’s unraveling. Casual conversations have transformed into tense exchanges, misunderstandings are piling up, and people are tripping over one another.

Of course, it happens just when you need everyone at their best—focused, fast, and flawless. But instead of smooth execution, you’re dealing with constant rework and rising frustration.

Under stress, people move fast—but not always in the same direction, and certainly not with the same level of clarity.

So, what do you do when cracks start to show under the weight of tight deadlines and high expectations? How do you prevent the stress from spiraling into mistakes, drama, or even burnout?

Pressure doesn’t have to lead to panic—it can lead to progress. Let’s explore four dimensions of collaboration and a few of the habits that help your team not just survive pressure, but thrive.

4 Dimensions of Collaboration in High-Performing Teams

• Connection: Do We Know One Another as Human Beings?
• Clarity: Do We Have a Shared Understanding of Success
• Curiosity: Are We Genuinely Interested in One Another’s Perspectives and What’s Possible
• Commitment: Do We have a Shared Agreement

Connection: Do We Know Each Other as Human Beings?

The post How to Build High-Performing Teams: Help Your Team Thrive Under Pressure appeared first on Let's Grow Leaders.