o k ho n l e a ders t l o c o u ha of influencer on our n
TRANSCRIPT
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Inf luencerA
n O
utlOOk On leAdership amp ChAng
eIssue 189 ndash April 2020
P a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
ordfFROM Hdrsquos desk CeO sPeAk What does it take to Build a Top Team
ordfFutuRe FORwARd Know ToMo to Know What Drives a Team to High Performance
ordfQuiCk BitesPart A Is Your Team a High Performing Team Part B 60 Second Read Sustaining High Performance Mentality
ordfLeAdeRrsquos deskTaking the High Performing Team to the Next Level
ordfFeAtuRedBusiNess CAse Turning the High Tide Netflix A Case Study
Access with your QR code reader application
Read Influencer An
Outlook on Leadership amp
Change on the go
Log on tohellip MyHD Learning Spacehttphd-lmsnetdimensionscom
inSiDe
One Step Up Developing High Potentials
into High Performers
Human capital is arguably the most significant treasure house for any organization There are innumerable initiatives policies and C-Suite discussions that take place to hire the
lsquorightrsquo talent retain the lsquotoprsquo talent and promote the lsquohi-potentialrsquo talent While most of us may agree that talent is not just bought but built many of us struggle with how to hone this talent
and help them move to the next level and even sustain themselves there High performing talent comprise of those individuals who are high on commitment capability and confidence to
successfully execute the business strategy ask the right questions and strive to find the answers The present issue of Influencer will focus on what are some organizational best practices to build
the right culture what are some leadership strategies that can be used to build this talent pool and how to sustain these initiatives in the fast moving business world of today
httpswwwhumandynamiccominfluencer
Read the April issue of Influencer on our website by visiting
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 CEO SPEAKHdrsquos dESK
From
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
What Does it Take to Build a Top Team- By Eric Kung
Before I answer that question I must point out that the question itself has
assumed that it is the leader who lsquobuildsrsquo a top team Leadership gurus would choose to answer this by telling leaders to attract talent value diversity in the team inspire and motivate the team build their capacities and competencies foster good team spirit and teamwork and last but not the least recognize and reward good team
performance After 27 years of being the CEO of Human Dynamic building and leading a team of more than 100 professional consultants and knowledge workers I would however say that it is only by grace (in a more spiritual terminology) or by chance that you have a top team
Firstly about recruitment like Forrest Gumprsquos mother told him about life I would say that recruiting ndash particularly that of top executives and smart people is like a ldquobox of chocolaterdquo --- you donrsquot know what you are going to get If you find good talent who is competent and innovative (s)he may not get along well with team members or with you and for some reason (s)he would be gone Secondly about developing talent you would
not know whether the good talent would be headhunted by your competitors who are willing to pay twice as much
than you and hence retention would be challenging Lastly
concerning motivation and reward you could reward people as much as you want or they want but at the end of the day business might get tough and profit might go from thin to red
So the question to ponder would be are your team
members willing to stay with you lsquountil the endrsquo or they would jump ship for their own career
development or simply for their financial needs
I recognize these lsquorealitiesrsquo and share these with my leaders and team members so that they would not have unrealistic expectations from their team members or from themselves that they could attract develop retain and engage talent to always have that lsquotop teamrsquoNevertheless I encourage them to be authentic as good models inspiring the team for companyrsquos vision and mission as well as their personal growth and career development communicate and work with the team as part of the team to jointly own success and failure If I could make my staff and my team become better people grow in their profession and career by working with me and with one another enjoy their life and work during their staying at Human Dynamic I would say that I am successful as their team leader Good team work is always about the team and not just about the leader the leader is only a part of the team You are playing in the team and together with the team and sometimes for the team At some unexpected moment the ldquoTop Teamrdquo are striving for the goal and together you feel that you are a great team not necessary defined by material success but defined by your shared identity and experience
Good team work is
always about the team and not just
about the leader the leader is only a part of the
team you are playinG in the team and toGether
with the team and sometimes for the
team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Know ToMo to Know What Drives a Team to High Performance
- By Shruti Sapre
Even though markets business and customers evolve over time the
need to build a high performing and a highly motivated team stays constant Psychologists OD Consultants leaders and researchers have developed multiple models of motivation and applied them creatively at the workplace to allow for greater talent retention and talent development to bring in business success One of the recent applications of motivational theories to the workplace has been done by Lindsay McGregor and Neel Doshi as they researched across 50 organizations and over 20000 people leading to the development of the concept of Total Motivation or ToMo
ToMo is based on a simple theory that lsquowhy people work determines how well they workrsquo That means understanding the drivers of an individualrsquos performance what makes them look at their job as a career and what would make them go above
FORWARdFuture
and beyond holds the key to motivating people It also brings in a very important contrast between adaptive and tactical performance which is crucial in disruptive times like today when there is very little that stays unchanging or constant Tactical performance is what education prepared one for that is knowing how to do onersquos job or having the technical expertise to do the job Adaptive performance on the other hand is the ability to reinvent oneself or think on the spot by taking onersquos context into consideration and take action in a changing situation We are able to bring out this ability to transcend from tactical
to adaptive based on a number of internal and external factors like motivation organizational culture performance review and reward systems leadership agility etc An important lsquocontrollable factorrsquo that can transcend all these has been identified to be a sense of purpose drive passion and commitment from within ie being intrinsically motivated for the jobs that we do Hence developing high ToMo for individuals and for organizations is the need of the hour for higher performance
Letrsquos look at the factors that strengthen and weaken team performance so the team ToMo can be worked on
RefeRenceS laquo httpshbrorg201511how-company-culture-shapes-employee-motivation
laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjacobmorgan20160523primed-to-perform-the-science-behind-building-a-legendary-workplace-culture
laquo httpswwwlivemintcomLeisurefcD0waWXeyVRVZcKUnQJJLWhat-is-your-firms-ToMo-factorhtml
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
FORWARdFuture
PuRPoSe
PLAy
PoTenTial
eMoTional PReSSuRe
econoMic PReSSuRe
inerTia
ordf Focus on what we contribute to or how we add value is often even more important than merely following onersquos own passion and leads to greater sense of job satisfaction
ordf Use play as an attitude and strategy to enjoy the work while being open minded curious unstructured ready to be surprised and challenged
ordf Hands-on experience mentoring at work and opportunities to put learning into action facilitates the individualrsquos capacity to out-perform and facilitates their identity
ordf Employees working to meet emotional needs of being appreciated avoiding criticism or disappointing others
ordf Getting the work done to get the incentive or avoid the punitive action
ordf Going through mundane routines without sense of purpose or drive
ordf Clarify the goal and need of achievement for the employee rather than making them do it out of fear
ordf Set examples of organizational culture by doing the right thing ordf Give reasons to work show success stories build aha moments in the day and create a culture of creativity
ordf Meet the deadline to show commitment to client rather than because the manager wants you to
ordf Build sense of responsibility amp positive action in employee without active reinforcement but encouragement ordf Encourage employee to question the goal and its value rather than hand down tasks
ordf Help the employee appreciate the value that their work creates
ordf Help employee identify which part of their work they enjoy the most and enable them to do more of the same
ordf Enhance the latent potential or talent in the employee by giving the right exposure and opportunities with better alignment of their goals with tasks
ordf Medtronic enables its engineers and technicians to see the medical devices theyrsquove made in action so that they can see the purpose of their work
ordf Toyota encourages play by giving factory workers the opportunity to come up with and test new tools and ideas on the assembly line
ordf ATampT spends millions of dollars on upskilling existing workforce through tuitions direct education amp professional development programs to build home-grown talent
MOtive
MOtive
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
eXPLANAtiON
eXPLANAtiON
eXAMPLe
eXAMPLe
FACtORs tHAt stReNgtHeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
FACtORs tHAt weAkeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
A high-performing culture maximizes the play purpose and potential felt by its people and minimizes the emotional pressure economic pressure and inertia This is known as creating total motivation (ToMo) An organizationrsquos culture is
often also measured in terms of ToMo and predicts both employee and customer satisfaction
More engaged ( passionate) eMployees + adaptive perforMance + culture of keeping direct Motives on top = high perforMing teaMs
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
ParT ais Your Team a High Performing Team
- By Nazneen Chunawala
Look at the checklist below to
evaluate where does your team lie on the scale of performance Make a note of areas you want to start working on and the areas you want to celebrate
is my team hired through a selection criteria that allows
the right people to get in Each member takes initiative finds purpose in their work and believes impossible is achievable
is my team also aligned to the business goals and customer
outcomes rather than only focusing on departmental success They have a clear vision shared goals amp values They work with a keen sense of direction and have strong determination drive and commitment towards the business
Does every member of my team own their task
They make meaningful contribution in the team execute work in an effective manner with focus deeper understanding and attention to details
is my team continually innovating
as team leaders and managers creating an environment in which your team can excel is as an essential component as much is the right mix of skills and attitudes within the team it would be a great idea to make use of an impartial observer outside
the team to verify your markings on the checklist With concentrated efforts to build a high-performing team you can feel assured that the outcome will be worth the effort
RefeRenceSlaquo httpselearningindustrycomworking-in-a-high-performing-team-30-signs
laquo httpswwwmckinseycombusiness-functionsorganizationour-insightshigh-performing-teams-a-timeless-leadership-topic
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspx
They are idea driven explore novel ideas and creative solutions they expand more on what is possible and valuable for users and customers customize processes rather than using the one size fits all approach
is my team learning agile They stay updated they
experiment and try new technologies amp theories and function with a growth mindset
is my team well-structured and organized
They plan well before execution team meetings have clear agenda engage in inter-department collaboration have direct contact with customers have little or no production issues and they donrsquot repeat the same work
Does my team display the lsquoWe before Mersquo attitude
All identify with the team are proud of it support new hires
practice selflessness they trust amp respect each other and refrain from micromanagement
Does my team lsquoDisagree to agreersquo
They have healthy arguments less frictions cleaner adjustments and respond effortlessly to change cohesively
Does my team have a candid and tight feedback loop
They are transparent with each other and feel psychologically safe to openly express their views As a team too they collaborate with other teams to get a perspective from members outside of their team
is the team leader empowering The leader creates energy
inspires fosters cooperation sets stretch goals exercises trust and builds an open communication network
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Sustaining High Performance Mentality- By Pallavi Biswas
A lsquohigh performance work teamrsquo refers to a group of goal-focused individuals
with expertise and complimentary skills who collaborate innovate and produce consistently superior results Therersquos something that separates most successful teams from the rest that is sustaining excellence We all have days
PHySicAL WeLLBeing
AcHieve A BALAnceD Life
ProDucTiviTY HaBiT
eSTaBliSHMenT of uRgency
SeTTing ruleS of BeHAvioR
incluSive TeaM
egrave Add exercise to daily routineegrave Follow a balanced diet including
foods that enhance energy and brainpower
egrave Ensure adequate hydrationegrave Sleep for 7-8 hours
egrave Relaxegrave Set out time for yourselfegrave Invest your time on a sport or a
hobbyegrave Spend time with people who
matter
egrave Structure your time into blocksegrave Have a to-do list readyegrave Meet your deadlinesegrave Find motivationegrave Crave to do more
egrave Be negligent or casual about your health
egrave Over stretch yourself
egrave Be a workaholic whorsquos energy is drained by work
egrave Include work into your personal space ever so
egrave Procrastinate egrave Multitask mindlessly
egrave Ignore signs of distressegrave Delay follow up review
meetings
egrave Compromise on organizationrsquos mission and vision
egrave Have special rules for special people
egrave Use hurtful languageegrave Eject input from a team
member egrave Be afraid to adjust re adjust
egrave Have an urgent and meaningful rationale
egrave Create a compelling contextegrave Aim for role clarityegrave Create demanding performance
standards and directionegrave Share clear and required
information with the team
egrave Have set rules of conduct from the beginning
egrave Effective handling of harassment of any kind
egrave Give constructive and positive feedback
egrave Enhance emotional safety egrave Avoid biasesegrave Adapt to changesegrave Spend time together
DorsquoS thorn DonrsquoTS yacute
ParT B 60 SeconD reaD
when everything flows perfectly and fits into the right box we are able to work creatively and efficiently Nothing feels better than those days But then there are these days as well where we procrastinate fail to find the right direction and the puzzles fail to fit
hoW can one approach that level of consistency
in the right boxThe difference between great
teams with productive employees and the rest is that they tend to have more great days than the others They turn in a consistent high performance despite what they are doing
focus on self
focus on team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
dESKLeaderrsquos
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Taking the High Performing Team to the next level- By Karuna Ahuja
We often talk about building high performance talent Little is said about how do you sustain this performance level what is expected of leaders who are leading high performance teams what is the
kind of challenge that such a leader faces and how do they overcome it
It is a dream of every leader to have a high performing team The challenge is to keep the team performance at peak level There are four stages of team development as per Dr Bruce Tuckman a psychologist who studied group dynamics Forming Storming Norming and then Performing Teams that reach the performing stage of team development have survived conflicts and have developed a sense of identity and cohesiveness The key for leaders here is in optimizing their leadership style build a high performance culture and not just sail through team dynamics
Edgar Schein Former Professor of MIT
said ldquothe bottom line for leaders is if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded those cultures will manage them Cultural understanding is desirable for all of us but it is essential to leaders if they are to leadrdquo
Two aspects that are imperative about performance that leaders should take cognizance of are Firstly continuous maximum performance is impossible No one can deliver 100 at all times There would be some lull periods Rest and recuperation are important not just a physical but also emotional level to maintain consistent success A successful
leader would build downtime for employees for long term success where the focus is not just rest but rejuvenation From this new ideas germinate and growth spurts Secondly knowing how to recognize the signs that the team is moving towards burnout when they are losing their edge and how to quickly bounce back is essential This can be known by knowing your people their drivers and challenges observing the team environment performance and motivation of the employees This is the time leaders must innovate ways to redefine the focus for the team
RefeRenceS laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjoefolkman20160413are-you-on-the-team-from-hell-5-ways-to-create-a-high-performance-team5afef8a77ee2
laquo httpwwwdalecarnegiewaynjcom20160829three-ways-lead-team-next-level
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspxTuckman Bruce ldquoDevelopmental Sequence in Small Groupsrdquo Group Facilitation A Research and Applications Journal (2001) Web 10 May 2016
HeRe ARe A Few keY POiNts FOR LeAdeRs tO guide tHeM iN sustAiNiNg HigH PeRFORMANCe
1Provide a clear inspiring vision and
direction Clearly define goals boundaries and allow freedom to operate within those boundaries Leaders of high performing teams are inspirational while providing direction They make the members feel capable and proud of their contribution Employees feel engaged when they envision and achieve something extraordinary
2 Build on team strengths Each team
member brings diverse personality skill set and experience Leaders can leverage on these abilities and strengths by understanding them and planning for sustained performance
3Promote collaboration High performing teams
through impactful learning and coaching strategies the leader would be successful in sustaining high performance
5Create effective communication
channels A leader must communicate the business vision like a broken record Authentic leaders allow honest conversations across all levels keep people informed and on track The key to effective communication is to give context speak from knowledge express passionately and simply
6Lead by example When leaders exhibit
integrity and enthusiasm about the objectives only then would team model it too If leaders expect their teams to be high performing they are expected to consciously walk
share positive relationships take initiative and deal with change respectfully Leader of a high performing team has a strong conflict management mechanism that works No matter how high performing a team or employee is they would make mistakes The deciding factor is how quickly they learn from it and move forward When employees feel trusted and know that conflict would be resolved it creates collaboration Leader who allow mistakes as part of the learning process and empowers talent to manage it can authentically sustain high performance
4Support continuous development A high
performing talent is expected to continuously raise their performance benchmarks When the leader invests in skill building for next level
the talk and build credibility
7Strong accountability mechanism Maintaining
goal alignment is important when leading teams Without constant vigil teams may regress to earlier stages of team development The leader must instill discipline through consistent feedback and recognition A leader should reward positive behaviors through a strong performance management system
8Focus on result orientation Teams may
end up at low performance if they become complacent or if maintaining harmony becomes a larger priority than peak performance Effective leaders know that they must enable business success and results with a long term mindset and not short term results
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 CEO SPEAKHdrsquos dESK
From
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
What Does it Take to Build a Top Team- By Eric Kung
Before I answer that question I must point out that the question itself has
assumed that it is the leader who lsquobuildsrsquo a top team Leadership gurus would choose to answer this by telling leaders to attract talent value diversity in the team inspire and motivate the team build their capacities and competencies foster good team spirit and teamwork and last but not the least recognize and reward good team
performance After 27 years of being the CEO of Human Dynamic building and leading a team of more than 100 professional consultants and knowledge workers I would however say that it is only by grace (in a more spiritual terminology) or by chance that you have a top team
Firstly about recruitment like Forrest Gumprsquos mother told him about life I would say that recruiting ndash particularly that of top executives and smart people is like a ldquobox of chocolaterdquo --- you donrsquot know what you are going to get If you find good talent who is competent and innovative (s)he may not get along well with team members or with you and for some reason (s)he would be gone Secondly about developing talent you would
not know whether the good talent would be headhunted by your competitors who are willing to pay twice as much
than you and hence retention would be challenging Lastly
concerning motivation and reward you could reward people as much as you want or they want but at the end of the day business might get tough and profit might go from thin to red
So the question to ponder would be are your team
members willing to stay with you lsquountil the endrsquo or they would jump ship for their own career
development or simply for their financial needs
I recognize these lsquorealitiesrsquo and share these with my leaders and team members so that they would not have unrealistic expectations from their team members or from themselves that they could attract develop retain and engage talent to always have that lsquotop teamrsquoNevertheless I encourage them to be authentic as good models inspiring the team for companyrsquos vision and mission as well as their personal growth and career development communicate and work with the team as part of the team to jointly own success and failure If I could make my staff and my team become better people grow in their profession and career by working with me and with one another enjoy their life and work during their staying at Human Dynamic I would say that I am successful as their team leader Good team work is always about the team and not just about the leader the leader is only a part of the team You are playing in the team and together with the team and sometimes for the team At some unexpected moment the ldquoTop Teamrdquo are striving for the goal and together you feel that you are a great team not necessary defined by material success but defined by your shared identity and experience
Good team work is
always about the team and not just
about the leader the leader is only a part of the
team you are playinG in the team and toGether
with the team and sometimes for the
team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Know ToMo to Know What Drives a Team to High Performance
- By Shruti Sapre
Even though markets business and customers evolve over time the
need to build a high performing and a highly motivated team stays constant Psychologists OD Consultants leaders and researchers have developed multiple models of motivation and applied them creatively at the workplace to allow for greater talent retention and talent development to bring in business success One of the recent applications of motivational theories to the workplace has been done by Lindsay McGregor and Neel Doshi as they researched across 50 organizations and over 20000 people leading to the development of the concept of Total Motivation or ToMo
ToMo is based on a simple theory that lsquowhy people work determines how well they workrsquo That means understanding the drivers of an individualrsquos performance what makes them look at their job as a career and what would make them go above
FORWARdFuture
and beyond holds the key to motivating people It also brings in a very important contrast between adaptive and tactical performance which is crucial in disruptive times like today when there is very little that stays unchanging or constant Tactical performance is what education prepared one for that is knowing how to do onersquos job or having the technical expertise to do the job Adaptive performance on the other hand is the ability to reinvent oneself or think on the spot by taking onersquos context into consideration and take action in a changing situation We are able to bring out this ability to transcend from tactical
to adaptive based on a number of internal and external factors like motivation organizational culture performance review and reward systems leadership agility etc An important lsquocontrollable factorrsquo that can transcend all these has been identified to be a sense of purpose drive passion and commitment from within ie being intrinsically motivated for the jobs that we do Hence developing high ToMo for individuals and for organizations is the need of the hour for higher performance
Letrsquos look at the factors that strengthen and weaken team performance so the team ToMo can be worked on
RefeRenceS laquo httpshbrorg201511how-company-culture-shapes-employee-motivation
laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjacobmorgan20160523primed-to-perform-the-science-behind-building-a-legendary-workplace-culture
laquo httpswwwlivemintcomLeisurefcD0waWXeyVRVZcKUnQJJLWhat-is-your-firms-ToMo-factorhtml
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
FORWARdFuture
PuRPoSe
PLAy
PoTenTial
eMoTional PReSSuRe
econoMic PReSSuRe
inerTia
ordf Focus on what we contribute to or how we add value is often even more important than merely following onersquos own passion and leads to greater sense of job satisfaction
ordf Use play as an attitude and strategy to enjoy the work while being open minded curious unstructured ready to be surprised and challenged
ordf Hands-on experience mentoring at work and opportunities to put learning into action facilitates the individualrsquos capacity to out-perform and facilitates their identity
ordf Employees working to meet emotional needs of being appreciated avoiding criticism or disappointing others
ordf Getting the work done to get the incentive or avoid the punitive action
ordf Going through mundane routines without sense of purpose or drive
ordf Clarify the goal and need of achievement for the employee rather than making them do it out of fear
ordf Set examples of organizational culture by doing the right thing ordf Give reasons to work show success stories build aha moments in the day and create a culture of creativity
ordf Meet the deadline to show commitment to client rather than because the manager wants you to
ordf Build sense of responsibility amp positive action in employee without active reinforcement but encouragement ordf Encourage employee to question the goal and its value rather than hand down tasks
ordf Help the employee appreciate the value that their work creates
ordf Help employee identify which part of their work they enjoy the most and enable them to do more of the same
ordf Enhance the latent potential or talent in the employee by giving the right exposure and opportunities with better alignment of their goals with tasks
ordf Medtronic enables its engineers and technicians to see the medical devices theyrsquove made in action so that they can see the purpose of their work
ordf Toyota encourages play by giving factory workers the opportunity to come up with and test new tools and ideas on the assembly line
ordf ATampT spends millions of dollars on upskilling existing workforce through tuitions direct education amp professional development programs to build home-grown talent
MOtive
MOtive
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
eXPLANAtiON
eXPLANAtiON
eXAMPLe
eXAMPLe
FACtORs tHAt stReNgtHeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
FACtORs tHAt weAkeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
A high-performing culture maximizes the play purpose and potential felt by its people and minimizes the emotional pressure economic pressure and inertia This is known as creating total motivation (ToMo) An organizationrsquos culture is
often also measured in terms of ToMo and predicts both employee and customer satisfaction
More engaged ( passionate) eMployees + adaptive perforMance + culture of keeping direct Motives on top = high perforMing teaMs
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
ParT ais Your Team a High Performing Team
- By Nazneen Chunawala
Look at the checklist below to
evaluate where does your team lie on the scale of performance Make a note of areas you want to start working on and the areas you want to celebrate
is my team hired through a selection criteria that allows
the right people to get in Each member takes initiative finds purpose in their work and believes impossible is achievable
is my team also aligned to the business goals and customer
outcomes rather than only focusing on departmental success They have a clear vision shared goals amp values They work with a keen sense of direction and have strong determination drive and commitment towards the business
Does every member of my team own their task
They make meaningful contribution in the team execute work in an effective manner with focus deeper understanding and attention to details
is my team continually innovating
as team leaders and managers creating an environment in which your team can excel is as an essential component as much is the right mix of skills and attitudes within the team it would be a great idea to make use of an impartial observer outside
the team to verify your markings on the checklist With concentrated efforts to build a high-performing team you can feel assured that the outcome will be worth the effort
RefeRenceSlaquo httpselearningindustrycomworking-in-a-high-performing-team-30-signs
laquo httpswwwmckinseycombusiness-functionsorganizationour-insightshigh-performing-teams-a-timeless-leadership-topic
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspx
They are idea driven explore novel ideas and creative solutions they expand more on what is possible and valuable for users and customers customize processes rather than using the one size fits all approach
is my team learning agile They stay updated they
experiment and try new technologies amp theories and function with a growth mindset
is my team well-structured and organized
They plan well before execution team meetings have clear agenda engage in inter-department collaboration have direct contact with customers have little or no production issues and they donrsquot repeat the same work
Does my team display the lsquoWe before Mersquo attitude
All identify with the team are proud of it support new hires
practice selflessness they trust amp respect each other and refrain from micromanagement
Does my team lsquoDisagree to agreersquo
They have healthy arguments less frictions cleaner adjustments and respond effortlessly to change cohesively
Does my team have a candid and tight feedback loop
They are transparent with each other and feel psychologically safe to openly express their views As a team too they collaborate with other teams to get a perspective from members outside of their team
is the team leader empowering The leader creates energy
inspires fosters cooperation sets stretch goals exercises trust and builds an open communication network
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Sustaining High Performance Mentality- By Pallavi Biswas
A lsquohigh performance work teamrsquo refers to a group of goal-focused individuals
with expertise and complimentary skills who collaborate innovate and produce consistently superior results Therersquos something that separates most successful teams from the rest that is sustaining excellence We all have days
PHySicAL WeLLBeing
AcHieve A BALAnceD Life
ProDucTiviTY HaBiT
eSTaBliSHMenT of uRgency
SeTTing ruleS of BeHAvioR
incluSive TeaM
egrave Add exercise to daily routineegrave Follow a balanced diet including
foods that enhance energy and brainpower
egrave Ensure adequate hydrationegrave Sleep for 7-8 hours
egrave Relaxegrave Set out time for yourselfegrave Invest your time on a sport or a
hobbyegrave Spend time with people who
matter
egrave Structure your time into blocksegrave Have a to-do list readyegrave Meet your deadlinesegrave Find motivationegrave Crave to do more
egrave Be negligent or casual about your health
egrave Over stretch yourself
egrave Be a workaholic whorsquos energy is drained by work
egrave Include work into your personal space ever so
egrave Procrastinate egrave Multitask mindlessly
egrave Ignore signs of distressegrave Delay follow up review
meetings
egrave Compromise on organizationrsquos mission and vision
egrave Have special rules for special people
egrave Use hurtful languageegrave Eject input from a team
member egrave Be afraid to adjust re adjust
egrave Have an urgent and meaningful rationale
egrave Create a compelling contextegrave Aim for role clarityegrave Create demanding performance
standards and directionegrave Share clear and required
information with the team
egrave Have set rules of conduct from the beginning
egrave Effective handling of harassment of any kind
egrave Give constructive and positive feedback
egrave Enhance emotional safety egrave Avoid biasesegrave Adapt to changesegrave Spend time together
DorsquoS thorn DonrsquoTS yacute
ParT B 60 SeconD reaD
when everything flows perfectly and fits into the right box we are able to work creatively and efficiently Nothing feels better than those days But then there are these days as well where we procrastinate fail to find the right direction and the puzzles fail to fit
hoW can one approach that level of consistency
in the right boxThe difference between great
teams with productive employees and the rest is that they tend to have more great days than the others They turn in a consistent high performance despite what they are doing
focus on self
focus on team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
dESKLeaderrsquos
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Taking the High Performing Team to the next level- By Karuna Ahuja
We often talk about building high performance talent Little is said about how do you sustain this performance level what is expected of leaders who are leading high performance teams what is the
kind of challenge that such a leader faces and how do they overcome it
It is a dream of every leader to have a high performing team The challenge is to keep the team performance at peak level There are four stages of team development as per Dr Bruce Tuckman a psychologist who studied group dynamics Forming Storming Norming and then Performing Teams that reach the performing stage of team development have survived conflicts and have developed a sense of identity and cohesiveness The key for leaders here is in optimizing their leadership style build a high performance culture and not just sail through team dynamics
Edgar Schein Former Professor of MIT
said ldquothe bottom line for leaders is if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded those cultures will manage them Cultural understanding is desirable for all of us but it is essential to leaders if they are to leadrdquo
Two aspects that are imperative about performance that leaders should take cognizance of are Firstly continuous maximum performance is impossible No one can deliver 100 at all times There would be some lull periods Rest and recuperation are important not just a physical but also emotional level to maintain consistent success A successful
leader would build downtime for employees for long term success where the focus is not just rest but rejuvenation From this new ideas germinate and growth spurts Secondly knowing how to recognize the signs that the team is moving towards burnout when they are losing their edge and how to quickly bounce back is essential This can be known by knowing your people their drivers and challenges observing the team environment performance and motivation of the employees This is the time leaders must innovate ways to redefine the focus for the team
RefeRenceS laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjoefolkman20160413are-you-on-the-team-from-hell-5-ways-to-create-a-high-performance-team5afef8a77ee2
laquo httpwwwdalecarnegiewaynjcom20160829three-ways-lead-team-next-level
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspxTuckman Bruce ldquoDevelopmental Sequence in Small Groupsrdquo Group Facilitation A Research and Applications Journal (2001) Web 10 May 2016
HeRe ARe A Few keY POiNts FOR LeAdeRs tO guide tHeM iN sustAiNiNg HigH PeRFORMANCe
1Provide a clear inspiring vision and
direction Clearly define goals boundaries and allow freedom to operate within those boundaries Leaders of high performing teams are inspirational while providing direction They make the members feel capable and proud of their contribution Employees feel engaged when they envision and achieve something extraordinary
2 Build on team strengths Each team
member brings diverse personality skill set and experience Leaders can leverage on these abilities and strengths by understanding them and planning for sustained performance
3Promote collaboration High performing teams
through impactful learning and coaching strategies the leader would be successful in sustaining high performance
5Create effective communication
channels A leader must communicate the business vision like a broken record Authentic leaders allow honest conversations across all levels keep people informed and on track The key to effective communication is to give context speak from knowledge express passionately and simply
6Lead by example When leaders exhibit
integrity and enthusiasm about the objectives only then would team model it too If leaders expect their teams to be high performing they are expected to consciously walk
share positive relationships take initiative and deal with change respectfully Leader of a high performing team has a strong conflict management mechanism that works No matter how high performing a team or employee is they would make mistakes The deciding factor is how quickly they learn from it and move forward When employees feel trusted and know that conflict would be resolved it creates collaboration Leader who allow mistakes as part of the learning process and empowers talent to manage it can authentically sustain high performance
4Support continuous development A high
performing talent is expected to continuously raise their performance benchmarks When the leader invests in skill building for next level
the talk and build credibility
7Strong accountability mechanism Maintaining
goal alignment is important when leading teams Without constant vigil teams may regress to earlier stages of team development The leader must instill discipline through consistent feedback and recognition A leader should reward positive behaviors through a strong performance management system
8Focus on result orientation Teams may
end up at low performance if they become complacent or if maintaining harmony becomes a larger priority than peak performance Effective leaders know that they must enable business success and results with a long term mindset and not short term results
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Know ToMo to Know What Drives a Team to High Performance
- By Shruti Sapre
Even though markets business and customers evolve over time the
need to build a high performing and a highly motivated team stays constant Psychologists OD Consultants leaders and researchers have developed multiple models of motivation and applied them creatively at the workplace to allow for greater talent retention and talent development to bring in business success One of the recent applications of motivational theories to the workplace has been done by Lindsay McGregor and Neel Doshi as they researched across 50 organizations and over 20000 people leading to the development of the concept of Total Motivation or ToMo
ToMo is based on a simple theory that lsquowhy people work determines how well they workrsquo That means understanding the drivers of an individualrsquos performance what makes them look at their job as a career and what would make them go above
FORWARdFuture
and beyond holds the key to motivating people It also brings in a very important contrast between adaptive and tactical performance which is crucial in disruptive times like today when there is very little that stays unchanging or constant Tactical performance is what education prepared one for that is knowing how to do onersquos job or having the technical expertise to do the job Adaptive performance on the other hand is the ability to reinvent oneself or think on the spot by taking onersquos context into consideration and take action in a changing situation We are able to bring out this ability to transcend from tactical
to adaptive based on a number of internal and external factors like motivation organizational culture performance review and reward systems leadership agility etc An important lsquocontrollable factorrsquo that can transcend all these has been identified to be a sense of purpose drive passion and commitment from within ie being intrinsically motivated for the jobs that we do Hence developing high ToMo for individuals and for organizations is the need of the hour for higher performance
Letrsquos look at the factors that strengthen and weaken team performance so the team ToMo can be worked on
RefeRenceS laquo httpshbrorg201511how-company-culture-shapes-employee-motivation
laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjacobmorgan20160523primed-to-perform-the-science-behind-building-a-legendary-workplace-culture
laquo httpswwwlivemintcomLeisurefcD0waWXeyVRVZcKUnQJJLWhat-is-your-firms-ToMo-factorhtml
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
FORWARdFuture
PuRPoSe
PLAy
PoTenTial
eMoTional PReSSuRe
econoMic PReSSuRe
inerTia
ordf Focus on what we contribute to or how we add value is often even more important than merely following onersquos own passion and leads to greater sense of job satisfaction
ordf Use play as an attitude and strategy to enjoy the work while being open minded curious unstructured ready to be surprised and challenged
ordf Hands-on experience mentoring at work and opportunities to put learning into action facilitates the individualrsquos capacity to out-perform and facilitates their identity
ordf Employees working to meet emotional needs of being appreciated avoiding criticism or disappointing others
ordf Getting the work done to get the incentive or avoid the punitive action
ordf Going through mundane routines without sense of purpose or drive
ordf Clarify the goal and need of achievement for the employee rather than making them do it out of fear
ordf Set examples of organizational culture by doing the right thing ordf Give reasons to work show success stories build aha moments in the day and create a culture of creativity
ordf Meet the deadline to show commitment to client rather than because the manager wants you to
ordf Build sense of responsibility amp positive action in employee without active reinforcement but encouragement ordf Encourage employee to question the goal and its value rather than hand down tasks
ordf Help the employee appreciate the value that their work creates
ordf Help employee identify which part of their work they enjoy the most and enable them to do more of the same
ordf Enhance the latent potential or talent in the employee by giving the right exposure and opportunities with better alignment of their goals with tasks
ordf Medtronic enables its engineers and technicians to see the medical devices theyrsquove made in action so that they can see the purpose of their work
ordf Toyota encourages play by giving factory workers the opportunity to come up with and test new tools and ideas on the assembly line
ordf ATampT spends millions of dollars on upskilling existing workforce through tuitions direct education amp professional development programs to build home-grown talent
MOtive
MOtive
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
eXPLANAtiON
eXPLANAtiON
eXAMPLe
eXAMPLe
FACtORs tHAt stReNgtHeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
FACtORs tHAt weAkeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
A high-performing culture maximizes the play purpose and potential felt by its people and minimizes the emotional pressure economic pressure and inertia This is known as creating total motivation (ToMo) An organizationrsquos culture is
often also measured in terms of ToMo and predicts both employee and customer satisfaction
More engaged ( passionate) eMployees + adaptive perforMance + culture of keeping direct Motives on top = high perforMing teaMs
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
ParT ais Your Team a High Performing Team
- By Nazneen Chunawala
Look at the checklist below to
evaluate where does your team lie on the scale of performance Make a note of areas you want to start working on and the areas you want to celebrate
is my team hired through a selection criteria that allows
the right people to get in Each member takes initiative finds purpose in their work and believes impossible is achievable
is my team also aligned to the business goals and customer
outcomes rather than only focusing on departmental success They have a clear vision shared goals amp values They work with a keen sense of direction and have strong determination drive and commitment towards the business
Does every member of my team own their task
They make meaningful contribution in the team execute work in an effective manner with focus deeper understanding and attention to details
is my team continually innovating
as team leaders and managers creating an environment in which your team can excel is as an essential component as much is the right mix of skills and attitudes within the team it would be a great idea to make use of an impartial observer outside
the team to verify your markings on the checklist With concentrated efforts to build a high-performing team you can feel assured that the outcome will be worth the effort
RefeRenceSlaquo httpselearningindustrycomworking-in-a-high-performing-team-30-signs
laquo httpswwwmckinseycombusiness-functionsorganizationour-insightshigh-performing-teams-a-timeless-leadership-topic
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspx
They are idea driven explore novel ideas and creative solutions they expand more on what is possible and valuable for users and customers customize processes rather than using the one size fits all approach
is my team learning agile They stay updated they
experiment and try new technologies amp theories and function with a growth mindset
is my team well-structured and organized
They plan well before execution team meetings have clear agenda engage in inter-department collaboration have direct contact with customers have little or no production issues and they donrsquot repeat the same work
Does my team display the lsquoWe before Mersquo attitude
All identify with the team are proud of it support new hires
practice selflessness they trust amp respect each other and refrain from micromanagement
Does my team lsquoDisagree to agreersquo
They have healthy arguments less frictions cleaner adjustments and respond effortlessly to change cohesively
Does my team have a candid and tight feedback loop
They are transparent with each other and feel psychologically safe to openly express their views As a team too they collaborate with other teams to get a perspective from members outside of their team
is the team leader empowering The leader creates energy
inspires fosters cooperation sets stretch goals exercises trust and builds an open communication network
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Sustaining High Performance Mentality- By Pallavi Biswas
A lsquohigh performance work teamrsquo refers to a group of goal-focused individuals
with expertise and complimentary skills who collaborate innovate and produce consistently superior results Therersquos something that separates most successful teams from the rest that is sustaining excellence We all have days
PHySicAL WeLLBeing
AcHieve A BALAnceD Life
ProDucTiviTY HaBiT
eSTaBliSHMenT of uRgency
SeTTing ruleS of BeHAvioR
incluSive TeaM
egrave Add exercise to daily routineegrave Follow a balanced diet including
foods that enhance energy and brainpower
egrave Ensure adequate hydrationegrave Sleep for 7-8 hours
egrave Relaxegrave Set out time for yourselfegrave Invest your time on a sport or a
hobbyegrave Spend time with people who
matter
egrave Structure your time into blocksegrave Have a to-do list readyegrave Meet your deadlinesegrave Find motivationegrave Crave to do more
egrave Be negligent or casual about your health
egrave Over stretch yourself
egrave Be a workaholic whorsquos energy is drained by work
egrave Include work into your personal space ever so
egrave Procrastinate egrave Multitask mindlessly
egrave Ignore signs of distressegrave Delay follow up review
meetings
egrave Compromise on organizationrsquos mission and vision
egrave Have special rules for special people
egrave Use hurtful languageegrave Eject input from a team
member egrave Be afraid to adjust re adjust
egrave Have an urgent and meaningful rationale
egrave Create a compelling contextegrave Aim for role clarityegrave Create demanding performance
standards and directionegrave Share clear and required
information with the team
egrave Have set rules of conduct from the beginning
egrave Effective handling of harassment of any kind
egrave Give constructive and positive feedback
egrave Enhance emotional safety egrave Avoid biasesegrave Adapt to changesegrave Spend time together
DorsquoS thorn DonrsquoTS yacute
ParT B 60 SeconD reaD
when everything flows perfectly and fits into the right box we are able to work creatively and efficiently Nothing feels better than those days But then there are these days as well where we procrastinate fail to find the right direction and the puzzles fail to fit
hoW can one approach that level of consistency
in the right boxThe difference between great
teams with productive employees and the rest is that they tend to have more great days than the others They turn in a consistent high performance despite what they are doing
focus on self
focus on team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
dESKLeaderrsquos
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Taking the High Performing Team to the next level- By Karuna Ahuja
We often talk about building high performance talent Little is said about how do you sustain this performance level what is expected of leaders who are leading high performance teams what is the
kind of challenge that such a leader faces and how do they overcome it
It is a dream of every leader to have a high performing team The challenge is to keep the team performance at peak level There are four stages of team development as per Dr Bruce Tuckman a psychologist who studied group dynamics Forming Storming Norming and then Performing Teams that reach the performing stage of team development have survived conflicts and have developed a sense of identity and cohesiveness The key for leaders here is in optimizing their leadership style build a high performance culture and not just sail through team dynamics
Edgar Schein Former Professor of MIT
said ldquothe bottom line for leaders is if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded those cultures will manage them Cultural understanding is desirable for all of us but it is essential to leaders if they are to leadrdquo
Two aspects that are imperative about performance that leaders should take cognizance of are Firstly continuous maximum performance is impossible No one can deliver 100 at all times There would be some lull periods Rest and recuperation are important not just a physical but also emotional level to maintain consistent success A successful
leader would build downtime for employees for long term success where the focus is not just rest but rejuvenation From this new ideas germinate and growth spurts Secondly knowing how to recognize the signs that the team is moving towards burnout when they are losing their edge and how to quickly bounce back is essential This can be known by knowing your people their drivers and challenges observing the team environment performance and motivation of the employees This is the time leaders must innovate ways to redefine the focus for the team
RefeRenceS laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjoefolkman20160413are-you-on-the-team-from-hell-5-ways-to-create-a-high-performance-team5afef8a77ee2
laquo httpwwwdalecarnegiewaynjcom20160829three-ways-lead-team-next-level
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspxTuckman Bruce ldquoDevelopmental Sequence in Small Groupsrdquo Group Facilitation A Research and Applications Journal (2001) Web 10 May 2016
HeRe ARe A Few keY POiNts FOR LeAdeRs tO guide tHeM iN sustAiNiNg HigH PeRFORMANCe
1Provide a clear inspiring vision and
direction Clearly define goals boundaries and allow freedom to operate within those boundaries Leaders of high performing teams are inspirational while providing direction They make the members feel capable and proud of their contribution Employees feel engaged when they envision and achieve something extraordinary
2 Build on team strengths Each team
member brings diverse personality skill set and experience Leaders can leverage on these abilities and strengths by understanding them and planning for sustained performance
3Promote collaboration High performing teams
through impactful learning and coaching strategies the leader would be successful in sustaining high performance
5Create effective communication
channels A leader must communicate the business vision like a broken record Authentic leaders allow honest conversations across all levels keep people informed and on track The key to effective communication is to give context speak from knowledge express passionately and simply
6Lead by example When leaders exhibit
integrity and enthusiasm about the objectives only then would team model it too If leaders expect their teams to be high performing they are expected to consciously walk
share positive relationships take initiative and deal with change respectfully Leader of a high performing team has a strong conflict management mechanism that works No matter how high performing a team or employee is they would make mistakes The deciding factor is how quickly they learn from it and move forward When employees feel trusted and know that conflict would be resolved it creates collaboration Leader who allow mistakes as part of the learning process and empowers talent to manage it can authentically sustain high performance
4Support continuous development A high
performing talent is expected to continuously raise their performance benchmarks When the leader invests in skill building for next level
the talk and build credibility
7Strong accountability mechanism Maintaining
goal alignment is important when leading teams Without constant vigil teams may regress to earlier stages of team development The leader must instill discipline through consistent feedback and recognition A leader should reward positive behaviors through a strong performance management system
8Focus on result orientation Teams may
end up at low performance if they become complacent or if maintaining harmony becomes a larger priority than peak performance Effective leaders know that they must enable business success and results with a long term mindset and not short term results
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
FORWARdFuture
PuRPoSe
PLAy
PoTenTial
eMoTional PReSSuRe
econoMic PReSSuRe
inerTia
ordf Focus on what we contribute to or how we add value is often even more important than merely following onersquos own passion and leads to greater sense of job satisfaction
ordf Use play as an attitude and strategy to enjoy the work while being open minded curious unstructured ready to be surprised and challenged
ordf Hands-on experience mentoring at work and opportunities to put learning into action facilitates the individualrsquos capacity to out-perform and facilitates their identity
ordf Employees working to meet emotional needs of being appreciated avoiding criticism or disappointing others
ordf Getting the work done to get the incentive or avoid the punitive action
ordf Going through mundane routines without sense of purpose or drive
ordf Clarify the goal and need of achievement for the employee rather than making them do it out of fear
ordf Set examples of organizational culture by doing the right thing ordf Give reasons to work show success stories build aha moments in the day and create a culture of creativity
ordf Meet the deadline to show commitment to client rather than because the manager wants you to
ordf Build sense of responsibility amp positive action in employee without active reinforcement but encouragement ordf Encourage employee to question the goal and its value rather than hand down tasks
ordf Help the employee appreciate the value that their work creates
ordf Help employee identify which part of their work they enjoy the most and enable them to do more of the same
ordf Enhance the latent potential or talent in the employee by giving the right exposure and opportunities with better alignment of their goals with tasks
ordf Medtronic enables its engineers and technicians to see the medical devices theyrsquove made in action so that they can see the purpose of their work
ordf Toyota encourages play by giving factory workers the opportunity to come up with and test new tools and ideas on the assembly line
ordf ATampT spends millions of dollars on upskilling existing workforce through tuitions direct education amp professional development programs to build home-grown talent
MOtive
MOtive
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
wHAt sHOuLd YOu dO
eXPLANAtiON
eXPLANAtiON
eXAMPLe
eXAMPLe
FACtORs tHAt stReNgtHeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
FACtORs tHAt weAkeN teAM PeRFORMANCe
A high-performing culture maximizes the play purpose and potential felt by its people and minimizes the emotional pressure economic pressure and inertia This is known as creating total motivation (ToMo) An organizationrsquos culture is
often also measured in terms of ToMo and predicts both employee and customer satisfaction
More engaged ( passionate) eMployees + adaptive perforMance + culture of keeping direct Motives on top = high perforMing teaMs
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
ParT ais Your Team a High Performing Team
- By Nazneen Chunawala
Look at the checklist below to
evaluate where does your team lie on the scale of performance Make a note of areas you want to start working on and the areas you want to celebrate
is my team hired through a selection criteria that allows
the right people to get in Each member takes initiative finds purpose in their work and believes impossible is achievable
is my team also aligned to the business goals and customer
outcomes rather than only focusing on departmental success They have a clear vision shared goals amp values They work with a keen sense of direction and have strong determination drive and commitment towards the business
Does every member of my team own their task
They make meaningful contribution in the team execute work in an effective manner with focus deeper understanding and attention to details
is my team continually innovating
as team leaders and managers creating an environment in which your team can excel is as an essential component as much is the right mix of skills and attitudes within the team it would be a great idea to make use of an impartial observer outside
the team to verify your markings on the checklist With concentrated efforts to build a high-performing team you can feel assured that the outcome will be worth the effort
RefeRenceSlaquo httpselearningindustrycomworking-in-a-high-performing-team-30-signs
laquo httpswwwmckinseycombusiness-functionsorganizationour-insightshigh-performing-teams-a-timeless-leadership-topic
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspx
They are idea driven explore novel ideas and creative solutions they expand more on what is possible and valuable for users and customers customize processes rather than using the one size fits all approach
is my team learning agile They stay updated they
experiment and try new technologies amp theories and function with a growth mindset
is my team well-structured and organized
They plan well before execution team meetings have clear agenda engage in inter-department collaboration have direct contact with customers have little or no production issues and they donrsquot repeat the same work
Does my team display the lsquoWe before Mersquo attitude
All identify with the team are proud of it support new hires
practice selflessness they trust amp respect each other and refrain from micromanagement
Does my team lsquoDisagree to agreersquo
They have healthy arguments less frictions cleaner adjustments and respond effortlessly to change cohesively
Does my team have a candid and tight feedback loop
They are transparent with each other and feel psychologically safe to openly express their views As a team too they collaborate with other teams to get a perspective from members outside of their team
is the team leader empowering The leader creates energy
inspires fosters cooperation sets stretch goals exercises trust and builds an open communication network
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Sustaining High Performance Mentality- By Pallavi Biswas
A lsquohigh performance work teamrsquo refers to a group of goal-focused individuals
with expertise and complimentary skills who collaborate innovate and produce consistently superior results Therersquos something that separates most successful teams from the rest that is sustaining excellence We all have days
PHySicAL WeLLBeing
AcHieve A BALAnceD Life
ProDucTiviTY HaBiT
eSTaBliSHMenT of uRgency
SeTTing ruleS of BeHAvioR
incluSive TeaM
egrave Add exercise to daily routineegrave Follow a balanced diet including
foods that enhance energy and brainpower
egrave Ensure adequate hydrationegrave Sleep for 7-8 hours
egrave Relaxegrave Set out time for yourselfegrave Invest your time on a sport or a
hobbyegrave Spend time with people who
matter
egrave Structure your time into blocksegrave Have a to-do list readyegrave Meet your deadlinesegrave Find motivationegrave Crave to do more
egrave Be negligent or casual about your health
egrave Over stretch yourself
egrave Be a workaholic whorsquos energy is drained by work
egrave Include work into your personal space ever so
egrave Procrastinate egrave Multitask mindlessly
egrave Ignore signs of distressegrave Delay follow up review
meetings
egrave Compromise on organizationrsquos mission and vision
egrave Have special rules for special people
egrave Use hurtful languageegrave Eject input from a team
member egrave Be afraid to adjust re adjust
egrave Have an urgent and meaningful rationale
egrave Create a compelling contextegrave Aim for role clarityegrave Create demanding performance
standards and directionegrave Share clear and required
information with the team
egrave Have set rules of conduct from the beginning
egrave Effective handling of harassment of any kind
egrave Give constructive and positive feedback
egrave Enhance emotional safety egrave Avoid biasesegrave Adapt to changesegrave Spend time together
DorsquoS thorn DonrsquoTS yacute
ParT B 60 SeconD reaD
when everything flows perfectly and fits into the right box we are able to work creatively and efficiently Nothing feels better than those days But then there are these days as well where we procrastinate fail to find the right direction and the puzzles fail to fit
hoW can one approach that level of consistency
in the right boxThe difference between great
teams with productive employees and the rest is that they tend to have more great days than the others They turn in a consistent high performance despite what they are doing
focus on self
focus on team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
dESKLeaderrsquos
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Taking the High Performing Team to the next level- By Karuna Ahuja
We often talk about building high performance talent Little is said about how do you sustain this performance level what is expected of leaders who are leading high performance teams what is the
kind of challenge that such a leader faces and how do they overcome it
It is a dream of every leader to have a high performing team The challenge is to keep the team performance at peak level There are four stages of team development as per Dr Bruce Tuckman a psychologist who studied group dynamics Forming Storming Norming and then Performing Teams that reach the performing stage of team development have survived conflicts and have developed a sense of identity and cohesiveness The key for leaders here is in optimizing their leadership style build a high performance culture and not just sail through team dynamics
Edgar Schein Former Professor of MIT
said ldquothe bottom line for leaders is if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded those cultures will manage them Cultural understanding is desirable for all of us but it is essential to leaders if they are to leadrdquo
Two aspects that are imperative about performance that leaders should take cognizance of are Firstly continuous maximum performance is impossible No one can deliver 100 at all times There would be some lull periods Rest and recuperation are important not just a physical but also emotional level to maintain consistent success A successful
leader would build downtime for employees for long term success where the focus is not just rest but rejuvenation From this new ideas germinate and growth spurts Secondly knowing how to recognize the signs that the team is moving towards burnout when they are losing their edge and how to quickly bounce back is essential This can be known by knowing your people their drivers and challenges observing the team environment performance and motivation of the employees This is the time leaders must innovate ways to redefine the focus for the team
RefeRenceS laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjoefolkman20160413are-you-on-the-team-from-hell-5-ways-to-create-a-high-performance-team5afef8a77ee2
laquo httpwwwdalecarnegiewaynjcom20160829three-ways-lead-team-next-level
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspxTuckman Bruce ldquoDevelopmental Sequence in Small Groupsrdquo Group Facilitation A Research and Applications Journal (2001) Web 10 May 2016
HeRe ARe A Few keY POiNts FOR LeAdeRs tO guide tHeM iN sustAiNiNg HigH PeRFORMANCe
1Provide a clear inspiring vision and
direction Clearly define goals boundaries and allow freedom to operate within those boundaries Leaders of high performing teams are inspirational while providing direction They make the members feel capable and proud of their contribution Employees feel engaged when they envision and achieve something extraordinary
2 Build on team strengths Each team
member brings diverse personality skill set and experience Leaders can leverage on these abilities and strengths by understanding them and planning for sustained performance
3Promote collaboration High performing teams
through impactful learning and coaching strategies the leader would be successful in sustaining high performance
5Create effective communication
channels A leader must communicate the business vision like a broken record Authentic leaders allow honest conversations across all levels keep people informed and on track The key to effective communication is to give context speak from knowledge express passionately and simply
6Lead by example When leaders exhibit
integrity and enthusiasm about the objectives only then would team model it too If leaders expect their teams to be high performing they are expected to consciously walk
share positive relationships take initiative and deal with change respectfully Leader of a high performing team has a strong conflict management mechanism that works No matter how high performing a team or employee is they would make mistakes The deciding factor is how quickly they learn from it and move forward When employees feel trusted and know that conflict would be resolved it creates collaboration Leader who allow mistakes as part of the learning process and empowers talent to manage it can authentically sustain high performance
4Support continuous development A high
performing talent is expected to continuously raise their performance benchmarks When the leader invests in skill building for next level
the talk and build credibility
7Strong accountability mechanism Maintaining
goal alignment is important when leading teams Without constant vigil teams may regress to earlier stages of team development The leader must instill discipline through consistent feedback and recognition A leader should reward positive behaviors through a strong performance management system
8Focus on result orientation Teams may
end up at low performance if they become complacent or if maintaining harmony becomes a larger priority than peak performance Effective leaders know that they must enable business success and results with a long term mindset and not short term results
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
ParT ais Your Team a High Performing Team
- By Nazneen Chunawala
Look at the checklist below to
evaluate where does your team lie on the scale of performance Make a note of areas you want to start working on and the areas you want to celebrate
is my team hired through a selection criteria that allows
the right people to get in Each member takes initiative finds purpose in their work and believes impossible is achievable
is my team also aligned to the business goals and customer
outcomes rather than only focusing on departmental success They have a clear vision shared goals amp values They work with a keen sense of direction and have strong determination drive and commitment towards the business
Does every member of my team own their task
They make meaningful contribution in the team execute work in an effective manner with focus deeper understanding and attention to details
is my team continually innovating
as team leaders and managers creating an environment in which your team can excel is as an essential component as much is the right mix of skills and attitudes within the team it would be a great idea to make use of an impartial observer outside
the team to verify your markings on the checklist With concentrated efforts to build a high-performing team you can feel assured that the outcome will be worth the effort
RefeRenceSlaquo httpselearningindustrycomworking-in-a-high-performing-team-30-signs
laquo httpswwwmckinseycombusiness-functionsorganizationour-insightshigh-performing-teams-a-timeless-leadership-topic
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspx
They are idea driven explore novel ideas and creative solutions they expand more on what is possible and valuable for users and customers customize processes rather than using the one size fits all approach
is my team learning agile They stay updated they
experiment and try new technologies amp theories and function with a growth mindset
is my team well-structured and organized
They plan well before execution team meetings have clear agenda engage in inter-department collaboration have direct contact with customers have little or no production issues and they donrsquot repeat the same work
Does my team display the lsquoWe before Mersquo attitude
All identify with the team are proud of it support new hires
practice selflessness they trust amp respect each other and refrain from micromanagement
Does my team lsquoDisagree to agreersquo
They have healthy arguments less frictions cleaner adjustments and respond effortlessly to change cohesively
Does my team have a candid and tight feedback loop
They are transparent with each other and feel psychologically safe to openly express their views As a team too they collaborate with other teams to get a perspective from members outside of their team
is the team leader empowering The leader creates energy
inspires fosters cooperation sets stretch goals exercises trust and builds an open communication network
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Sustaining High Performance Mentality- By Pallavi Biswas
A lsquohigh performance work teamrsquo refers to a group of goal-focused individuals
with expertise and complimentary skills who collaborate innovate and produce consistently superior results Therersquos something that separates most successful teams from the rest that is sustaining excellence We all have days
PHySicAL WeLLBeing
AcHieve A BALAnceD Life
ProDucTiviTY HaBiT
eSTaBliSHMenT of uRgency
SeTTing ruleS of BeHAvioR
incluSive TeaM
egrave Add exercise to daily routineegrave Follow a balanced diet including
foods that enhance energy and brainpower
egrave Ensure adequate hydrationegrave Sleep for 7-8 hours
egrave Relaxegrave Set out time for yourselfegrave Invest your time on a sport or a
hobbyegrave Spend time with people who
matter
egrave Structure your time into blocksegrave Have a to-do list readyegrave Meet your deadlinesegrave Find motivationegrave Crave to do more
egrave Be negligent or casual about your health
egrave Over stretch yourself
egrave Be a workaholic whorsquos energy is drained by work
egrave Include work into your personal space ever so
egrave Procrastinate egrave Multitask mindlessly
egrave Ignore signs of distressegrave Delay follow up review
meetings
egrave Compromise on organizationrsquos mission and vision
egrave Have special rules for special people
egrave Use hurtful languageegrave Eject input from a team
member egrave Be afraid to adjust re adjust
egrave Have an urgent and meaningful rationale
egrave Create a compelling contextegrave Aim for role clarityegrave Create demanding performance
standards and directionegrave Share clear and required
information with the team
egrave Have set rules of conduct from the beginning
egrave Effective handling of harassment of any kind
egrave Give constructive and positive feedback
egrave Enhance emotional safety egrave Avoid biasesegrave Adapt to changesegrave Spend time together
DorsquoS thorn DonrsquoTS yacute
ParT B 60 SeconD reaD
when everything flows perfectly and fits into the right box we are able to work creatively and efficiently Nothing feels better than those days But then there are these days as well where we procrastinate fail to find the right direction and the puzzles fail to fit
hoW can one approach that level of consistency
in the right boxThe difference between great
teams with productive employees and the rest is that they tend to have more great days than the others They turn in a consistent high performance despite what they are doing
focus on self
focus on team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
dESKLeaderrsquos
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Taking the High Performing Team to the next level- By Karuna Ahuja
We often talk about building high performance talent Little is said about how do you sustain this performance level what is expected of leaders who are leading high performance teams what is the
kind of challenge that such a leader faces and how do they overcome it
It is a dream of every leader to have a high performing team The challenge is to keep the team performance at peak level There are four stages of team development as per Dr Bruce Tuckman a psychologist who studied group dynamics Forming Storming Norming and then Performing Teams that reach the performing stage of team development have survived conflicts and have developed a sense of identity and cohesiveness The key for leaders here is in optimizing their leadership style build a high performance culture and not just sail through team dynamics
Edgar Schein Former Professor of MIT
said ldquothe bottom line for leaders is if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded those cultures will manage them Cultural understanding is desirable for all of us but it is essential to leaders if they are to leadrdquo
Two aspects that are imperative about performance that leaders should take cognizance of are Firstly continuous maximum performance is impossible No one can deliver 100 at all times There would be some lull periods Rest and recuperation are important not just a physical but also emotional level to maintain consistent success A successful
leader would build downtime for employees for long term success where the focus is not just rest but rejuvenation From this new ideas germinate and growth spurts Secondly knowing how to recognize the signs that the team is moving towards burnout when they are losing their edge and how to quickly bounce back is essential This can be known by knowing your people their drivers and challenges observing the team environment performance and motivation of the employees This is the time leaders must innovate ways to redefine the focus for the team
RefeRenceS laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjoefolkman20160413are-you-on-the-team-from-hell-5-ways-to-create-a-high-performance-team5afef8a77ee2
laquo httpwwwdalecarnegiewaynjcom20160829three-ways-lead-team-next-level
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspxTuckman Bruce ldquoDevelopmental Sequence in Small Groupsrdquo Group Facilitation A Research and Applications Journal (2001) Web 10 May 2016
HeRe ARe A Few keY POiNts FOR LeAdeRs tO guide tHeM iN sustAiNiNg HigH PeRFORMANCe
1Provide a clear inspiring vision and
direction Clearly define goals boundaries and allow freedom to operate within those boundaries Leaders of high performing teams are inspirational while providing direction They make the members feel capable and proud of their contribution Employees feel engaged when they envision and achieve something extraordinary
2 Build on team strengths Each team
member brings diverse personality skill set and experience Leaders can leverage on these abilities and strengths by understanding them and planning for sustained performance
3Promote collaboration High performing teams
through impactful learning and coaching strategies the leader would be successful in sustaining high performance
5Create effective communication
channels A leader must communicate the business vision like a broken record Authentic leaders allow honest conversations across all levels keep people informed and on track The key to effective communication is to give context speak from knowledge express passionately and simply
6Lead by example When leaders exhibit
integrity and enthusiasm about the objectives only then would team model it too If leaders expect their teams to be high performing they are expected to consciously walk
share positive relationships take initiative and deal with change respectfully Leader of a high performing team has a strong conflict management mechanism that works No matter how high performing a team or employee is they would make mistakes The deciding factor is how quickly they learn from it and move forward When employees feel trusted and know that conflict would be resolved it creates collaboration Leader who allow mistakes as part of the learning process and empowers talent to manage it can authentically sustain high performance
4Support continuous development A high
performing talent is expected to continuously raise their performance benchmarks When the leader invests in skill building for next level
the talk and build credibility
7Strong accountability mechanism Maintaining
goal alignment is important when leading teams Without constant vigil teams may regress to earlier stages of team development The leader must instill discipline through consistent feedback and recognition A leader should reward positive behaviors through a strong performance management system
8Focus on result orientation Teams may
end up at low performance if they become complacent or if maintaining harmony becomes a larger priority than peak performance Effective leaders know that they must enable business success and results with a long term mindset and not short term results
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
Issue 189 ndash April 2020 BITESQuick
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Sustaining High Performance Mentality- By Pallavi Biswas
A lsquohigh performance work teamrsquo refers to a group of goal-focused individuals
with expertise and complimentary skills who collaborate innovate and produce consistently superior results Therersquos something that separates most successful teams from the rest that is sustaining excellence We all have days
PHySicAL WeLLBeing
AcHieve A BALAnceD Life
ProDucTiviTY HaBiT
eSTaBliSHMenT of uRgency
SeTTing ruleS of BeHAvioR
incluSive TeaM
egrave Add exercise to daily routineegrave Follow a balanced diet including
foods that enhance energy and brainpower
egrave Ensure adequate hydrationegrave Sleep for 7-8 hours
egrave Relaxegrave Set out time for yourselfegrave Invest your time on a sport or a
hobbyegrave Spend time with people who
matter
egrave Structure your time into blocksegrave Have a to-do list readyegrave Meet your deadlinesegrave Find motivationegrave Crave to do more
egrave Be negligent or casual about your health
egrave Over stretch yourself
egrave Be a workaholic whorsquos energy is drained by work
egrave Include work into your personal space ever so
egrave Procrastinate egrave Multitask mindlessly
egrave Ignore signs of distressegrave Delay follow up review
meetings
egrave Compromise on organizationrsquos mission and vision
egrave Have special rules for special people
egrave Use hurtful languageegrave Eject input from a team
member egrave Be afraid to adjust re adjust
egrave Have an urgent and meaningful rationale
egrave Create a compelling contextegrave Aim for role clarityegrave Create demanding performance
standards and directionegrave Share clear and required
information with the team
egrave Have set rules of conduct from the beginning
egrave Effective handling of harassment of any kind
egrave Give constructive and positive feedback
egrave Enhance emotional safety egrave Avoid biasesegrave Adapt to changesegrave Spend time together
DorsquoS thorn DonrsquoTS yacute
ParT B 60 SeconD reaD
when everything flows perfectly and fits into the right box we are able to work creatively and efficiently Nothing feels better than those days But then there are these days as well where we procrastinate fail to find the right direction and the puzzles fail to fit
hoW can one approach that level of consistency
in the right boxThe difference between great
teams with productive employees and the rest is that they tend to have more great days than the others They turn in a consistent high performance despite what they are doing
focus on self
focus on team
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
dESKLeaderrsquos
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Taking the High Performing Team to the next level- By Karuna Ahuja
We often talk about building high performance talent Little is said about how do you sustain this performance level what is expected of leaders who are leading high performance teams what is the
kind of challenge that such a leader faces and how do they overcome it
It is a dream of every leader to have a high performing team The challenge is to keep the team performance at peak level There are four stages of team development as per Dr Bruce Tuckman a psychologist who studied group dynamics Forming Storming Norming and then Performing Teams that reach the performing stage of team development have survived conflicts and have developed a sense of identity and cohesiveness The key for leaders here is in optimizing their leadership style build a high performance culture and not just sail through team dynamics
Edgar Schein Former Professor of MIT
said ldquothe bottom line for leaders is if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded those cultures will manage them Cultural understanding is desirable for all of us but it is essential to leaders if they are to leadrdquo
Two aspects that are imperative about performance that leaders should take cognizance of are Firstly continuous maximum performance is impossible No one can deliver 100 at all times There would be some lull periods Rest and recuperation are important not just a physical but also emotional level to maintain consistent success A successful
leader would build downtime for employees for long term success where the focus is not just rest but rejuvenation From this new ideas germinate and growth spurts Secondly knowing how to recognize the signs that the team is moving towards burnout when they are losing their edge and how to quickly bounce back is essential This can be known by knowing your people their drivers and challenges observing the team environment performance and motivation of the employees This is the time leaders must innovate ways to redefine the focus for the team
RefeRenceS laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjoefolkman20160413are-you-on-the-team-from-hell-5-ways-to-create-a-high-performance-team5afef8a77ee2
laquo httpwwwdalecarnegiewaynjcom20160829three-ways-lead-team-next-level
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspxTuckman Bruce ldquoDevelopmental Sequence in Small Groupsrdquo Group Facilitation A Research and Applications Journal (2001) Web 10 May 2016
HeRe ARe A Few keY POiNts FOR LeAdeRs tO guide tHeM iN sustAiNiNg HigH PeRFORMANCe
1Provide a clear inspiring vision and
direction Clearly define goals boundaries and allow freedom to operate within those boundaries Leaders of high performing teams are inspirational while providing direction They make the members feel capable and proud of their contribution Employees feel engaged when they envision and achieve something extraordinary
2 Build on team strengths Each team
member brings diverse personality skill set and experience Leaders can leverage on these abilities and strengths by understanding them and planning for sustained performance
3Promote collaboration High performing teams
through impactful learning and coaching strategies the leader would be successful in sustaining high performance
5Create effective communication
channels A leader must communicate the business vision like a broken record Authentic leaders allow honest conversations across all levels keep people informed and on track The key to effective communication is to give context speak from knowledge express passionately and simply
6Lead by example When leaders exhibit
integrity and enthusiasm about the objectives only then would team model it too If leaders expect their teams to be high performing they are expected to consciously walk
share positive relationships take initiative and deal with change respectfully Leader of a high performing team has a strong conflict management mechanism that works No matter how high performing a team or employee is they would make mistakes The deciding factor is how quickly they learn from it and move forward When employees feel trusted and know that conflict would be resolved it creates collaboration Leader who allow mistakes as part of the learning process and empowers talent to manage it can authentically sustain high performance
4Support continuous development A high
performing talent is expected to continuously raise their performance benchmarks When the leader invests in skill building for next level
the talk and build credibility
7Strong accountability mechanism Maintaining
goal alignment is important when leading teams Without constant vigil teams may regress to earlier stages of team development The leader must instill discipline through consistent feedback and recognition A leader should reward positive behaviors through a strong performance management system
8Focus on result orientation Teams may
end up at low performance if they become complacent or if maintaining harmony becomes a larger priority than peak performance Effective leaders know that they must enable business success and results with a long term mindset and not short term results
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
dESKLeaderrsquos
Issue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Taking the High Performing Team to the next level- By Karuna Ahuja
We often talk about building high performance talent Little is said about how do you sustain this performance level what is expected of leaders who are leading high performance teams what is the
kind of challenge that such a leader faces and how do they overcome it
It is a dream of every leader to have a high performing team The challenge is to keep the team performance at peak level There are four stages of team development as per Dr Bruce Tuckman a psychologist who studied group dynamics Forming Storming Norming and then Performing Teams that reach the performing stage of team development have survived conflicts and have developed a sense of identity and cohesiveness The key for leaders here is in optimizing their leadership style build a high performance culture and not just sail through team dynamics
Edgar Schein Former Professor of MIT
said ldquothe bottom line for leaders is if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded those cultures will manage them Cultural understanding is desirable for all of us but it is essential to leaders if they are to leadrdquo
Two aspects that are imperative about performance that leaders should take cognizance of are Firstly continuous maximum performance is impossible No one can deliver 100 at all times There would be some lull periods Rest and recuperation are important not just a physical but also emotional level to maintain consistent success A successful
leader would build downtime for employees for long term success where the focus is not just rest but rejuvenation From this new ideas germinate and growth spurts Secondly knowing how to recognize the signs that the team is moving towards burnout when they are losing their edge and how to quickly bounce back is essential This can be known by knowing your people their drivers and challenges observing the team environment performance and motivation of the employees This is the time leaders must innovate ways to redefine the focus for the team
RefeRenceS laquo httpswwwforbescomsitesjoefolkman20160413are-you-on-the-team-from-hell-5-ways-to-create-a-high-performance-team5afef8a77ee2
laquo httpwwwdalecarnegiewaynjcom20160829three-ways-lead-team-next-level
laquo httpswwwshrmorgresourcesandtoolstools-and-samplestoolkitspagesdevelopingandsustaininghigh-performanceworkteamsaspxTuckman Bruce ldquoDevelopmental Sequence in Small Groupsrdquo Group Facilitation A Research and Applications Journal (2001) Web 10 May 2016
HeRe ARe A Few keY POiNts FOR LeAdeRs tO guide tHeM iN sustAiNiNg HigH PeRFORMANCe
1Provide a clear inspiring vision and
direction Clearly define goals boundaries and allow freedom to operate within those boundaries Leaders of high performing teams are inspirational while providing direction They make the members feel capable and proud of their contribution Employees feel engaged when they envision and achieve something extraordinary
2 Build on team strengths Each team
member brings diverse personality skill set and experience Leaders can leverage on these abilities and strengths by understanding them and planning for sustained performance
3Promote collaboration High performing teams
through impactful learning and coaching strategies the leader would be successful in sustaining high performance
5Create effective communication
channels A leader must communicate the business vision like a broken record Authentic leaders allow honest conversations across all levels keep people informed and on track The key to effective communication is to give context speak from knowledge express passionately and simply
6Lead by example When leaders exhibit
integrity and enthusiasm about the objectives only then would team model it too If leaders expect their teams to be high performing they are expected to consciously walk
share positive relationships take initiative and deal with change respectfully Leader of a high performing team has a strong conflict management mechanism that works No matter how high performing a team or employee is they would make mistakes The deciding factor is how quickly they learn from it and move forward When employees feel trusted and know that conflict would be resolved it creates collaboration Leader who allow mistakes as part of the learning process and empowers talent to manage it can authentically sustain high performance
4Support continuous development A high
performing talent is expected to continuously raise their performance benchmarks When the leader invests in skill building for next level
the talk and build credibility
7Strong accountability mechanism Maintaining
goal alignment is important when leading teams Without constant vigil teams may regress to earlier stages of team development The leader must instill discipline through consistent feedback and recognition A leader should reward positive behaviors through a strong performance management system
8Focus on result orientation Teams may
end up at low performance if they become complacent or if maintaining harmony becomes a larger priority than peak performance Effective leaders know that they must enable business success and results with a long term mindset and not short term results
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta
Inf luencerP a r t n e r f o r L e a d e r s h i p a n d C h a n g e
FEATUREdBusiness CaseIssue 189 ndash April 2020
Copyright copy 2020 Human Dynamic All Rights Reserved
Businesses have always looked at investing in high performance teams There are specialised HR teams that strategize and look at best practices that aid high performance Netflix over the last decade or two has turned out to be one of the highest performing companies with revenue generation as high as 5 billion USD in a Quarter and a steady growth
percentage This can be attributed to Netflixrsquos clear-cut policies to ensure that only the ldquobest and most suitedrdquo work with them In the early 2000rsquos Netflix was struggling to break even the economic downturn the 911 only added to their woes About
13rds of employees had to be let go a more focused business model was put in place With dropping DVD prices Netflix was back in safe waters and from this experience came a detailed understanding of what really worked for Netflix A culture that is involved in employeersquos growth amp learning and a culture which values performance over everything else where employees are let go off when the same dips or when their talents are no longer relevant
this write up will discuss few key aspects of the cultural practice
v embracing challenges together- Employees are included in
decision making processes discussions on strategy and change management by empowering them as active agents of the organization Netflix believes in having healthy debates at every level leaving no blind spots in their business development This is also encouraged at an executive level where executives debate in front of a large audience Thus this allows for creative solutions and novel ways to handle various situations
v role of Managers- Netflix believes that great managers spend time in
communicating being transparent leading by example (even if it means admitting they are wrong) and generally
inviting the employees to help understand the business challenges
v Too many processes make things complicated - Instead of focusing on
reformulating policies or processes discipline was given a priority this would involve focusing on asking difficult questions like ndash lsquowhat went wrongrsquo lsquoWhy do we retain an employee who does not deliverrsquo etc Discipline remains constant no matter how big a company grows
v Transparency to help solve biggestThis transparency attracts
the best talents and allows employees to think of the best solutions in the most creative way possible Thus this transparency helps both the company and the employee complement each otherrsquos growth
v Feedback is the way to go- Netflix believes in providing good feedback by being specific
in terms of behaviouraction providing specific instances and looking at expectationssolutions moving forward They also believe that feedback should be given directly rather than going through a very rigorous process of concealing information This also fosters trust and ability to look at feedback objectively
v Team culture for the win- Instead of sticking to the notion that the organisation is one
big family Netflix believes in teams The
reason for doing so is that teams drive performance allow space for tough decisions and constantly embraces change With a family mindset there is a tendency to get complacent and look at change with fear This mindset also helps optimize operations and let go off employees who are underperforming or no longer have the relevant skill set Most employees take it positively and rebuild their career with a good severance package Conversely Netflix also encourages its employees to constantly gauge their ldquomarket valuerdquo and come back to Netflix with their understanding This allows for employees to choose and forge their path ahead
HoW DoeS neTFlix Do WHaT
iT DoeSafter regrouping and understanding
the combination of things that worked for netflix these policies values and expectations were fleshed out in a
slide titled ldquoNetFLiX CuLtuRe FReedOM amp ResPONsiBiLitYrdquo
this became a cornerstone for people to understand the very
unorthodox practices of netflix
In a 2019 survey by an anonymous platform called Blind 86 of the Netflix employees were said to be happy with their
growth Their attrition rate is at 5-6 which is not too far off from the average of 3-4 in the USA Their revenue generation has steadily increased 2762 more in 2019 than 2018 Of course such radical practices come with criticism one such criticism looks at how there may be constant fear with employees having a fear of losing their job it is a high-pressure environment no doubt and some may argue that such radical practices maybe best suited for the industry that Netflix belongs to However it shouldnrsquot stop one from reflecting on current practices and devising customized policiespractices to help onersquos own organisation
WHaT HaS Been THe oveRALL iMPacT
Turning the High Tide netflix a case Study
- By Aaheli Dasgupta