Insights
Why Great Leaders Celebrate When Team Members Move On
Many managers fall into the trap of optimizing only for their immediate team—the subsystem they directly control. This makes sense on one level; you're evaluated on your team's performance.
But truly exceptional leaders understand that subsystem optimization can lead to overall system degradation. If every manager hoards talent, the organization stagnates. If teams become too comfortable, growth opportunities diminish.
Building Stronger Connections In Teams
That candy shell exists for a reason. It's protective, safe. If people reveal their chocolate, they could be hurt, altered, or worse - melted! The professional personas we build around ourselves serve a similar purpose. They're carefully crafted to present the version of ourselves we believe will be most successful in our work environment.
Releasing Childlike Creativity in Teams
If you step back and watch adults work on something together, these CHILD-like actions become very clear. After running over 100 workshops, I've seen these patterns so consistently that I now know certain moments to look for - like when the extrovert decides to take over the group, or my favorite, the anticipatory smile when people first get their LEGO kit.
Teams and Systems Thinking
Systems thinking isn't intuitive for most people. We naturally focus on what's directly in front of us. That's why deliberate effort to build systems literacy pays such enormous dividends.
Teams that understand systems principles:
Make better decisions because they consider ripple effects
Collaborate more effectively with other teams
Identify and address root causes rather than symptoms
Create sustainable solutions rather than quick fixes that create long-term problems
Team Trust Is Built in Moments Most People Miss
We create mental shortcuts about these people, usually based on very limited information, and those definitions influence our collaboration moving forward. Often, these snap judgments become self-reinforcing cycles that can be difficult to break.
When Teams Unite Under Pressure
These scenarios never cease to amaze me because of how deeply connected they make us feel. They tap into our identity as valued members of our work community, and when that community faces a crisis, people respond instinctively. This might mean staying late, contributing extra effort, or stepping outside comfort zones to help the team succeed.
Witnessing True Team Engagement
Think about it - when was the last time you saw an entire team fully present, genuinely interested in each other's perspectives? Not just going through the motions of team building, but truly connecting?
Identifying Leadership Friction in Teams
The goal isn't to eliminate all friction - some friction is necessary for traction. The goal is to ensure we're not unwittingly creating additional friction that slows our teams down or sends them in conflicting directions