Team Performance and Morale

People don’t leave good leaders. They leave poor environments. Training your team isn’t just about teaching skills - it’s about building trust, empowerment, and loyalty. I've always heard this famous quote, but I never had the opportunity to really see it in action with the man himself. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting Necker Island, where I saw how Richard Branson really implements this. His team members are not just employees; they’re trusted partners. Everyone - from the chefs to the activity guides - were highly skilled, deeply engaged, and treated each other (and customers) with genuine respect. The environment was vibrant and fun - you’d often find Richard playing chess or tennis with his staff. It’s a perfect example of what happens when you train your people well, create a culture of care, and treat them as equals. I hear from some leaders that they have no budget and this isn't possible. But even if budgets are tight, you can still create this culture. It could be as simple as: ↳ Taking advantage of free online training platforms or in-house knowledge sharing ↳ Document and update your team’s SOPs - capturing wisdom for everyone to learn from ↳ Encourage mentorship and experience-sharing across roles When people feel invested in, they’ll give their best back. 👉 How do you help keep your team happy? ♻️ Share this post to inspire other leaders. 🔔 Follow me, Jen Blandos, for actionable daily insights on business, entrepreneurship, and workplace well-being.

Most people are taught how to be high performers. But too few are taught how to perform in a team. And that’s a problem, because in most roles, you’re not an individual contributor. You’re part of a larger entity, working with others to build something. Yet, I see founders spend hours refining their product or systems,  But don't devote time to team development. At HomeServe, I approached team performance with purpose,  And it was one of the best decisions I made. Here are 7 tools I’ve used (and still use) to build high-performing teams,  Based on real lessons from building a £4.1bn business: 1️⃣ Start With Why (Simon Sinek) ↳ Before you focus on what or how...get clear on why. WHAT – The product you sell or the service you provide HOW – What makes you different WHY – Your deeper purpose or belief Every great team needs a reason to get out of bed in the morning. 2️⃣ The 70-20-10 Rule (McCall, Lombardo & Eichinger) ↳ How people actually learn on the job: 70% from challenging experiences 20% from coaching and mentoring 10% from formal training Most teams over-invest in training, and under-invest in real development. I'm amazed at how few founders or CEOs have a coach or mentor. 3️⃣ The Trust Triangle (Frances Frei, Harvard) ↳ Trust isn’t built with perks. It’s earned in three ways: Authenticity – Are you real? Logic – Do your decisions make sense? Empathy – Do you care? Without trust, you can’t build speed or loyalty. 4️⃣ The 5 Stages of Team Development (Tuckman Model) 1. Forming – Team gets together 2. Storming – Conflicts surface 3. Norming – Ground rules form 4. Performing – Results roll in 5. Adjourning – Project ends or evolves Don't panic during ‘storming’. It’s necessary friction. 5️⃣ The Johari Window (Luft & Ingham) ↳ Self-awareness is a team sport. Open – You know, they know Hidden – You know, they don’t Blind Spot – They know, you don’t Unknown – No one knows (yet) This helps surface feedback, build confidence, and avoid surprises. 6️⃣ The Energy/Impact Matrix (Inspired by McKinsey) ↳ Map every team member’s impact vs. energy. Use it to: Make smart hiring/firing decisions Spot burnout early Retain high performers High-performing teams don’t tolerate drift. 7️⃣ The RAPID Decision-Making Model (Bain & Company) ↳ High-performing teams make fast, clear decisions. Recommend – Suggest the course of action Agree – Those who must sign off Perform – Executes the decision Input – Provides relevant facts or opinions Decide – Final decision-maker This clears up delays, dropped balls, and blame. Building a great team is about building an environment where talent can actually thrive. I go deeper into team-building in my new book. Order it today: https://lnkd.in/eRYDKXdT ♻️ Repost if you believe team performance should be built, not assumed. And for more on how I scaled teams to build a £4.1bn business, Follow me Richard Harpin.

The best employees act like owners. The best owners act like employees. I believe this with every ounce of my leadership. Why? Because titles should never define contribution. When employees think like owners, they take full responsibility—protecting the brand, driving results, and making decisions with the bigger picture in mind. When owners think like employees, they stay grounded—connected to the daily grind, the people on the floor, and the realities that drive culture and performance. That balance is powerful. It’s the difference between a company that operates and a company that thrives. Years ago, I made a commitment to myself and to those I lead: I would never forget what it’s like to be in their shoes. To understand what they do day in and day out. And no matter how far I grew in my role or in my “title,” I would never stop being one of them. I’ve seen it firsthand—when people step outside their titles and step into shared accountability, walls come down, collaboration goes up, and teams become unstoppable. Leadership is not about hierarchy. It’s about ownership, humility, and a relentless focus on the mission we’re building together. 💎

Promoting the Wrong People at Work: Why it Hurts and How to Fix it I'll never forget the time my manager promoted his friend (Let's call him Steve) to a senior position, even though Steve had only been with the company for 6 months and had little relevant experience. At first, I tried to give Steve the benefit of the doubt. But it soon became clear he was in over his head. Steve struggled with basic tasks and made sloppy mistakes that cost us time and money. Morale plummeted as our team cleaned up after him again and again. I brought my concerns to my manager, but he brushed me off saying Steve just needed more time to adjust. After a year of this, three of our top performers had quit due to frustration with Steve. It was a painful lesson on the high cost of promoting the wrong people for the wrong reasons. Unfortunately, many organizations make Steve's mistake: promoting underqualified candidates to management roles. This happens for various reasons - favoritism, rushed hiring, lack of succession planning, or plain old bias. But whatever the cause, it almost always backfires. Unqualified managers demoralize teams, drag down performance, and drive away talent. Employees lose faith in leadership judgment and become disengaged. Customers and clients suffer from subpar work. In fact, research shows that putting the wrong leaders in place is one of the top reasons companies fail to meet their goals. Promoting unprepared people also stunts their career growth. Like Steve, they end up stressed and overwhelmed, forced to learn management skills on the job. And without proper coaching, they develop bad habits that get harder to fix over time. This cycle hurts everyone involved. The costs of promoting the wrong people into management roles are clear. But what's the solution? Here are three steps organizations can take to do it right: 1. Institute fair, unbiased promotion practices based on merit, not favoritism. Make sure qualified candidates from all backgrounds have an equal shot. 2. Invest in management training and leadership development programs. Identify high potentials early and give them the skills to succeed. 3. Have open conversations about advancement. Tell employees what it takes to get promoted and give honest feedback on development areas. Following these steps will lead to qualified managers, engaged teams, and an environment where the best talents rise to the top. Leading a team is tough; don't set anyone up to fail. Promote the right leaders at the right time, and everyone wins. #leadership #culture #workenvironment

I once worked with a #team where the top performer—let’s call her Anita—was the go-to person for solving problems, mentoring juniors, and making impossible deadlines happen. She didn’t just “do her #job,” she raised the bar for everyone around her. Then came promotion season. Everyone assumed Anita’s name would be on the list. Instead, the #promotion went to someone who spent more time impressing upper management in meetings than actually delivering results—someone who was an expert in office politics, not in the work itself. The fallout was quick: Anita stopped volunteering for extra projects. Morale across the team dropped. Within 3 months, Anita had an offer from another company that valued her #skills and #leadership. By the time leadership realized what had happened, they had lost not only Anita but also two more top performers who followed her out the door. The lesson? Promotions send a powerful message—about what an organization truly values. If you reward politics over performance, favoritism over fairness, you’re telling your best people that their hard work doesn’t matter. #Leaders, please remember: ✅ Recognize and reward those who actually build your company. ✅ Promote based on merit, not manipulation. ✅ Protect your culture by putting the right people in the right positions. Because when the wrong people get promoted, you don’t just lose employees—you lose trust, morale, and the very foundation of a high-performing workplace. LinkedIn

Struggling teams don't need another framework. They need a leader. I've taken over bad teams filled with good people. I learned to embrace three themes for a successful reset: ✅ Change requires honoring the past and building the future ✅ Trust is rebuilt through actions, not just words ✅ Culture lives in daily micro-decisions Here are the 8 lessons that make it work: 1/ Honor the Past ↳ Don't play the blame game ↳ Value those who stayed through hard times 2/ Name What Stops Here ↳ Be specific about what changes ↳ Get them to help rewrite the new rules 3/ Own Your Role ↳ Acknowledge where you fell short ↳ Build trust through self-accountability 4/ Reset the Target ↳ Paint a clear 6-month vision ↳ Define what excellence looks like 5/ Define Winning Behaviors ↳ Skip empty corporate speak ↳ Make expectations crystal clear 6/ Create New Rituals ↳ Build sacred team habits ↳ Engineer connection, especially remote 7/ Embrace Iterations ↳ Progress isn't linear ↳ Celebrate small wins, learn from setbacks 8/ Rebuild Trust Daily ↳ Start from trust at zero ↳ Do what you say you'll do 9/ Catch Them Winning ↳ Be specific about what you see ↳ What gets recognized gets repeated Want more detail?  Flip through the full playbook below. Remember:  Your team likely knows the path forward. They're just waiting for you to walk it first. If this was helpful: 📌 Please follow Dave Kline for more ♻️ Share to help other leaders turn things around.

Accountability is one of the most important—and often overlooked—skills in leadership. It’s not about micromanaging or policing your team. It’s about setting people up for success. How? 🤷♀️ Through the three C's of clear expectations, challenging conversations and consistent follow-through. While we all want to believe people will naturally follow through on what they commit to, that doesn’t always happen. And when it doesn’t, too many leaders let it slide. But brushing these moments under the carpet doesn’t help anyone, all it does is erode accountability over time. So, what DO you do?? 1️⃣ Be crystal clear about expectations. Ambiguity is the enemy of accountability. If people don’t know exactly what’s expected of them, how can they deliver? Take the time to clarify actions and responsibilities WITH them, not for them. 2️⃣ Document commitments in 1:1 check-ins. Writing the actions down is REALLY important. It ensures nothing gets lost and sets a reference point for everyone involved. 3️⃣ Explain the 'why.' People are much more likely to follow through if they understand why their actions matter. How does their work contribute to the bigger picture? What’s at stake if it’s not done effectively and efficiently? 4️⃣ Anticipate and address barriers. Ask if there are any obstacles standing in the way of getting the job done. When you help remove these barriers, you’re building trust and giving people every chance to succeed. 5️⃣ Follow up at the agreed time. Don’t leave it to chance—check in when you said you would. Ideally, your team members will update you before you even have to ask. But if they don’t, don’t skip the scheduled follow-up. 6️⃣ Acknowledge effort or address gaps. If the action was completed, recognize the effort. If it wasn’t, outline the expectations for the role and provide specific feedback on what needs to improve. Be transparent about the implications of not meeting role requirements over time, ensuring the person understands both the consequences and the support available to help them succeed. (A lot of people need help to develop the skills to have this conversation!!) 7️⃣ Plan the next steps. Whether the task was completed or not, always end by agreeing on the next steps and setting clear timelines. If you need a lean/leadership coach to work on these areas and help increase accountability right across your organization, then get in touch! It's one of my specialties... 😉 _____________________________________________________ I'm Catherine- a Lean Business and Leadership Coach. I take a practical hands-on approach to helping teams and individuals achieve better results with less stress. Follow me for insights on lean, leadership and more.

After 15 years of managing teams, here's the framework I use to turn awkward 1:1s into sessions my team actually looks forward to: 1) Start on a high “What was your biggest win this month?” This isn't just feel-good fluff. When team members know I'll ask this question, they spend the entire month working toward wins we can celebrate together. If someone can’t name a win, that’s data. Now I know where to support. 2) Move to challenges “What’s been your biggest challenge lately?” or “What’s keeping you up at night?” Let them bring up the tough stuff first. You shift from a “me vs. you” vibe to a “we’ll solve it together” mindset. 3) Open the door “Tell me about you. How’s everything going?” This invites what doesn’t fit neatly on a status report: schedule needs, personal context, unspoken worries. Bonus questions I keep in my back pocket: • "How do you feel the team is doing?" • "Which team members do you wish you had more connection with?" • "What are your goals for this month?" • "How can I support you in growing toward those goals?" I conclude the call with a meta-question most managers skip: “What do you wish I asked you more often?” I learn whether they want more help on productivity, learning, career path, or just time to think together. These questions aren't scripts. They're starting points for real conversations. What's your go-to question for connecting with your team?

Teams are often dysfunctional. For six reasons, not five. In his 2002 book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," Patrick Lencioni suggested that genuine teamwork is rare, and that organizations often unknowingly fall prey to five interrelated dysfunctions that hinder team effectiveness. These dysfunctions form an inverted pyramid, each one leading to the next: - Absence of Trust: Team members are unwilling to be vulnerable, leading to... - Fear of Conflict: Inability to engage in unfiltered, passionate debate of ideas, leading to... - Lack of Commitment: Feigning agreement during meetings, leading to... - Avoidance of Accountability: Hesitation to call peers on actions and behaviors that seem counterproductive, leading to... - Inattention to Results: Putting individual needs above the collective goals of the team. Lencioni emphasizes that while these concepts are simple in theory, they require significant discipline and persistence to overcome in practice. He also writes that the leader plays a crucial role by demonstrating vulnerability first, setting the tone for the team to follow. I very much agree with his take. Based on my experience working with diverse teams across the globe, though, I would add another dysfunction: 6. Misunderstanding the Power of Difference: Diverse teams bring unique perspectives and strengths, but misunderstanding or underestimating these differences can lead to missed opportunities and great resentment. Here's how to address this dysfunction: - Acknowledge, understand and value differences. - Foster inclusive, candid communication. - Don't blame difference when things go wrong (since difference is usually not to blame). Whatever the line of difference—identity, role, or geographical location—effective teams manage differences proactively and thoughtfully. When they don't, misunderstandings and misinterpretations due to differences in language, cultural norms, and communication styles can hinder their effectiveness. When we recognize and harness differences, we unlock the full potential of teams, driving exceptional results. #Collaboration #Teams #HumanResources #Leadership #Innovation #Difference #Communication

Why do some teams thrive under pressure while others collapse? It often comes down to two hidden forces: The level of psychological safety people feel. The performance standards they’re held to. Not just one of the two. Both. Amy Edmondson’s framework shows how these forces interact, creating four very different team dynamics: Apathy Zone (low safety, low standards):  People disengage. They show up, but their minds are elsewhere. Minimal energy, minimal outcomes. Comfort Zone (high safety, low standards):  People are relaxed and friendly, but without challenge. It feels nice—but progress stalls. Anxiety Zone (low safety, high standards):  Pressure is high, but fear dominates. People play it safe, withhold ideas, and avoid risks. Performance suffers despite effort. Learning Zone (high safety, high standards):  This is the sweet spot. People feel safe enough to speak up, experiment, and fail, while being stretched to achieve ambitious goals. This is where true innovation and growth happen. Here’s the key insight: Psychological safety alone is not enough. A comfortable team without high standards doesn’t move forward. But also: Performance standards alone are not enough. High standards without safety create fear. Strong leaders cultivate both: they build an environment of trust and respect, and set the bar high enough to push people to their potential. The best teams don’t just feel safe. They feel safe and challenged to do hard things. Which quadrant are you or your people in today?