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{"id":4035,"date":"2021-02-04T05:02:26","date_gmt":"2021-02-04T06:02:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/proactivetraining.com.au\/news\/?p=4035"},"modified":"2021-02-04T08:04:44","modified_gmt":"2021-02-04T08:04:44","slug":"building-teams-that-speak-up-and-solve-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/proactivetraining.com.au\/news\/2021\/02\/04\/building-teams-that-speak-up-and-solve-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Teams that Speak Up and Solve Problems"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our work with organizations of all sizes, we\u2019ve encountered a perplexing gap that stymies consistent innovation and impedes customer and employee experiences. We hear frustrated senior leaders ask, \u201cWhy am I the only one who finds these problems? What\u2019s wrong with my managers? Why can\u2019t they see this stuff and fix it?\u201d or \u201cWe\u2019ve got so many ways for people to submit their ideas, why don\u2019t we have teams that speak up and solve problems?\u201d<\/p>\n

Do you know what\u2019s really interesting?<\/p>\n

When you talk to the front-line employees in these same organizations, you\u2019ll often hear statements like this: \u201cThe only way to get the customer what they need is to use this workaround. I\u2019ve been doing it for years, which is why my customers love me. It\u2019s not standard procedure, though, so I keep my head down and hope my boss doesn\u2019t notice.\u201d Or this: \u201cThey say they want our ideas, but nothing ever changes. I\u2019ve stopped bothering.\u201d<\/p>\n

People have ideas. Leaders want to hear them. But somewhere it breaks down.<\/p>\n

Why the Gap?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We conducted quantitative and qualitative research<\/a> into why this disconnect exists and what great organizations can do to overcome it. Some of the key reasons people don\u2019t speak up with ideas and solutions are that leaders don\u2019t ask (49 percent of respondents), people think their ideas won\u2019t be taken seriously (50 percent), people lack confidence to share (40 percent), and don\u2019t receive training in critical thinking and problem solving (45 percent).<\/p>\n

Managers and team leaders are at the heart of the breakdown between senior leaders\u2019 desire for contribution and front-line employees\u2019 discouragement. Typically, there are three reasons managers and team leaders don\u2019t support a courageous culture:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Lack of training:<\/strong> They simply don\u2019t know how to cultivate a solution-focused team. Many managers aren\u2019t trained in leadership fundamentals, much less in how to foster an environment where everyone speaks up and solves problems.<\/li>\n
  2. Insecurity:<\/strong> We regularly hear from people who tell us that their immediate supervisors suppress information for fear it will make them look bad.<\/li>\n
  3. Conflicting expectations and accountability:<\/strong> Faced with getting results today, many managers don\u2019t know what to do with all the ideas that might come their way. Their visible goals appear to conflict with having a team of people who speak up. As one manager told us, \u201cWhat I need is for people to follow my directions. I know how this works. If they\u2019ll just do that, we\u2019ll make our targets.\u201d When managers take this approach, they\u2019re often focused on short- term success and can\u2019t see the long-term benefit of teams that solve problems, constantly improve, and take initiative to serve the customer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How to Help Your Managers Cultivate Teams that Speak Up and Solve Problems<\/strong><\/p>\n

    You can help managers build teams that speak up and solve problems by equipping them with three specific skills.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Navigate the Narrative<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      First, help leaders find their courage. In order for employees to speak up with confidence, they need to see their immediate supervisor doing it too. For managers that struggle with this, \u201ca courage map\u201d where they tap into their own history of courageous actions can help them rediscover their courage and their personal leadership values. Start by asking, \u201cThinking of your career, what has been your most courageous act?\u201d<\/p>\n

      When managers are insecure, there\u2019s a story that\u2019s causing it. The story may be may be rooted in a real present-day fear. A \u201cfear forage\u201d can help to surface these fears by having teams of leaders anonymously submit their hopes and fears related to an initiative. Aggregate the hopes and fears and discuss what\u2019s causing them and how the team can work through them to ensure success.<\/p>\n

      Getting the fears into the room reduces their grip, helps everyone recognize they\u2019re not alone, and gives the team a chance to directly solve the biggest challenges. When we do this exercise with executive teams, it often turns out that everyone shares a similar fear\u2014which reduces anxiety and makes it easier to solve.<\/p>\n

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      1. Cultivate Curiosity<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Next, give your managers the tools to draw out great ideas from their teams. One practical way to do this is with \u201ccourageous questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

        Courageous questions differ from an insipid \u201cI\u2019d love to hear your thoughts about how we can improve\u201d by making specific, vulnerable queries that prompt authentic responses.<\/p>\n

        Examples of courageous questions include:<\/p>\n