HBR On Leadership

The Secret to Leading Highly Collaborative Teams

Aug 9, 2023

In this engaging discussion, Marcus Buckingham, head of research on people and performance at ADP and a bestselling author, shares insights on cultivating collaboration in teams. He highlights the importance of understanding individual team members' strengths and aspirations to boost productivity and morale. Buckingham explores innovative concepts like 'team joining' and emphasizes a culture of open communication. He also discusses adapting leadership styles to post-pandemic dynamics, focusing on curiosity and individual passions to enhance engagement and retention.

29:07

Episode guests

Marcus Buckingham

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Quick takeaways

Understanding team members as individuals and their strengths is crucial for improving team dynamics and collaboration.

Creating a safe space for team members to share their strengths and vulnerabilities through intentional team joining leads to better utilization of unique talents and promotes a collaborative environment.

Deep dives

Understanding the Importance of Team Dynamics and Collaboration

Author Marcus Buckingham argues that improving team dynamics and collaboration is crucial for productivity, morale, and talent retention. By understanding team members as individuals, their strengths, and what they love, leaders can create a more collaborative and fulfilling work environment. Buckingham highlights the significance of team joining, where new members share their strengths, what they love to do, and areas where they need assistance. Curiosity about each person's unique loves and contributions should be the fundamental design principle in building effective teams. Emphasizing team member uniqueness and designing rituals like regular check-ins around individual strengths and contributions can lead to reduced turnover, increased engagement, and better team performance.

Frequency of Check-ins and Managerial Impact

01:47

Team joining instead of onboarding

01:00

Embracing Individuality and Autonomy in Work

01:21

Intro

3min

Enhancing Team Collaboration

6min

Fostering Collaborative Team Dynamics

6min

Emphasizing Uniqueness in Team Dynamics

4min

Transforming Workplace Dynamics

10min

If you’re leading a team, you know how hard it is to facilitate collaboration – especially when they don’t know each other well or may never meet in person. When people struggle to work together, it can harm productivity, morale, and talent retention.

But New York Times bestselling author Marcus Buckingham argues that you can improve your team dynamics if you understand the people you manage: how they learn, what they love, and how to bring out their strengths.

“[W]hen you first join, [Lululemon] want to know all about your goals and aspirations and dreams,” Buckingham, head of research on people and performance at ADP, tells IdeaCast host Alison Beard. “So right from the get-go, they’re like what’s inside you?”

In this episode, you’ll get step-by-step advice for improving collaboration on your teams from day one. You’ll also learn how you can balance your team members’ unique strengths and interests with your business goals.

Key episode topics include: leadership, leading teams, talent development, psychology, organizational culture, managing people, team building, team joining, onboarding, employee engagement.

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Find Joy in Any Job: How Do I Get My Team to Love Work? (2022)

· Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast

· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

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HBR On Leadership

The Secret to Leading Highly Collaborative Teams

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Understanding the Importance of Team Dynamics and Collaboration

The Role of Structured Team Joining in Enhancing Collaboration

The Future of Work: Putting People at the Center

Frequency of Check-ins and Managerial Impact

Team joining instead of onboarding

Embracing Individuality and Autonomy in Work

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts