How To Build Teams During Uncertain Times

0:01What's going on here? What actions might we need to take in order to make an improvement there?

0:10How do you create a high-performing team, in particular during uncertain times, when you're under pressure, when we really need to double down on leadership? So this is what we are going to be covering today. And it's a topic that I am hugely, hugely passionate about. Because here's the thing. You are only one person. There are only 24 hours in a day. So, you know, you might think that your organization is about your brand, your logo, the product you offer to your clients and your customers. And all of that is hugely important. Of course it is. However, the most important asset in your business, and the accountants may disagree with this, but a technical definition of an asset is your people, your teams.

1:03and when you actually have a team that really works together it is night and day in terms of the results you can achieve how you feel as an organization and how you come together as a team now I'm really lucky because I get to work with incredible businesses all over the world And those businesses are actually the ones which are totally smashing it. And we work on high performance growth. What does high performance really mean? You know, I work with some of the biggest global brands around the world, not just in terms of the executive leaders, but also their teams, their boards, their senior leadership teams, etc.

1:52So it is hugely, hugely important that we focus on our people and we're able to do that in a way which is authentic and meaningful. So let's get into this. Now, if you are not already following Brave Bob Brilliant, please do. Let's get connected on social media. Hit the subscribe button. Or if you're watching this on YouTube, or maybe you are listening to this on the podcast, on iTunes, on our Apple podcast, or on Spotify, hit the subscribe button, because then you will get notified every time we go live with a new episode. And we are building an incredible community of business leaders, of entrepreneurs, of founders, of senior leaders that are totally scaling up everything they do.

2:41So we are all about growth at Brave Bob Brilliant. We don't want to play small. We want to absolutely go for it. But, you know, why is this so important in particular right now? Well, listen, there is a lot of economic pressure. You know, arguably there always is. When you're in business, you will have been through multiple highs, multiple lows, etc. And certainly the 30 plus years I've had in business, you know, I've seen some incredibly turbulent times and had to lead through, you know, very, very challenging situations, you know, whether that was the Gulf War, whether it was 9-11, whether it was Ash Cloud, COVID, you know, all of these things, the crisis in the Middle East, et cetera.

3:23So arguably in business, you're always going to have challenging times, but certainly at the moment there's a lot of uncertainty. Economic backdrop is challenging. We have global wars going on. We have impact on consumer confidence. So, you know, why am I mentioning this? Not to be doom and gloom, because I also believe that when the times are tough, that's when actually we often are creative. It's when we might find other opportunities that maybe we wouldn't have come across when times were just sort of steadily plodding along. But the thing is here, it's so important that we lean into our teams.

4:03We back our teams. We actually create the best teams that you possibly can because you are only one person. And as I say, only 24 hours in the day. So you're only ever as good as your team. So actually paying attention to this, the best leaders that I see, you know, they create white space in their diaries. So it's not jam packed full of busy meetings all of the time, but they create that space to really support their teams, to create a high performing team and to be able to recruit talent and attract long term talent into their organization. And that's what smart leaders do. And let's be honest.

4:41You know, how do you define a high performing team? A high-performing team actually wins together or not at all. So I would challenge you in your organization to really be honest. Are you genuinely a high-performing team or actually are you a collection, a working group where, yes, you have some collaboration. Yes, you have some elements of a common purpose, but there are still silos. There's still individuals that are maybe focusing on their own results as opposed to, you know, the collective results of the team. So a high performing team wins together or not at all. And that is a big cultural shift.

5:27Now, when the pressure is on and we have to deliver numbers and we have a difficult macroeconomic background, it can be really challenging to not let that pressure get to you as a leader and therefore let that pressure filter down to your team. So we have to avoid that because high performance does not mean work harder, right? It really does not. Actually, it often means doing less but working in a smarter way. So I am going to take you through, you know, at the high performing team model that I actually use with my clients. Now, this is a money can't buy kind of experience that you're getting now, because I want to take you into the boardroom with me.

6:12I want to take you into the environment of the best organizations in the world and really open the closet for you in terms of high performing teams. And what does that mean? Now, as a leader, you know, your role is to set the vision, get people aligned behind a common purpose, recruit absolutely brilliant people. give them this tools that they need to do their jobs provide the accountability but also the autonomy so that they can fly and thrive and succeed and create an environment of psychological safety that's what great leaders do and that's really where i see the results coming in both in terms of creating a culture where people genuinely feel part of something and genuinely want to actually, you know, work together to achieve more because they're so focused, they're so behind the goal, they're so aligned with the brand and the purpose.

7:21And, you know, I think there's also, you know, what I see quite a lot is that people often join brands, but they leave bosses, right they join brands but they leave bosses so your role as a leader is to create the right environment is to really provide all of those aspects that someone that is ambitious has the opportunity to really showcase their best talents and you're there to support and help them thrive and ultimately as a result of that you will find that you get the results for the business for your clients, for all your stakeholders, for the shareholders, whoever it is that you may need to actually work with.

8:07So before we continue, I want to speak directly to those of you who are listening and thinking, I know I'm capable of more, but I need structure. I need some help. Because here's what I've actually learned after, gosh, more than three decades in business. You know, ambition without clarity creates frustration. And motivation without structure, it really does fade very, very fast. So that's exactly why we created Rise Academy. And Rise Academy, it's not theory. It isn't fluffy motivation, although you will be motivated. And it certainly isn't another online course that you never finish. It's actually a fully structured growth environment for ambitious entrepreneurs, leaders, and founders who absolutely are ready to do all of these things.

9:03Sharpen their strategy, elevate their leadership, increase revenue with intention, and build businesses that actually support the life that they want. And inside Rise Academy, we focus on the foundations most people skip. Leading yourself, leading your teams, and leading the business. It's about clarity, standards, decision making, commercial intelligence and execution. Because scaling, it really isn't about doing more. It's actually about doing the right things and doing the things right consistently. So if you're serious about stepping up into your next level of your leadership, your business life, and not just consuming content, but actually implementing it, then Rise Academy was absolutely built for you.

9:52So you can find all the details on our website, go to www.brave-bold-brilliant.com. And now let's get back to the show.

10:06There's a lot in here. And as I say, you know, I've been in business for 30 plus years. So I've seen a lot the highs and the lows the challenges I've seen poor leadership I've seen teams that are dysfunctional you know and sometimes that happens in the boardroom as well let me tell you very often you know I can sometimes be called in to actually help with quite a dysfunctional board or a dysfunctional leadership team or a team that is working in silos so I've been privileged to run very large global organizations myself as the managing director of the emerging markets at TUI, as the CEO of Saga, but also as a portfolio business owner today.

10:46So I don't know it all, but I've certainly seen a lot. And my purpose in life is to unlock the brilliant in leaders, businesses, and their teams. So I'm hugely passionate about this. So what is a high performing team? Well, there are six characteristics of a high performing team. Okay. So I'm going to go through each of these and then I'm going to give you a little bit of a tip as to how you can really take a good look at your own team, see where you are, and then have a clear plan if there are some areas which you might need to work on all right so we have to confront our own reality sometimes and what we see sometimes pleases us and other times what we see maybe challenges our thinking or might disappoint us in certain ways but knowledge is power if you take action and you listen to the feedback all right so a high performing team then there are six characteristics Now, there are other models of high performing teams, but this is the one that I really like to use and the one that, as I say, I use with my global clients.

12:02So when we run an executive edge program, we are deeply immersed with the senior leadership team, with the board for three days, two to three days off site where we can really focus and get into this. and we bring in psychometric profiling we do all sorts of great stuff but a big part of what we look at is high performance and board effectiveness now you might be sitting in your business right now thinking oh my gosh i could do with some of that well if you do please do drop us a line because we're here to help you know whether it's our executive edge program whether it's our leadership masterminds whether it's one-to-one business mentoring or indeed our rise academy which is our digital online platform.

12:43We are here with a whole suite of business strategy and leadership development programs that is going to get you to that next level. And in particular, when the times are tough, this is the most important time to invest in yourself as a leader, but also your teams, because that is what's going to get you through the challenges. That is what's going to deliver the results. And that is ultimately what's going to really create a meaningful work environment. So grab a pen and paper. if you haven't already, because you might want to take some notes. You can also listen back to this. Remember, we have our YouTube channel, Brave Bold Brilliant.

13:19We have our podcasts, Brave Bold Brilliant, again, which is broadcast on Apple, on Spotify, wherever you listen to your podcasts, you will find us. And Brave Bold Brilliant is in the top 1.5 % of all podcasts in the world. We have well over 600 episodes now, So there's so much rich content there for you to learn from each other. And we are creating this fabulous community of incredible business leaders. So as I say, make sure we're connected and subscribe to Brave Bold Brilliant on YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, anywhere else that you get to choose. So listen, six characteristics of a high performing team.

14:00The first one is being aligned behind a common purpose. All right. Now, this is where every single person in the organization, in your team, understands why you exist, how you help your clients, how you differentiate yourself against your competitors, why you exist. And that passion and energy that when you have that alignment behind a common purpose, I'm telling you, that's when your team becomes unstoppable. And as a business leader, it's absolutely critical that you set the tone and you provide that vision, that mission, that excitement. The strategy is clear. Everyone understands why you exist, because that really is where, you know, the magic is.

14:48That's where the real personal connection to the brand and the organization comes. So when you create a culture that is purpose led, then that's when you can stand out in the crowd. So that's the first thing. The second characteristic of a high performing team is around having an accepted leadership team. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, what I mean by that is that the leadership team is understood, is respected, has credibility, has gravitas, is able to lead in a authentic, powerful way that the whole organization, internal and external stakeholders get behind. Now, I don't know if any of you have been in a situation where maybe there's been the change of an MD or a CEO or someone in a senior leadership position and they just don't gel in the new organization.

15:42That can happen. Or sometimes it can be that a certain team, as I say, can be a bit dysfunctional. Maybe there's a bad apple in the team that then spoils the whole lot. So we've all, I think, over the years, experienced either directly or indirectly scenarios where the leadership was not respected. The leadership team was not really working cohesively as one. And you feel that. That filters all the way through an organization. So you'll have to have this real strength in being, you know, recognized as a strong leadership team that people respect. And this isn't just about the boss. This is about the leadership team.

16:22OK, so the third area, which is really important with a high performing team is roles and responsibilities and making sure that they are super clear. Every single person knows what part they play. They understand where there are interdependencies. They understand how they contribute to the wider team and the wider business. But everyone knows exactly what's expected of them. And the roles and responsibilities are super clear. Now, sometimes you can get a blurring of roles and responsibilities. And that can happen, especially as an organization might be growing and we're adding certain elements in.

16:57Or it could be that technology is changing. You know, we're looking at the speed of AI right now. And that is changing people's roles and responsibilities. So when that happens, it's really important to just stop, check in and actually just redefine those roles. Make sure it's super clear. And if you do have some joint responsibilities, you know, how are you going to work together is going to be really important. So clear roles and responsibilities. The fourth area is around strong relationships. Now, you don't have to have everyone in work or in a business as being your best friends. This is not what I'm talking about.

17:35But what I am talking about is a mutual respect for each other, having relationships where it's a human to human interaction. And I believe that in the world of tech and AI, human to human is almost becoming a new currency, which sounds quite bizarre. So AI tech is all amazing. We need all of that. Of course, we do. It allows us to go further faster, but actually relationships, because here's the truth. People do business with those that they know, like and trust. now that could be a fellow colleague it could be actually be you know an external person coming into the business maybe you're trying to attract new employees new talent it could be someone investing in your organization so it's so so important this human to human so those solid relationships really important let's say you don't have to like everyone you don't have to agree all the time but you do need to have respect and actually especially during tough times it's so important so solid relationships the fifth point i want to talk about is systems and processes now this is often an area that scores the lowest in organizations and it can be the harder one to crack in particular in a more mature organization that may have legacy systems it's been bolted on the you know it's a huge huge machine that you're actually trying to kind of deal with that can be quite difficult if you're in a startup mode actually this can be a great way to to set you know the way that you're going to work going forward but actually building it in a way that has much more automation from the beginning so you're not trying to retrofit so systems and processes facilitate the way we work right and how efficient we can be and then the final the final characteristic of a high performing team is excellent communication and that is excellent communication within the team but also to the wider business to the external world because at the end of the day you know you don't want to be the best kept secret so as a brand it's absolutely critical that you communicate you know what you offer to the market what you offer to your customers and equally internally you can never over communicate and in particular when you're going through tough times economically or where there's lots of periods of change communication is so so critical and that is of course is linked to the relationship piece right so this all of these six characteristics are hugely hugely important so there's a lot in here i appreciate that but you know one of the ways that you can then really take a good look at whether you are a high performing team or not and hold a mirror up to you and you have to be honest here if you're going to do this in a meaningful worthwhile way is you literally you you write down individually how you would score yourself you know one one to ten on each of those characteristics as a collective as a team and I always say do it individually to start off with and then you know you get the whiteboard out and everyone puts their scores on there and allows you then to average it out and see how you're doing now normally what happens is you have a couple of areas where you're scoring high there's normally a couple sort of middling and maybe middle to middle to upper and then there's normally a couple of outliers that are quite low but what that allows you to do then is okay interesting what's going on here what actions might we need to take in order to make an improvement there and and you almost make that you know you make that commitment together as a team to change and to improve and it's quite also quite helpful if you set yourself an aspiration you know when you're sitting here in 12 months time what would you like to see those scores as so it's super simple super powerful so creating a high performing team is more important now than ever and it is not about asking your team to work harder it is about aligning behind a common purpose having excellent relationships clear roles and responsibilities systems and processes that support everything that you do an accepted leadership team and really being able to pull together as a collective a winning team wins together or not at all we are here to help we are absolutely by your side hand in hand with you whether you're listening on the podcast whether you're watching on youtube whether you would like our help and support in your business either yourself as a leader or with your teams please reach out now is the time to invest effort resources energy emotion into your team there is never a better time than today so let's keep it real let's be there to support each other and just remember it genuinely genuinely is by being brave and bold that you're going to unlock your brilliant so i will see you next time i really hope you've enjoyed this episode of brave bold brilliant remember check out our new website www.brave-bold-brilliant.com you're going to find loads of resources on there that's going to help you with your leadership journey and with the businesses that you're trying to scale up and grow.

22:50So take care everyone and remember there are no limits to your growth but it is by being brave and bold that you're going to unlock your brilliance.