This is just a quick reminder that every teams needs to work on its ‘TLC’. And I DON’T mean Tender, Loving Care.

Now, I am not suggesting that there isn’t a place sometimes for a bit of traditional TLC – far from it, strong personal relationships between team mates are vital to your success, and with that comes a requirement to support each other. So yes, if someone needs a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen, then engage your TLC drive!

What I am talking about is a different acronym. This TLC is made up of three of the fundamental core principles of teamwork, and one that every team should take time to develop and improve. For me, the TLC of teamwork is Trust, Leadership and Communication.

TRUST

Practically every teamwork model has trust at its core and pretty much every expert would agree that this is a foundation stone upon which you build your team. (Check out Pat Lencioni’s book ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’ as an example). Without it, you will struggle to get anywhere. It can take time, it can be hard earned and lost in a second. It takes faith and belief in those around you, but the rewards for taking the time to work on trust in your team can me limitless.

LEADERSHIP

Teams need a good leader. Again, something I don’t think anyone would dispute. There’s plenty written elsewhere about leadership – including my recent ’21 top tips’ article – so I won’t go into what I think makes a good leader right now. Suffice to say it’s another vital piece of the team puzzle that has to be put in place. Leadership is changing, and I believe it is the responsibility of everyone in the team to lead in some way, even if you don’t think you are doing it. Watch Drew Dudley’s excellent 6 minute TED Talk on everyday leadership to see what I am talking about.

COMMUNICATION

The final letter ‘C’ should actually be three ‘C’s – standing for communicate, communicate, communicate. Teams have got to communicate frequently and well. Here’s a great quote from Sandy Pentland, who has used technology and big data to quantify good teamwork (read this Harvard Business Review article for more on his work).

“We’ve found patterns of communication to be the most important predictor of a team’s success. Not only that, but they are as significant as all the other factors – individual intelligence, personality, skill and the substance of discussions – combined”.

There’s so much more on communication which I will cover in coming weeks, but here’s my top three tips:

1. Whenever possible, do so face to face. All the science shows it’s still the most productive way of communicating.
2. Communicate frequently. Don’t hide if there’s something uncomfortable to be addressed – it needs to be said. Great teams are ones where people speak up.
3. When you are going to communicate, and especially if there is potential for emotions to run high, remember another acronym – CALM. Speak with Clarity, remain in an Adult state, remember to Listen as much as speak and do so with a Measured tone.