During a coaching session with one of my clients in the biopharma industry who was participating in our 90-Day Emerging Leader Coaching Program, we discussed the potential transformational outcome that can occur when extraordinary teams are able to have fierce dialogue.
This client moved into a leadership position during our second month together which provided room for some amazing conversations as she has been able to take the work we are doing and see how it plays out in real-time.
During this particular conversation, we were focused on some internal struggles with having real conversations that are positive and productive.
By real I mean no fluff, no b.s., no sugar-coating things, and respect.
In other words…. authentic, fierce dialogue.
She was putting some of the blame on herself as she firmly believes that a team is a direct reflection of its coach.
I simply stated that while it was admirable to hold herself accountable, we needed to reframe how she was looking at this challenge.
After ten minutes of discussion, I suggested to her that she needed to make a decision on what type of team she wanted to build and what type of culture she wanted to create.
I anticipated her next question but instead of beating her to the punch, I let her ask anyway.
“What does the type of team I build have to do with our inability to have fierce dialogue?”
So here is what I share with her.
Teams vs Extraordinary Teams
There are teams and there are extraordinary teams.
A team is a group of individuals who come together toward a common goal and vision.
An extraordinary team is a group of chosen individuals who operate with a singleness of purpose and serve each other while doing so. They run to the fight for each other and not just with each other.
They refuse to let each other fail and in doing so collectively build something special.
There are still people who believe that you can be wildly successful, an elite team if you just go out and get the top talent regardless of what type of teammates they have been. Go get the best-skilled people and you will be the best team.
Here is the thing: team beats talent when talent isn’t a team.
The success of the extraordinary team is a result of the inspired and coordinated effort of leaders and team members to accomplish challenges beyond their singular capability.
Members of an extraordinary team have a sense of identity and purpose:
- Know who they are and what they stand for
- Operate with a singleness-of-purpose
- Part of something far bigger than themselves
- Have attached personal meaning to a higher purpose
- Honor, respect, and elevate each other and their brand
Extraordinary teams thrive on positive energy, are optimistic realists, trust each other, are accountable to each other, and are CONNECTED.
What is powerful about a connected team in addition to them taking the time to get to know each other and understand each other at a deeper level is their ability and willingness to have FIERCE DIALOGUE:
Fierce Dialogue includes:
- The courage to talk honestly and compassionately
- Willingness to be open and vulnerable
- Offer encouragement to each other
- Ability to listen and adapt
- They get it out there and deal with reality in real time
Build an extraordinary team.
This was originally published as a weekly newsletter from Ed Molitor, with The Molitor Group. If you’d like to receive the weekly newsletter, follow this link to subscribe.
