I’ve worked in some great teams.
The thing that set them apart was how smart they were.
Or better yet – how smart they became.
You see great teams aren’t born smart, they grow smart.
They overcome the fears that hold back ordinary teams.
Not in a passive or planned way but always a struggling and messy and creative way. Overcoming fears is like that.
They get smarter week by week, year by year.
Slowly at first then one day they suddenly realize they know stuff. They’re getting things done. They’re achieving results.
You can sense a great team just by being with them at work.
Here’s the rub – every team wants to get smarter.
Many don’t achieve it.
Why?
Why do teams fail to learn?
Intent is not enough. Values statements are not enough. Learning or Training strategies and budgets are not enough.
Growing knowledge or capability in a team is a problem that has existed since humans developed as social animals.
Societies and leaders have solved this problem in various ways but with two common threads.
First is Time.
Learning takes time. Children take around 12 years to get a standard education, more for advanced. Apprentices take 3-4 years to learn basics of a trade. Doctors maybe 10. Athletes 10,000 hours. Even driving a car needs around 100 hours of practice.
That 2 day training course you did was useful but completely inadequate.
That means every meeting, every chart, every report, every discussion should not just be for information but an opportunity for learning.
We will talk about how in coming posts.
The second is Safety.
Creating safe spaces by overcoming fears.
The best learning places are safe places. physically, emotionally & socially.
That includes workplaces.
Fear or stress shuts down active learning. If participants in that 2 day course go back into a state of fear they’re not going to retain anything they were taught.
Fear can take many forms. Fear of failure, fear of speaking up, fear of not fitting in, fear of deadlines..
It’s important to know why teams fail to learn.
Learning is slow and quiet but mistakes are noisy.
It starts with you – as a person. You have to be an active learner. Not just at work but in all parts of your life. You have to be a bit skeptical and not afraid of different ideas.
It continues in your own work. Curious and not afraid to challenge boundaries.
Then you need to instill the same values in your team. Not encouraging fear of differences or fear of boundaries.
“…Great teams…overcome the fears that hold back ordinary teams…”
When you over focus on mistakes you stop learning because you’re showing you’re afraid of mistakes. What’s your ratio of encouragement to correction?
Speaking up in a group is really stressful for some. How often do you invite a quieter team member to make a comment?
Inclusiveness isn’t just about ratios, it’s about ensuring those with different views are comfortable to express them, and quiet contributors are given the opportunity to.
Do you select and promote learners or followers? Are you afraid of being challenged?
Deadlines are vital, but if everything is urgent and long term answers are ignored, you stop learning – because you’re afraid of waiting.
Remember knowledge takes time but fear is immediate.
That means every meeting, every chart, every report, every discussion should not just be for information but an opportunity to overcome fears.
What are you afraid of?
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“I might be wrong, but at least I’ve thought about it…”