2019 annual Inside this issue An Elite Team revolves around a pinpointed purpose Leverage the power Values are worthless of diverse thinking without collective buy-in WE MOVE THE PERFORMANCE DIAL THROUGH THE POWER OF PEOPLE We are a specialist business consulting firm of Organisation Development Specialists. We transcend human potential into successful organisational practice. Our scientific approach, based on solid research, targets measurable indicators associated with high performance. Our team of trusted consultants implements our proprietary instruments, processes and tools to facilitate the desired change. We work in close cooperation with our clients to build custom- made programmes. Our solutions are aimed at transforming individuals, teams and organisations. humaninterest.co.za Contents SHAPERS 5 An Elite Team revolves around a pinpointed purpose 6 The value of purpose-driven leadership 7 Instill a higher purpose to increase financial performance 8 Creating or finding a purpose? 9 Using the concept of “Grit” to drive goal achievement 10 A managers’ guide to goal setting dos and don’ts 11 Setting goals…and achieving them 12 The necessity of role clarity in teams 12 Defining roles and unpacking responsibilities to empower your team towards 13 exceptional performance Foster role clarity to meet the human brain’s requirements 14 Deep work: A necessity for quality execution 14 How to enable deep work 15 Dear Friends, How to use process mapping to drive efficiency 18 Don’t underestimate the power of communication in teams 19 What effective listening really entails 20 Welcome to our 2019 Insights. During the Communication in remote teams 20 course of the year, our articles have focussed on the 15 characteristics of an Elite Team. We DRIVERS 21 have structured this publication according to Unpacking commitment 22 our Elite Team Profile and have divided it into Increasing team commitment 23 three sections, what we like to call Pillars; The power of commitment: A case study 24 namely Shapers, Drivers and Accelerators. The power of accountability 25 During the course of the year, we have had Leading people to be accountable 26 the opportunity to partner with many teams Can more than one person be accountable? 27 as the actively work towards reaching their What is psychological safety? 28 potential. We have refined our team transfor- mation process and added significant depth to Psychological safety and accountability: A trade-off? 28 our quantitative analysis – all to facilitate rich Creating a culture of psychological safety 29 conversations on team dynamics and what Leverage the power of diverse thinking 30 a team has to either leverage or remove to Neurodiversity: A different perspective 30 achieve greatness. Diversity in virtual teams 31 We were honoured to present at a number Four steps to help you learn from your mistakes 32 of conferences across Southern Africa, and Change for change’s sake can be advantageous 33 relished the opportunity to engage with HR Adaptability as a result of curiosity 33 Leaders on how to run internal HR functions like stand alone Consulting firms. Prompting ACCELERATORS 34 them to answer a key question: Would they Defining employee empowerment 35 buy from themselves? Enablement: The key to empowerment 35 We wish you all the best for 2020 and look The art of positive empowerment 36 forward to continued conversations on how Celebrate small wins to boost performance 37 to move the performance dial through the Reap the benefits of saying “thank you” 37 power of people. For high-performing teams, continual (self-propelled) learning is a way of life 38 A Rigorous selection process is part of the status of an Elite Team 39 Janko Kotzé Replace your annual reviews with real-time coaching 40 An emotional intelligent team fosters a healthy space for feedback 42 Managing Director How an Elite Team is a biome to facilitate reaching full potential 43 Human Interest Values are worthless without collective buy-in 44 Inclusive team leadership: The sturdy mesh of safety and buoyancy 45 How peer-to-peer feedback in high-performing teams transcends potential 46 Inclusive decision making unlocks team potential 47 Cover photo by amirali beigi from Pexels | Insights 2019 3 Our service offering Elite Team Development Succession Planning TM Our Elite Team assessment and programme shape Develop future leaders and build a pipeline to your employees into high-performing teams. feed critical, or lynchpin, positions. Leadership Development Organisational Diagnosis Our Elite LeaderTM Profile facilitates fast-tracked Assess the overall health of the business to address growth for the contemporary business leader gaps in culture, climate and engagement levels. Organisation Design Culture Transformation Co-create fit-for-purpose organisation Foster the desired corporate culture at multiple levels. structures to reach strategic goals. Coaching Talent Management Tailored, one-on-one coaching programmes which empower individuals Harness the power of the employee experience to reach their full potential, both professionally and personally. to recruit, develop and retain top talent. Human Resources Transformation Custom Learning Programmes Recalibrate the Human Resources function from a Construct and implement made-to-measure learning service provider to a strategic business partner. programmes to empower each individual in your workforce. Bespoke Masterclasses Change Management Tailored masterclasses presented as practical Accelerate enduring agility to secure the survival of the workshops to elevate employee engagement and organisation, with your workforce as driving agents. align your team’s output with business objectives. Insights Shapers1 Shapers An Elite Team revolves around a pinpointed purpose In the new world of work, the organisational structure is rapidly transforming from a top-down, hierarchical approach to an inclusive and team-based style. A leading research report strongly suggests that shifting towards a team- based model significantly improves organisational performance. High-performing companies have taken the team A 2019 global study of engagement from the ADP Respondents described companies that ascribed paradigm one step further by operating as a network Research Institute® found that trust in team leaders to this philosophy as ‘social enterprise.’ The study of teams: participants move from team to team rather is the foundation of engagement. reported that 91% of respondents (executives and than remaining in static formal configurations. employees) who said their company had a strong The purposing of high-performing systems highlights sense of purpose also said their company had a history High-performing – or Elite – teams channel their three fundamental characteristics associated with such of strong financial performance. energy to create superb synergy. The collective ability leaders. of the team transcends each member’s capacity The critical role of the leader of high- as they overtake their rivals and outperform in Purpose cultivates reassurance among anticipated productivity. Team members are well performing teams in establishing aware of the fact that they are more likely to reach purpose. leaders and stakeholders alike – and can their full potential by being part of this Elite Team. One of the notable personal qualities of leaders of lead to a competitive advantage in a time of economic volatility. High-performing teams are ignited – and Elite Teams is the willingness to invest large amounts of time in the system. This time investment is not driven – by purpose. limited to hour-to-hour or day-to-day time but also If high performing companies are the product of a includes the sense of a year-to-year – and even Additionally, personal experience and engagement are network of Elite Teams – where participants can move decade-to-decade – timeline. critical factors in the transformation towards social seamlessly from one role to the next – leadership need enterprise. Aligning personal purpose with organisa- to embed a strong sense of team-based thinking. No tional purpose is the primary driver of high-performing team can succeed without a well-defined purpose. Another outstanding personal quality organisations in terms of employee experience. If the purpose is not clear, the team will falter. An of a leader at the helm of a high- Personal experience is also defined by the meaning Elite Team, however, is both ignited and driven by its participants derive from their work and emotion purpose. performing team is the ability to connected to the larger purpose of the team. develop and express deep sentiments For them, purpose is shorthand for their raison d’être, about the team, its purposes, the A recent study revealed that employees would give up the most crucial reason for the team’s existence. a part of their remuneration to experience a sense of Purpose aligns energy, drives interdependence and people in it, its history, and its future. purpose. In the survey, conducted among 3,500 pro- pushes performance. It is from purpose that mutually fessionals in the UK, 49% of respondents who wanted agreed-upon goals are derived, roles are defined, and to leave their current employers said that they would strategies are developed. The leader also has the aptitude to focus on the give up part of their compensation to stay in their various issues in the system that truly make a position with an added sense of purpose. Indeed, one research report defines Elite Teams as difference to the team’s performance. These matters