04 Jul Why ‘Behaviorally Smart’ Teams Work
It never ceases to amaze how many organizations rely on groups of people (teams) to deliver significant outcomes for their businesses yet invest few resources in understanding the individuals who make up a team.
Great team dynamics are the basis for success. When teams are built on knowledge of one another’s behaviors, communication style and environmental needs, winning is an inevitable outcome. Through behavioral discovery, it’s possible to understand, develop and productively use human capital to transform personal and team performance. Understanding that behavior, communication and learning style are hard wired but can be “influenced,” is a key starting point to building a “behaviorally smart” team.
An investment in successful team work must be set and modeled from the top down, with a board and C-suite investing in validated assessment tools that suss out the factors noted above for each individual. Only then can they leverage strengths and account for challenges as they match people to positions and teams, all the while ensuring a higher rate of productivity and success.
Teamwork means sharing responsibilities based on clearly defined goals, values, priorities, talents, training, and sound leadership, and doing so for the collective good. Not for individual accolades. When senior leadership understands the natural behavior and inherent talents of their team members, engagement, trust and success follow.
Often, teams rely on a few, often very gifted, people to do all or most of the work. This is contrary to “teamness” and most often leads to inefficiency and failure. Working collaboratively is not only good for business; it is a sign of individual and corporate maturity.
It’s worth noting that in most working environments the “real you” is not seen by others. People naturally tend to hide their natural selves behind a mask. Productive teams know and have identified each other’s learned and inherent behaviors and know how to work together.
Without behavioural knowledge and insight, people won’t naturally, consistently work effectively together and they won’t understand why there is conflict nor how to resolve it. They will have limited understanding of why some team members disengage, some fail to share information, and others have unsuccessful conversations without realizing they have done so.
These are among the reasons to understand every team member (employee), taking the time to build optimal teams from the proverbial ground up. Most organizations know the importance of building teams through a shared vision, ensuring that team members have clear roles and responsibilities. With that clarity, teams understand that they are led by a leader whose people skills are honed and mature.
Too few companies invest the time or resources to understand the behavior and communication style of individuals. Highly functioning teams cannot be built if members don’t know each other at a deeper level.
Be behaviourally smart about team building; you’ll be amazed by the payoff.
Hugh Massie, Behavioral Strategist
CEO & Founder, DNA Behavior International
Hugh Massie is a global pioneer in the practical application of behavioral insights. A “reformed CPA” and serial entrepreneur, Hugh has since 2001 focused his efforts on his role as CEO and Founder of Atlanta-based DNA Behavior International. The company and its network, online and off, is a behavioral data and technology solutions business that helps individuals and organizations discover and leverage strengths. Hugh and his team make their validated, proprietary “behaviorally smart” technology available to clients via the internet; some clients incorporate the applications into their other systems. Hugh’s solutions have impacted more than 1.5 million people/year in 125 countries and 11 languages, including leaders 2,500+ businesses and 20,000 financial advisors who are now behaviorally smarter. “Understanding and leveraging behavioral insights can powerfully disrupt the work of individuals, teams, leaders and organizations in positive ways, including affecting the bottom line,” Hugh says.
Learn more about DNA Behavior International and its Business DNA, Financial DNA and Communication DNA brands by visiting BehaviorallySmart.com, emailing inquiries@dnabehavior.com, calling 1-866-791-8992 or live chatting https://secure.livechatinc.com/licence/2142091/open_chat.cgi.
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