

Do you often find yourself checking up on your team members to ensure things are on track—or worse, remembering to check up on them at 3 a.m., or in the shower, or while driving to work? It’s a common trap entrepreneurs fall into and a big waste of mental and emotional energy. It’s also completely avoidable.  In this episode of the Team Success podcast, Shannon Waller walks us through two of the most draining entrepreneurial pitfalls—black holes and open files—and explains how these two issues undermine your energy (and your confidence in your team). Plus, she shares a simple solution for eliminating them both for good. 


Closing Black Holes And Open Files: A Simple Guide For Accelerating Teamwork

Shannon Waller, author of The Team Success Handbook, has been the entrepreneurial team expert at Strategic Coach® since 1995. Shannon Waller’s Team Success podcasts are a series of insights around teamwork and success that she’s gained from working with entrepreneurs.

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Raise your hand if you’re a perfectionist. Do you often find yourself focusing on what’s not working and feeling constantly frustrated? When your team checks in with you on a project they’re working on, do you tend to focus on the parts that need to be fixed? The parts that aren’t completed yet? “What about X, Y, and Z?”

In this episode of Team Success, Shannon Waller discusses why it’s critical to work and lead from “The Gain,” not “The Gap.” She explains the concept of The Gap And The Gain™, one of the foundational concepts of Strategic Coach® that has helped tens of thousands of people improve their relationships with their teams, families, and everyone else. Don’t miss this episode for practical methods to create psychological safety within the team, foster a positive environment, and drive growth within your team.

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Show Notes:

Shift Your Focus To Progress, Not Perfection

 	* When you measuring progress from where you started (The Gain) rather than against an ideal (The Gap), you celebrate how far you’ve come and focus on what is working.
 	* Acknowledging The Gain builds confidence and motivation within yourself and your team.
 	* Remember: Progress, not perfection, is the key to growth.

Cultivate Psychological Safety For Your Team

 	* Studies (see links below) have shown that top productive and profitable teams share just one thing in common: everyone trusts and respects one another. Researchers refer to this aspect of group culture as “psychological safety.”
 	* Psychological safety in a team has repeatedly shown to have a bigger impact on the team’s performance than any other factor, including collective intelligence.
 	* As a leader, your job is to help people stay in The Gain instead of The Gap; otherwise, they are going to play defense, not offense.
 	* If people are defensive, they’re not taking risks, and if they don’t take risks, your company can’t grow.
 	* When there is psychological safety, team members can own their mistakes because they are allowed to make them to learn from them.
 	* Dan Sullivan, co-founder of Strategic Coach, says, “When there’s a problem with a person, 99% of the time it’s not the person; it’s the system.”
 	* Being an “impact” leader means always measuring progress and looking for improvement ideas to improve results.

Strategies For Staying In The Gain

 	* Positive Mindset: Use the Strategic Coach online web app WinStreak® to track your top three wins every day and set up three wins for tomorrow.
 	* Short-Circuit The Amygdala: You can use tools such as The Experience Transformer® to turn negative experiences into valuable learning opportunities without overreacting or placing blame.


 	* Describe The Circumstance:Begin by objectively describing the situation that did not go as planned, focusing on facts rather than emotions.
 	* Identify Successes:Acknowledge aspects of the experience that worked well to recognize positive elements amidst challenges.
 	* List Areas For Improvement:Pinpoint specific aspects that did not contribute to the desired outcome to identify areas for enhancement.
 	* Brainstorm Solutions:Encourage creative brainstorming to generate ideas for improvement based on the identified challenges.
 	* Implement A New Approach:Develop a revised plan, incorporating insights gained from the experience to guide future endeavors.


 	* Encourage Learning:Treat failures as learning opportunities and promote continuous improvement for culture and company growth.

The Strategic Coach P.A.G.E.

Stuck In The Perfection Gap? Try Leading From “The Gain”




Before important client meetings, are you and your team running around handling last-minute logistics? How prepared does your team feel going into the meeting? In this episode, Shannon Waller discusses the value of bookending client meetings with clearings and debriefs to elevate the overall experience for clients and team members. Here’s the why and how of Strategic Coach’s backstage process that prepares the team for delivering exceptional front stage results.

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Show Notes:

Clearings Before Meetings:

 	* Positive Focus®: Starting with the Positive Focus exercise allows everyone to:

 	* Feel energized and excited by reflecting on a recent win.
 	* Get present and shift their focus from past or future distractions.


 	* Preview of the day: Providing an overview of what to expect during the day:

 	* Helps everyone get familiar with the agenda, timing, and their roles.
 	* Focuses the team on key conversations or key points to make.


 	* Setting intentions: Everyone states what they want to be true at the end of the experience, thereby creating a shared vision they’re all aligned on.

Debriefs After Meetings:

 	* Reflection and sharing: Debriefs at the end of the day provide an opportunity for team members and clients to reflect on the experience, share insights, and discuss key takeaways.
 	* Continual improvement: By discussing what worked well, areas for improvement, and any insights gained, the team can continually enhance their performance and refine their approach for future meetings.
 	* Leaving on a positive note: As a final wrap-up, each person shares the value they got from the meeting.

Benefits Of Clearings And Debriefs:

 	* Being present: The team has greater engagement in, participation in, and ownership of a superb client experience.
 	* Centering the results for the client: By focusing on what will allow clients to leave feeling more confident and motivated, the team can stay responsive to delivering a more personalized and impactful experience.
 	* Psychological and emotional preparation: The team is alert and responsive to client needs, ready to expand and elevate the thinking in the room. Everyone is more confident, clear, and prepared to take action to achieve the agreed upon-result for the client.
 	* Transformational experience: When the team is focused on the clients, they have the opportunity to create unexpected value for them, elevating the interaction from a transactional experience to a transformational one.

Teams can incorporate clearings and debriefs with meetings, coaching sessions, workshops, or any other key client interactions to significantly enhance the overall experience for both clients and team members. At Strategic Coach®, we also have clearings and debriefs for internal team meetings so that we can continually improve our internal experience. Though the goal is to constantly improve client satisfaction, this always has to include elevating the experience for team members too.

Resources:

Article: “Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn’t Show On The Front Stage.”

Free tool kit download, including The Positive Focus®

<a href="https://www.eosworldwide.

Behind The Scenes: The Key To Creating First-Class Client Experiences




How would you like to learn a strategy for improving creativity, connection, and collaboration within your team that’s as simple as saying the word “yes”? In this episode, Shannon Waller explains how graciously saying yes to your team members’ ideas is an easy yet powerful way to foster deeper conversations and collective problem solving, and dives into the importance of cultivating a positive environment for idea sharing. With actionable techniques for leaders, entrepreneurs, and team members to harness the power of teamwork and practical ways to validate and engage with new ideas, this is one episode you won’t want to miss!

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Show Notes:

 	* Finding aspects of an idea to say yes to can significantly increase collaboration and creativity within your team.
 	* Team productivity depends heavily on whether entrepreneurs can create a positive space for sharing ideas.
 	* To foster this kind of idea-sharing culture, it’s important to acknowledge and respect the mindset of individuals who are brave enough to come to you or their team leaders—people who stand higher above them in the company’s hierarchy whether it’s explicit or not—with their ideas.
 	* There are practical techniques you can use for engaging with and validating new ideas, all of which promote constructive dialogue and problem solving.
 	* Team collaboration only gets better when you seek out and engage with new ideas from individuals whose thinking profiles and striving instincts differ from your own.
 	* Graciously finding parts of an idea to support, rather than outright rejecting ideas that aren’t perfect in their entirety, can also lead to deeper conversations and more effective teamwork.
 	* You can create a more collaborative environment for discussion when you try to find common ground with whatever idea is being pitched to you.

Resources:

Working Genius

The Kolbe A Index


The Power Of Saying “Yes” To New Ideas




In this episode, Shannon Waller talks about the dangers of the “Excellent Trap.” Are there activities you have superior skills but no passion for? Are you bored with them but resisting having someone else take them on? Let Shannon convince you why you should let go of these “Excellent,” but not “Unique Ability,” activities. Shannon has useful advice on how to identify the activities, when it’s time to let them go, and who to hand them off to.

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Show Notes

Signs To Look Out For:

 	* Loss of passion: If you find yourself going through the motions without the same level of excitement or interest as before, it could be a sign that you’ve outgrown the activity.
 	* Boredom and lack of challenge: Activities that were once stimulating may become routine and unchallenging over time, leading to lack of interest.
 	* Others who show skill and energy: Pay attention to people around you who show a keen interest in the tasks you excel at but no longer feel passionate about. These individuals may bring fresh ideas and creativity to the table.

Benefits Of Passing Off Tasks:

 	* New perspectives: Allowing someone else to take over tasks can bring in new perspectives and innovative approaches that you may not have considered.
 	* Freeing up time: By delegating tasks that no longer fire you up, you free up time to focus on activities that engage your creativity and align with and help you grow your Unique Ability®.
 	* Team growth: Passing off tasks can also contribute to the growth and development of your team members, providing them with opportunities to showcase their skills and creativity.

Steps To Take:

 	* Self-reflection: Identify Excellent activities where you have superior skill but lack passion. For comparison, also make a list of your Unique Ability activities, those you find endlessly fascinating and motivating. Pick one or two Excellent activities to let go of.
 	* Identifying potential candidates: Keep an eye out for individuals within your team or network who exhibit enthusiasm and creativity in the areas you are considering passing off.
 	* Initiating conversations: Approach potential candidates and discuss the possibility of them taking over the tasks. Observe their reactions and eagerness to explore these responsibilities.
 	* Transition planning: Once you find a suitable candidate, plan a smooth transition of responsibilities, ensuring that the handover is seamless and well-communicated.

Conclusion:

Recognizing when to pass off activities where you excel but lack passion is a crucial step toward personal growth and team development. By entrusting tasks to individuals with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm, you not only free yourself from mundane (to you!) responsibilities but also foster a culture of collaboration and growth within your team. Embracing this mindset of delegation and empowerment can lead to enhanced creativity, efficiency, and overall success in both personal and professional endeavors.

Resources:

Unique Ability® 2.0: Discovery by Catherine Nomura, Julia Waller, and Shannon Waller

The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham EOS®: Entrepreneurial Operating System®

Unique Ability® Teamwork

Questions for Shannon: <a href="mailto:questions@strategiccoach.

The Excellent Trap: The Danger Of Not Letting Go



Looking for ways to improve your team's performance and create a positive work environment? In this episode of the Team Success podcast, host Shannon Waller interviews entrepreneurs Mark O'Donnell, Kelly Knight, and CJ DuBe’ about their new book, People: Dare to Build an Intentional Culture, which focuses on the importance of creating an intentional culture within organizations and how it impacts the success of a business. They delve into topics such as the difference between accidental and intentional cultures, the concept of "right people, right seats," and the mindset required for leaders to build and maintain a thriving culture. If you're looking to transform your organization and create a culture that attracts and retains top talent, this episode is a must-listen.
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Show Notes

* Building an intentional culture requires courage and boldness. It's not an easy task, but it is essential for the success and growth of any organization.
* By being intentional about the values, behaviors, and mindsets that shape your culture, you can create a workplace that attracts and retains top talent, fosters collaboration, and drives long-term success.
* The concept of "right people, right seats" is crucial for building a high-performing team. It involves finding individuals who align with your core values and possess the skills and capacity to excel in their roles.
* It’s also about surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals who align with the company's mission and purpose. This ensures that everyone is working toward a common goal and contributes to a positive and productive work environment.
* By ensuring that each team member is in the right seat, you can maximize productivity, minimize conflicts, and create a harmonious work environment.
* Genuine care and concern for your team members is a powerful force that can transform your business. When leaders prioritize the well-being and growth of their team members, it creates a culture of trust, loyalty, and engagement.
* The accountability chart is a powerful tool that helps you define the structure of your business and ensure that each individual is in the right seat. It goes beyond the traditional organizational chart by focusing on accountability and aligning roles with core values.
* Regularly reviewing and adjusting the accountability chart is essential to maintaining a healthy and high-performing culture.
* Building an intentional culture requires courage and focus. It involves being deliberate in hiring individuals who align with the company's values and ensuring they’re in roles where they can thrive.
* Leaders must also have a growth mindset and be willing to have honest conversations to address any issues and support the development of their team members.
* It’s essential for leaders and managers to provide feedback, address performance issues, and make necessary changes to ensure that team members are in roles where they can thrive and contribute to the company’s success.
* When you empower teams with a shared purpose and passion, you create an environment where team members not only feel valued, but motivated and excited to contribute meaningfully to the success of your company.

Links
The Kolbe A Index
EOS®: The Entrepreneurial Operating System®
PRINT® Why of You
Unique Ability®

Closing Black Holes And Open Files: A Simple Guide For Accelerating Teamwork

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