Connected Teamwork Podcast

If you want to keep learning, you need to be willing to let go of your power and comfort and move to the edge, shared Hanson Hosein, Emmy-award winning journalist and master storyteller.  Listen to where you can contribute on the edge between what the universe calls forth from you and what the zeitgeist is. That is a place where you will contribute and find meaning. We build Connected Teams by helping each other do what gives us meaning. This isn’t always easy. Sometimes we need to be willing to drop the mike and to go into the empty in between spaces. “Keep yourself in the creative vein,” shared Hanson, I also play guitar for example. That is how I make sure I stay connected to my creative energy.

Building a high performing team takes time, says Paul Reitz, CEO of Titan International. It starts with building trust and connectedness. How? You need to consistently show up in alignment with your values and take accountability for yourself.  You need to take accountability for your actions. That creates an atmosphere of trust where you can give each other the hard feedback when needed. And realize that feedback is a moment in a relationship, not the whole thing. “We go for lunch after the feedback conversation.” We often learn most from the people who give us the toughest feedback. It is not easy to hear and yet one key to connectedness is to live ‘with your eyes wide open,’ says Paul. Be open to learn from everyone always. And put the team’s success first. It’s not about you, it’s about helping the team be the best they can be. And borrowing from “First Break All the Rules,” focus on the higher performers. The others will either follow or over time leave the team.

Anything worth having you have to work hard for, shares Luciano Miranda, Vice President of Data Analytics at Medtronic. Discover the essential elements of a high performing team: a strong team identity, a learning mindset, and intentional connectivity. Learn why tackling task and relationship conflicts and holding people accountable—despite discomfort—is crucial for outstanding results. Dive deep into the strategies that foster team health and drive exceptional outcomes.

“When we speak from the heart, we are speaking truth and that has a very different quality than speaking from the mind,” shared Roopa Foulger, Vice President at OSF Healthcare in this Connected Teamwork podcast. We need to take of the masks. They block our wisdom, creativity, empathy and cause stress. How do we do this? We first acknowledge that in some settings wearing a mask may seem necessary. Then, with gentleness, we explore why we wear this mask and what it would be like if we let go a bit of this protective layer. “As leaders we may think we should know it all,” shares Roopa. That is one of our masks and is not our job. We need to be deep listeners and observers of our team’s dynamics so we can see when it is time to help people on our team share more freely, for example after they have received a  strongly worded disagreement. What would it be like if we shared yourself a bit more freely today?

How do we keep growing? We need to be clear about where we are going. Our goal has to be bigger than our tendency to stay in the comfort zone, says Scott Stalker, who served in the US Marine Corps for 31 years in senior leadership positions and is now a coach focused on personal development and national security. Take a look: how do the people, information and habits in your life support where you are going? And bring patience and gentleness to your journey. If it doesn't work out today, that doesn't mean anything.  What's most important is that you remain committed to the journey you're on.

Navigation Organization Success, through Collaboration, Trust, and Inclusion.

On the latest episode of Connected Teamwork, Sheevaun Thatcher, CPC, VP of Strategic Enablement at Salesforce, and "jungle gym manager" with a diverse sales and leadership career, joins Microsoft's Salesman on Fire Carson V. Heady to dive into the nuances of leadership styles, culture and adaptation.

The essence of teamwork has taken on new dimensions, revealing its transformative potential in shaping organizational success. As a leader who has traversed through various landscapes of leadership, Sheevaun has come to appreciate the profound impact of connected teamwork on driving innovation, fostering growth, and navigating through challenges.

Open Communication, the Lifeblood of Teamwork

During this 2-day online summit we learned together with leaders from all walks of life how we can build Team Connectedness Quotient (CQ), making use of every moment as an opportunity for team learning, cohesion and impact.