Expert: John Batten, Strategic and Technical Sales Manager, Columbia Threadneedle Investments Facilitator: Paul Miles, Founder, Silverback Consulting
Headlines:
- The importance of leaders in setting vision and direction, while managers focus on operational execution
- The benefits of clear cultural alignment, especially during acquisitions, to ensure smooth integration and long-term cultural fit
- Fostering trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and a results-focused mindset within teams. Participants shared practical strategies for building these attributes to create resilient, effective teams
- Clear articulation of vision, purpose, and values is essential for guiding decision-making and aligning efforts
- Setting structured, measurable goals throughout the organisation enables alignment and performance tracking
Discussion points:
Differentiating leadership and management to build clear role expectations
Participants explored the unique contributions of leadership and management to organisational success. Leaders drive vision and strategy, while managers execute through discipline and operational focus. Balancing both roles effectively can drive team performance.
Strategies for building a cohesive culture and aligned values
The discussion focused on strategies for involving employees in vision and value creation, fostering a shared sense of purpose, and addressing challenges in cultural alignment—particularly during business acquisitions. Managing generational expectations and integrating new teams while preserving core culture were also discussed.
Attributes of effective teams based on trust, conflict, and accountability
Participants discussed the five dysfunctions of a team, including lack of trust and accountability, and shared insights on fostering trust, encouraging open conflict, building commitment, holding teams accountable, and maintaining a results-focused mindset.
Importance of vision and purpose for organisational clarity
The need for clearly defined vision, purpose, and values was emphasised as a foundation for decision-making and alignment. Participants shared methods for embedding these elements into the organisation and using them to evaluate performance.
Setting and tracking objectives, metrics, and KPIs across teams
To ensure alignment with the overarching business vision, the group discussed cascading goals into measurable objectives and KPIs. Topics included differentiating targets from KPIs and aligning individual goals with team and organisational priorities.
Maintaining focus through reinforced communication channels
Regular communication was underscored as critical for clarity and accountability. Participants shared practices for team meetings, performance reviews, and feedback loops to keep teams aligned and focused on shared goals.
Navigating generational expectations to build collaborative teams
Participants shared insights on managing generational differences within teams. Emphasising shared goals and encouraging open communication were seen as key to fostering collaboration and understanding among diverse team members.
Key takeaways:
- Encourage leaders and managers to understand their distinct roles in vision-setting and execution to foster cohesive team guidance and ensure operational alignment
- Engage employees in the development of organisational vision and values to foster buy-in, ensuring they align with both business objectives and cultural expectations
- Identify and address team dysfunctions by cultivating trust, supporting healthy conflict, fostering commitment, and holding team members accountable for their contributions to organisational goals
- Establish a framework for cascading organisational vision into specific objectives, metrics, and KPIs at all levels, ensuring alignment, measurability, and accountability.
- Use team meetings, feedback loops, and performance reviews to reinforce clarity and alignment, ensuring consistent focus on organisational values and objectives
- Facilitate open communication to address generational differences within teams, supporting collaboration through shared goals and mutual respect
- Offer training to enhance management and leadership skills, equipping employees with the tools to drive performance and inspire their teams
- Regularly evaluate and adjust strategies to ensure ongoing alignment with the organisation’s vision and objectives, allowing for flexibility and adaptation as needed
