#x-teams

I work at the intersection of technology and business, but no matter what work we do to earn our living, we can’t leave human nature behind. As social animals, even the most die-hard individualist among us is profoundly affected by those we spend time with at our workplace.

When I reflect on the emotional highs and lows at work, I’m often reminded of a scene from a favorite Christmas movie. When the main character is asked why he extols the virtue of a beloved former boss hosting a Christmas party at the workplace, his reply is memorable: “You don’t understand, he has the power to make our work a pleasure or a burden.”

Those of us fortunate enough to lead teams, either at our workplace or other areas of life (like volunteer efforts), should never forget this important notion. As leaders, we have a profound effect, both directly and indirectly (via our effect on other team members and the team environment), on whether our teammates experience the shared mission as a pleasure or a burden.

If now you are hoping I have some secret formula for how to do this, I’m afraid you are in for a disappointment. Different teams and environments will necessitate different approaches. But as I was told once in an excellent training class, intention and results matter more than process. 

If you are leading knowledge, workers, for example, keep in mind Dan Pink’s “autonomy, mastery & purpose”. Work-life balance is likely also key, but if your team is engaged in work that they can leave at the office at the end of their shift (call-center, for example), it’s likely not an issue. 

The point is to be authentic both to and for you and your team; and to recognize that, like any form of happiness, pleasant work is an emergent state, not something you can pursue directly (”Hey, let’s all be pleasant!”). 

There are some tools you can apply, however, that seem nearly universal and probably won’t need much tweaking for your context. The annual “State of DevOps Report” has some interesting data about how cultural norms, like failures being treated as learning opportunities, drive high performance. This jibes with the well-documented research result that psychological safety is a key enabler of high-performing teams. 

Lastly, don’t forget that winning is a pretty pleasant experience! Purpose won’t motivate the team unless they sense progress to successfully achieving that purpose. That doesn’t always mean the original goal is achieved, of course. Apollo 8 was originally meant to test the lunar module, but it wasn’t ready. The astronauts still managed to orbit the moon, though, which provided both valuable experience for the larger purpose and gave a nice end to an otherwise dismal 1968. Not too shabby, as a friend of mine says. 

What do you do to make working on your team a pleasure rather than a burden? I’d love to learn about it in the comments.

“Shadowcat 2.0″ by Ray Ocampo (Oct 6, 2010)