As an executive leader, the principles espoused by Patrick Lencioni, renowned author and organizational health advocate and research conducted by McKinsey & Co, provide a valuable roadmap for cultivating a thriving work environment.
This is the third post in a new Blog series focused on executive skills needed to build and maintain healthy organizational cultures.
In the dynamic landscape of organizational leadership, creating a healthy workplace is not just a noble aspiration but a strategic imperative. Lencioni emphasizes the pivotal role of trust as the cornerstone of a healthy organization. In his book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," he notes, "Trust is knowing that when a team member does push you, they're doing it because they care about the team." Trust is the bedrock upon which a healthy workplace is built, fostering collaboration, open communication, and a sense of collective purpose.
McKinsey & Co research found that "companies that work on their health, we’ve found, not only achieve measurable improvements in their organizational well-being but demonstrate tangible performance gains in as little as 6 to 12 months. This holds true for companies across sectors and regions."
To eradicate silos and enhance collaboration, Lencioni introduces the concept of vulnerability-based trust. This trust is cultivated when team members feel safe expressing their ideas, admitting mistakes, and seeking help without fear of judgment. Research by the Harvard Business Review supports this, stating that teams with high levels of psychological safety perform better and are more innovative (Edmondson, 2019).
The importance of clarity in organizational health is a theme Lencioni expands upon in "The Advantage." Clarity ensures that every team member understands the organization's core values, goals, and their individual roles in achieving them. A study by Gartner found that employees who understand their role in achieving organizational goals are 2.8 times more likely to be engaged at work (Gartner, 2019).
Lencioni's model also stresses the significance of healthy conflict. In a workplace where healthy conflict is encouraged, diverse perspectives are considered, and innovative solutions emerge. As Lencioni aptly puts it, "Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry."
Executives must recognize that organizational health is not a one-time initiative but an ongoing commitment. Continuous monitoring, feedback loops, and adaptive strategies ensure that the principles of trust, clarity, and healthy conflict remain integral to the organization's DNA. As Lencioni wisely states, "If everything is important, then nothing is." Focusing on these core principles allows executives to cultivate a workplace that not only survives but thrives in the face of challenges.
So how can you start working on organizational health today? According to McKinsey & Co "The key to speed is a rigorous approach. This starts with making the quest for organizational health an integral part of forward-looking leadership: senior leaders need to consider themselves architects, not passive bystanders." They recommend four steps: 1) choosing the performance culture (the “recipe”) that will drive their organization’s performance. Then 2) moving to adopt that recipe as quickly as possible, addressing the mind-sets that will drive new forms of behavior, and 3) building a committed team of people at all levels to get involved. Finally, 4) developing fast feedback loops to monitor progress and course correct if necessary.
As an executive leader, embracing the principles of organizational health outlined by Patrick Lencioni is not just a leadership style; it's a commitment to fostering a workplace where individuals thrive, collaborate seamlessly, and collectively contribute to the organization's success. By prioritizing trust, psychological safety, clarity, and healthy conflict, executives pave the way for a resilient and flourishing organizational culture.
Resources:
Lencioni, P. (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Jossey-Bass.
Lencioni, P. (2012). The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business. Jossey-Bass.
Edmondson, A. (2019). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Wiley.
Gartner. (2019). Gartner Employee Communications Survey Reveals 4 Insights for Improving Workforce Engagement. Retrieved from https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2019-08-19-gartner-employee-communications-survey-reveals-4-insights-for-improving-workforce-engagement
McKinsey & Company. (Year, Month Day of publication). "Organizational Health: A Fast Track to Performance Improvement." McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from
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