Coaching for Leaders

COLIN FISHER: THE COLLECTIVE EDGE Since his days as a professional jazz trumpet player, Colin Fisher has been fascinated by group dynamics. Today, he is an Associate Professor of Organizations and Innovation at University College London’s School of Management, researching the hidden processes of helping groups and teams in situations requiring creativity, improvisation, and complex decision-making. He is the author of The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups (Amazon [https://amzn.to/4lPgp7g], Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/90226/9780593715345]). Most of us assume that the best thing we can do for our teams is to be a great coach as they’re working together. That absolutely helps, but the research says that only 10% of group effectiveness is what we do once the team is underway. In this conversation, Colin and I explore how to get a lot better at the other 90%. KEY POINTS * The house always wins. If the structure isn’t right for the team to succeed, little else matters in the long run. * Leaders tend to put a majority of their attention on coaching teams in progress instead of the more significant work at the start of structuring and launching teams. * Work on fixing structural problems before you focus on fixing the process. * 60% of group effectiveness is determined by structure, 30% by the launch, and 10% by expert coaching. * Critical for structure is the team goal being clear, important, and challenging. Be sure to document it. * Negotiate roles, tasks, and jobs to support structure. Determine early how to articulate progress and highlight small wins. * Ask yourself if the group has the right people to achieve the objective. Deep diversity that supports the goal is essential. * Surface discussions about norms at the start, especially related to communication and storage of information. * At a team launch, articulate why everyone is there, discuss key norms, and schedule a midpoint to reflect and align. RESOURCES MENTIONED * The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups (Amazon [https://amzn.to/4lPgp7g], Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/a/90226/9780593715345]) by Colin Fisher INTERVIEW NOTES Download my interview notes [https://coachingforleaders.com/mp-files/colin-fisher-what-really-matters-for-team-success.pdf/] in PDF format (free membership required). RELATED EPISODES * How to Create Team Guidelines, with Susan Gerke [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/192/] (episode 192) * How to Generate Quick Wins, with Andy Kaufman [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/generate-quick-wins-andy-kaufman/] (episode 496) * How to Increase Team Performance Through Clarity, with David Burkus [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/team-performance-through-clarity-david-burkus/] (episode 657) DISCOVER MORE Activate your free membership [https://coachingforleaders.com/free] for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus [https://coachingforleaders.com/plus].

Dave speaks with Elham Bidar, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on the importance of balancing both technology and people in leadership. Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy [https://coachingforleaders.com/academy/] by Friday, September 12th.

ANNE-LAURE LE CUNFF: TINY EXPERIMENTS Anne-Laure Le Cunff is an award-winning neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and writer. She is the founder of Ness Labs and author of its widely read newsletter, a researcher at the ADHD Research Lab, and an advisor for the Applied Neuroscience Association. She is the author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World [https://bookshop.org/a/90226/9780593715130]*. We all get into a rut sometimes. Once we notice we’re in one, our tendency is to work really hard to get out of it. In this conversation, Anne-Laure and I explore how starting with something tiny is often the better bet. KEY POINTS * SMART goals assume we know exactly where we’re heading. Most of the time, that’s not clear. * A tiny experiment focuses on outputs instead of outcomes. * To build more comfort with uncertainty, find one small place to experiment. * Our brain uses growth loops to constantly adjust our trajectory. We don’t go in circles; we grow in circles. * Improving growth isn’t about knowledge or skill; it’s thinking about your thinking, questioning your responses, and knowing your mind. * A simple, 5-minute tool is Plus Minus Next. It surfaces what’s working, what’s not, and your next steps. RESOURCES MENTIONED * Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World [https://bookshop.org/a/90226/9780593715130]* by Anne-Laure Le Cunff INTERVIEW NOTES Download my interview notes [https://coachingforleaders.com/mp-files/anne-laure-le-cunff-how-to-get-out-of-a-rut.pdf/] in PDF format (free membership required). RELATED EPISODES * How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/376/] (episode 376) * How to Change Your Behavior, with BJ Fogg [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/change-your-behavior-bj-fogg/] (episode 507) * How to Create Space, with Juliet Funt [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/create-space-juliet-funt/] (episode 540) DISCOVER MORE Activate your free membership [https://coachingforleaders.com/free] for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus [https://coachingforleaders.com/plus].

Dave speaks with Anna Bellini, an alum of the Coaching for Leaders Academy, on how to stop a behavior in order to move forward. Apply to the Coaching for Leaders Academy [https://coachingforleaders.com/academy/] by Friday, September 12th.

LORRAINE K. LEE: UNFORGETTABLE PRESENCE Lorraine K. Lee is passionate about helping ambitious professionals go from invisible to unforgettable in the modern workplace. She is recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in workplace communication and presence and spent over a decade as a founding editor at top tech firms like LinkedIn and Prezi, where she worked on core products including the LinkedIn Daily News module and LinkedIn Newsletters. She is the author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career [https://bookshop.org/a/90226/9781394281725]. Small talk. We all love to hate it – and we also know that most of us will end up in small talk with someone who’s got a lot of influence. It may be an executive or an external stakeholder. Either way, handling it well can open up doors. In this conversation, Lorraine and I detail how to make small talk go better. KEY POINTS * Small talk is the starting point before a deeper relationship. * Most opportunities for executive small talk are predictable. Preparation will help you speak well. * Set the tone with positive energy. Rather than dominating the interaction or passively reacting to it, thread your conversations so each party shares equally. * At the office, be ready with a sentence or two about who you work with and what you’re working on. Relationships and outcomes are more memorable than titles. * At social events, share a hobby or interest and ask about theirs. Keep questions open-ended as you would with a friend. * Have a topic ready to go for quick interactions. Sharing a thought about a book or podcast that relates to your organization is a useful resource to have at the ready. * Review your go-to topics regularly so that you always have a relevant conversation topic. RESOURCES MENTIONED * Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career [https://bookshop.org/a/90226/9781394281725] by Lorraine K. Lee * Lorraine’s weekly newsletter [https://lorraineklee.com/subscribe/] * Lorraine’s career tips on LinkedIn Learning [https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/lorraine-lee] INTERVIEW NOTES Download my interview notes [https://coachingforleaders.com/mp-files/lorraine-k-lee-how-to-make-small-talk-with-executives.pdf/] in PDF format (free membership required). RELATED EPISODES * Executive Presence with Your Elevator Speech, with Tom Henschel [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/316/] (episode 316) * How to Talk to People Who Intimidate You, with Shandy Welch [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/talk-to-people-who-intimidate-you-shandy-welch/] (episode 706) * A Key Tactic for Way Better Conversations, with Alison Wood Brooks [https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/way-better-conversations-alison-wood-brooks/] (episode 717) DISCOVER MORE Activate your free membership [https://coachingforleaders.com/free] for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus [https://coachingforleaders.com/plus].