The most successful teams are not those which are filled with the most talented or effective individuals. Nature and history tell us this. Instead the most effective teams are those where individuals strive collectively and individually to do their best for a common purpose in a constructive culture. Why not take a quick look at the culture of the team you work in using our attached pointer. Amongst the team use it to gain a feel for their sense of camaraderie, how strongly they are championed, their level of collective competence, the adequacy of internal and external communication, their confidence to address challenge, their spirit of creativity and the team's propensity for caring. What have you found out? Now talk your findings through with your colleagues or with us.

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Creating a Constructive Culture
We’ve all been members of teams. Whether we are leading
them, creating them or contributing to them, how do you feel
about the team you are in? Can each and every team member
proudly say at the end of each day: “we’ve done our best today”?
Or is something not quite right?
Culture and team-work are so often seen as being largely outside
our control. But in fact we all contribute to the culture of our
organisations and immediate teams through our own behaviours.
Indeed we often work in the culture we deserve. But how can we
as individuals help ensure that culture is constructive and that people strive to do their
best individually and collectively? How do we weed out any bad apples? Using the steps
below, based on Heart 2 Head’s Seven Seas Diagnostic ©, can help:
Sea 1 Understand what the camaraderie of your team is – how committed are you to the
organisation, your colleagues and your customers? Do you take pride in your work, your
team and your organisation? Do you feel you belong and want to stay around? Can you
be yourself? Do you take pleasure in your work and feel able to speak highly of the
organisation? Do you celebrate success and feel part of wider organisational success?
Imagine you are at a party and someone asks you what you do for a living – do you
immediately say with pride what organisation you work with? If not, why don’t you try it?
Visualise the good things about your job and stress those.
Sea 2 Understand how well championed your team is – what is the team leadership style?
Is there a shared vision and focus with clear priorities? How do team leaders get along
with each other? Are the leaders visible? Do they drive change? Do they listen? Do they
take people with them?
Think of the last time you saw one of your team leaders – was it a memorable or
inspirational experience? If not what could you do next time to help that leader do better?
Sea 3 Understand how competent your team is – do you think the people you work with
have integrity? Do you have the right capacity in your team? Are you able to plan ahead
and prioritise? Are targets and deadlines realistic but challenging? Are human, financial
and other resources well directed and coordinated? Are things managed and delegated
effectively? Is performance measured properly? Are priorities and targets met
consistently? Is poor performance addressed?
Think of a time when something went wrong – could you have helped the team have
earlier warning of the issue? Could you have suggested appropriate action to nip it in the
bud and get back on track? Could you help stop things go wrong in the future?
Sea 4 Understand how communicative your team is – are communications between team
members, and those outside the team, open and two-way? Are messages consistent?
Are customers placed at the heart of activities and is communication with them
appropriate and timely? Are communications on the right things, and to the right people?
Are they honest? Are unpalatable messages given and received constructively?
Imagine you discovered that something hadn’t been done right – would you raise it?
And how would you raise it to secure appropriate action? Keep positive and constructive.
Don’t blame and finger wag. But do be direct and don’t procrastinate.

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Sea 5 Understand how much confidence there is in your team – does your team deal
fairly? Does it report honestly? Is it fair in recognising success and in sharing rewards?
Does it aim to stamp out poor practices, inequalities, fraud and corruption? Does it
ensure that people are accountable for their actions – good and bad?
Imagine someone from outside your team describing you all – what would they say?
Would they say they wished they could join you because you are successful, fair, honest
and decent? What could you do to ensure others have confidence in your team?
Sometimes a simple good gesture can create enormous waves.
Sea 6 Understand how creative your team is – is there a spirit of entrepreneurship? Is
innovation and change welcomed? Are decisions swift? Do you horizon-scan for risks
and opportunities with a commitment to learning – internally; from others; from the best?
Do you understand and take risks? Do you challenge ways of doing things and suggest
new ideas? Are new ideas entertained? From anyone? Or just the usual suspects? Do
you see new ideas being actioned?
Think of a time you suggested a new idea – what happened? What could you do to
improve your creativity and that of your team? There is no such thing as a silly question
or stupid idea. Only a notion to be answered or explored.
Sea 7 Understand how caring your team is – are you treated fairly? Are you treated as an
individual? Are you listened to? Are you supported in what you do? Are you valued and
respected and empowered to get on with your job? Are your efforts appreciated? Are
your talents used? Is your work-life balance respected? Is your work environment
healthy, safe and secure?
Think of a time you went that extra mile, worked really late, took work home – how
did you feel whilst doing it? What did others say? If you didn’t feel good and weren’t
thanked, why not? What could you do to improve how caring your team is? A kind
word....a bit of enthusiasm. These things go a long way.
For some a process of self examination is uncomfortable, either at the team level or for the individual.
But we all need to take responsibility for improving things. And even when things are going well there are
always things we can do to excel.
Sometimes it can help to get in someone independent to help facilitate improvements. At Heart 2 Head we
have helped many teams to improve through our Seven Seas Diagnostic ©. We help you assess your
team against the seven dimensions (Cs) above and come up with individual and team action plans to
improve on dimensions that are less than excellent.
Whilst a few may find the rigour of the diagnostic unsettling, for most it is enlightening and enabling and
gives clarity and focus to improvement action. It also provides hope and consensus that change will
happen. After all it does no one any favours to mask poor behaviour or performance.
If you are interested in Heart 2 Head helping your team to improve then contact us direct on
07788 727688 (Jeremy Kite) or e-mail at jeremykite@heart2head.com.
Our website is www.heart2head.com