Situation: A CEO wants to enhance teamwork and improve leadership at all levels within the company. Occasionally there is an attitude of “not my job” in response to a request. Differences in direction from leadership within the company has led to confusion of priorities. A common issue is the need to assure that priorities are aligned and consistently communicated across teams and the organization. How do you keep everybody on the same page? How do you enhance teamwork and leadership?

Advice from the CEOs:

• Conduct daily and/or weekly meetings to assure that everyone is aligned and on message. This has the additional advantage of bubbling up more ideas from deeper down in the organization.
• Develop clear action items within these meetings. Confirm at least verbal understanding and agreement on each item.
• Involve all team members in team meetings. Enforce participation.
• As facilitator, take charge of the meetings.
  • Reduce long, drawn-out meetings to short, concise meetings.
  • Prep ahead of the meeting – let all participants know that they are expected to come prepared as well.
  • Stay on focus during the meetings.
  • At the end of important discussions, and again at the end of the meeting, summarize action items and responsibilities, and confirm understanding.
• Other things that help:
  • Reduce the use of buss words during meetings. Speak in language that all understand.
  • Speak in terms of outcomes, not tasks. If the discussion is derailed, refocus on outcomes.
• This works effectively in meetings with all levels of employees.

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