Archives for April 2023

Why Opposites Attract and How We As leaders Can Celebrate Differences

The Power of Embracing Difference

As leaders, many of us are most comfortable building teams of people who share similar backgrounds, beliefs, and values – and who speak with words that resonate with us.

But what if we’re missing out on the power of difference? Research has shown that teams who are able to build communicative competence – able to fluidly bring a range of communication – when needed, in order for the conversation to be effective – are more likely to be able to access the collective intelligence that exists within the team.

Structural Dynamics and The David Kantor 4 Player Model

We should look at David Kantor’s Structural Dynamics Model to better understand group communication and the importance of recognizing and leveraging differences in our teams.

We each have a behavioral model. When you encounter someone who has a different behavioral model than you this is the fertile ground for misunderstanding, miscommunication and breakdown, after all while we may intellectually value difference, when we encounter it in the moment it can be difficult to navigate. Feeling like you are not heard or misunderstood.

A truly gifted colleague, who I met in a workshop a few months ago, wrote this poem today, during a dialogue and exploration of communication differences. I think it beautifully sums up differences and I wanted to share it with you…

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‘Opposites Attract’

a Poem by Tania Watson

You say open, I say closed

It’s all in the detail I suppose

Though when I move and you oppose

I wonder what conundrum that might pose…

I stand and watch and still I care

My bystand brings questions – so, might I dare?

I challenge, you follow

At no point do we, either, we allow

You seek process, and I to understand

But, then, on-the-other-hand…

What would happen if we didn’t plan?

And peeled the onion’s many layers

But by bit, and piece by piece

Would we seem like a grand betrayer?

Or, too far away, detached, at least?

Nooooooooo I hear from inside my soul

This dissonance absolutely isn’t real

I’m calm, I’m hot – I’m low, I’m high

And even if we’re not aligned

CAN

FLY

And, so-can-you

So, let’s not stew. Who knows? Who knew?

My story, my dynamic – it’s old, it’s new

And in it lies pure mystery – the difference that is you…And me

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It’s a Model Difference!

So if you find yourself feeling frustrated, confused or misunderstood – chances are you have encountered a model difference. Neither is right or wrong, it’s just different.

If you want to connect with Tania Watson, you can find her on LinkedIn or vist her website

If you are new to the concept of model building, I invite you to explore here and learn more about the book ‘Build your model for leading change‘.

10 Steps To Go From Lack of Clear Priorities to Leadership Success

In a recent survey we conducted at TeamCatapult (January 2023), leaders shared their top five struggles in their current leadership roles and key traits they might be missing.

Leaders indicated that they

Felt like there is only so far they can go in your current role
Were unsure how to get people to buy into their vision for the team
Struggled with a lack of clear priorities
Have a team that can’t agree on rules, responsibilities, outcomes, and strategies
Tried controlling everything or tried figuring things out on their own

What would it look like if leaders shared their ideas and vision? Would leaders try harder if they were not afraid to fail? Can you imagine a business world full of confident leaders leading us into the next century?

At Teamcatapult, we cultivate great leaders and effective teams by accessing collective intelligence. We motivate and develop one leader at a time!

Leadership development is vital to leadership success

Leadership success depends on a lot of factors. Clarity of purpose will help effective leaders move their companies forward. At the same time, with a lack of clear priorities, it can be challenging to know as a leader where to even start leading and motivating your (new) team. How can a leader be successful if they do not have a clear purpose or priorities?

Overcoming obstacles and paving the way to becoming a successful leader

What does it look like to overcome obstacles and be successful as a leader? It looks like work! There is no magic wand or easy way to get there, but through doing the work.

Competency comes with practice. Sometimes, years of practice. While you might immediately think: “I don’t have years to dedicate to this” that doesn’t mean you couldn’t start today.

What does it take to lead a team and be a good leader?

It takes effort and time to be a top manager, a great leader, inspire employees, lead a team, develop a clear mission, and achieve success!

What does successful leadership look like?

It takes… a lot and it looks like work!

To become a great leader, one needs to have the desire to work on personal development, a better future, and increase productivity, innovation, and dedication. It might include developing a model of leadership that is focused on a desire to lead change.

The leader’s roles and responsibilities

Leadership must focus on the future. You’re unable to take your people to the destination without knowing the end destination and without having a clear direction.

Employees want to know their leaders are optimistic and confident about the future.

As a leader, you must keep your attention and direction in mind while keeping your staff from distractions. Lead in a can-do spirit to continually improve, while strengthening step modifications to sustain successes.

Leadership skills come with doing the work

Successful leaders all demonstrate the willingness and ability to learn, change and grow. These leadership qualities are developed over time and with experience.

Competency comes from doing the work.

Here are 10 Steps to go from “lack of clear business priorities” to “leadership success”.

1) Identify your leadership goals

Write down your goals, team goals, and your organization’s goals. What does your leadership expect from your company and your teams? What direction do you want yo organization and your company to go in and what company goals need to be met?

Next, determine urgency and consider the importance of each goal. Set a timeline to achieve your goals, whether they are short business goals or long-range goals to achieve long run success.

Create a (written) plan for your goals and then focus on the top priorities.

Last but not least, review and adjust your priorities often as they may shift by life’s curveballs thrown at you!

2) Understand the importance of priorities to attain leadership success

Successful leaders start with prioritization. Whether it’s in their personal or professional life prioritization of priorities is step one to achieving goals.

Start by identifying your most important goals and tasks.

Next, focus your time and energy on these most important goals first. Doing so can help you make significant progress toward achieving success.

Setting priorities forces you to be organized and manage your time effectively. At the same time, avoid getting sidetracked by distractions or unimportant tasks, as doing so can undermine all your hard work.

Prioritizing should be a (new) habit you practice daily. In short, develop a more disciplined and practical approach to achieving your goals thus improving your chances of success as a leader.

3) Overcome analysis paralysis

Analysis paralysis is quite a common problem, among professionals, managers, and yes, leaders. Analysis paralysis prevents you from making decisions when the going gets tough and might lead to you not sticking to your priorities. To overcome this paralysis you need to have a system in place for making decisions and taking action, even when you feel like can’t.

4) Leaders, manage your time wisely

Many books have been written about time management. Do you have trouble getting the job done when it needs to get done?

There are many options to manage your time including calendars, tools, and time blocking.

Ultimately what will work is you making a decision to start working smart, not just hard. Managing your time is a gift to yourself.

Cut out meetings that can be an email.
Stop meeting for the sake of meeting.
Hire an assistant, and outsource repeating tasks. ‘

Anything you can do to manage your time wisely will help you move forward as it will free up more time to do the things high on your priority list.

5) Eliminate distractions at work

Set yourself up for success by finding the best time and best palace to work so that you can focus on the key tasks at hand. The environment in which you work is key to your overall success rate as a leader.

When are you most productive, in what type of environment and setting at what time of the day? In the early morning or late in the day? Do you like working at home, in the office, or on location?

Can you work with colleagues in the room, or do you need headphones or a quiet place? Eliminate email notifications, turn off your phone – do whatever it takes to keep moving forward towards your goals.

Last but not least, an effective leader shows their teams how it’s done by setting an example. Leaders inspire people; but by setting the right example and eliminating distractions to get the job at hand done, you inspire team members to do the same.

6) Build accountability

Sharing your goals and then sharing your success with others, both leaders and your team members, holds you accountable for getting things done.

Start by tracking everything you want to accomplish and everything you do. You can not improve your performance if you do not measure anything!

Data is powerful.

Next, tell a trusted colleague, a coach, or a friend what you are trying to achieve as a leader and how you want to improve performance.

Saying it out loud helps make the goals real and helps hold you accountable for your actions, and in-actions.

7) Embrace flexibility

What happens when circumstances change for you as a leader? Give yourself permission to embrace the new reality and help each person on your team understand that you are a person who is looking out for the overall best interest of the team and its team members.

Embracing flexibility does not mean letting go of the goals or the vision. It might mean restating expectations, readjusting a time frame for completing the goals, or reprioritizing the goals. It might also mean asking for help from leaders in your network, signing up for life coaching, and working on personal development to lead your team to success.

8) Seek support from other leaders

We are huge components of leveraging the help of others to achieve success. There is so much power in collective leadership. Great leaders mentor future leaders! You need a core group of people who will celebrate with you when you succeed, and will also stand by you if you fail and help you get up.

While you as a leader are responsible for the success of your team, that does not mean you can’t seek and ask for support from effective leaders you know.

If you’ve never experienced support like this, consider our cohort program. It might be exactly what you need to have the confidence to move forward in your care, job, or leadership role.

9) Mindset shifts

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that mindset shift is another tool in the leadership toolbox needed to attain success as a leader.

When a lack of priorities and confidence is present, it is often combined with a mindset of self-defamation and self-doubt. This leads nowhere. A mindset shift is needed if you are to believe in yourself, understand you can do it and set yourself up for success and be a good leader!

You. Can. Do. It.

10) Celebrate small wins

Celebrate successes along the way. Don’t wait until someone else recognizes your success, you should recognize and celebrate your own wins along the way.

‘How do you do this? Each time you reach a preset goal, give yourself permission to celebrate. Celebrate with your team members, fellow leaders and anyone else who’s part of your leadership success story!

Connect with your team members

Leaders in a company must be trusted by their team members. The key is connecting good leaders to one another to accomplish their objectives. These qualities will lead you towards genuine relationships with other people in your team.

Building relationships ad networking with other leaders is essential to building an effective culture for accountability and exceptional performance.

Ask for feedback on your leadership

Your employees don’t always have a right to be informed about your work. When evaluating a leader’s effectiveness you need support from other leaders, colleagues, or even your own people. Speaking to other people can offer the perspective you need for leadership skills. Leader training also helps identify areas that need improvements. Professional coaching is a better motivator than a book or a seminar for a leader.

Coaching and mentoring enable leaders to create connections and apply the change to an open communication authentic environment.

Measuring leadership performance and leadership success

Having clarity around your priorities is crucial to achieving success as a leader. After reading the 10 steps in this article, have you gained a better understanding of what truly matters to you and your organization?

Remember to take the time to reflect on your priorities regularly and adjust them as needed, especially when circumstances change. Always keep team members and stakeholders in mind as you make important decisions.

Cultivating great leaders and effective teams

Should you need coaching, or facilitation skills, want to learn more about setting priorities, or a mindset shift, reach out to us at TeamCatapult. We have many ways to support leaders.

May I suggest you start by listening to the ‘Defining Moments of Leadership’ Podcast? It might help you connect with other leaders like yourself.

How Reading the Room Can Make You a Better Leader and Communicator

Reading the room is a concept many have heard about, but few of us know exactly what it means. How exactly does one read the room, how can someone apply reading the room, and what results are gained from this practice?

Use this article as a guide to learn more about better communication, positive signals when communicating, recognizing underlying conversations and the skills needed for better verbal expression of mood and goals.

What does it mean to read the room?

To ‘read the room’ is a term used to describe the ability to perceive and understand the emotions, attitudes, and behaviors of people in a given social setting.

It involves paying attention to nonverbal cues such as body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions, as well as the context and environment in which the audience’s attention and interactions are taking place.

Reading the room is an important communication skill

The ability to read the room is an important skill in various settings, including social gatherings, business meetings, and public speaking engagements, as it enables individuals to observe the mood, then adjust their behavior and communication style accordingly to better connect and communicate with others.

By using social awareness and reading the room, individuals can gain a better understanding of the mood and tone of the interaction skill, which can help them navigate social situations more effectively and build stronger relationships.

Observing the room + listening = reading the room

As a leader, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the people and environment in the room.

Simply listening to one person is not enough to gain a complete picture of the situation. Instead, it is crucial to observe everyone in the room and consider their individual interactions with each other and their mood.

Take note of who is sitting next to whom and observe their mood. Do they appear happy, angry, distracted, anxious, afraid or uncomfortable? Observe how people are standing or sitting, as well as their facial expressions, including any subtle cues such as smirks or raised eyebrows.

By carefully observing each person in the room, you can gain insights into the social dynamics at play and make more informed decisions based on this understanding.

Remember, reading the room is not just about hearing what people are saying but also interpreting other cues and taking into account the broader context of the situation.

Interpret group dynamics and read the room

When it comes to team meetings and groups, reading the room can be a powerful tool for leaders to interpret groups and their dynamics.

Understanding the dynamics of a group can help leaders to identify potential conflicts, anticipate challenges, and find opportunities to build stronger relationships within the group.

Leadership and reading the room

Here are a few key things that leaders should keep in mind when reading the (virtual) room in a large group setting:

Look for nonverbal cues: People often communicate or speak their emotions and attitudes through cues, such as body language and facial expressions. As a leader, it is important to pay attention to these cues and look for patterns in how different individuals in the group are responding.
Observe the interactions: In addition, leaders should also observe how individuals in the group are interacting with each other. Who is talking to whom? Who seems to be listening? Are there any individuals who are being left out of the conversation?
Consider the context: The context of the group interaction can also be an important factor to consider. If the group is meeting to discuss a difficult topic, individuals may be more guarded in their responses. Alternatively, if the group is meeting in a more social setting, people may be more relaxed and open.
Adapt your communication style: Once you have a better understanding of the group and its dynamics, you can adjust your communication style accordingly. For example, if you notice that certain individuals in the group are more reserved, you may need to make a conscious effort to draw them out and encourage them to share their thoughts and ideas.

By paying attention to these factors and actively engage in reading the room, leaders can gain a deeper understanding of the group’s dynamics at play and make more informed decisions based on this understanding.

Who was David Kantor?

David Kantor was a Harvard-trained systems psychologist and organizational consultant.

He was a renowned systems psychologist, organizational consultant, and thought leader in the field of communication and group dynamics.

Kantor was the creator of the Structural Dynamics Model, also known as the David Kantor 4 Player Model of Communication, which provides a framework for understanding the different communication roles that individuals can play in a group setting.

Kantor received his B.A. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Chicago. He taught at a number of institutions, including Harvard University, Boston University, and the University of Chicago. In addition to his work in academia, Kantor worked as a consultant for a wide range of organizations, including General Electric, The Ford Foundation, and the World Bank.

Kantor was the founder and CEO of the Kantor Institute, a consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations to develop more effective communication and collaboration strategies. He wrote several influential books and articles on the topics of communication, including his seminal work, “Reading the Room: Group Dynamics for Coaches and Leaders.”

Throughout his career, Kantor was recognized for his contributions to the field of communication and group dynamics. He was a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, a founding faculty member of the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Organization Development Network.

The David Kantor 4 Player model

The David Kantor 4 Player Model of Communication, also known as the Structural Dynamics Model, mentioned in the previous paragraph, is a framework for understanding the different roles that small group of individuals can play in a group communication setting.

At TeamCatapult, we use this model in our leadership training and in the Structural Dynamics workshops.

This model developed by David Kantor is based on the idea that effective communication requires individuals to be able to switch between different communication roles.

The four roles in the model are:

Mover: The Mover is focused on driving action and getting things done. They tend to be direct, assertive and focused on results.
Follower: The Follower is focused on building relationships and maintaining social harmony. They tend to be supportive, empathetic and focused on the needs of the group.
Opposer: The Opposer is focused on questioning assumptions and challenging ideas. They tend to be critical, skeptical, and focused on identifying potential problems or risks.
Bystander: The Bystander is focused on observing the group’s dynamics and staying neutral. They tend to be reflective, impartial and focused on understanding the bigger picture.

Effective communication requires individuals to be able to switch between these different roles as needed to achieve the group’s goals.

For example, a leader may need to play the Mover role to drive action and make decisions, but also the Follower role to build relationships and maintain trust with the group. The Opposer role can also be important for identifying potential problems or risks that may need to wait to be addressed.

Overall, the David Kantor 4 Player Model provides a useful framework for understanding the different communication roles that individuals can play in a group setting, and can help individuals to develop more effective communication skills by learning to switch between these roles as needed.

Learning How to Read the Room

According to David Kantor’s Structural Dynamics Model, learning how to read the room involves understanding the different communication roles that individuals can play in a group setting, and being able to identify which roles are currently in play. This involves observing not only what people are saying, but also their body language, tone of voice, and other nonverbal cues.

For example, is there a dominant Mover driving the conversation, or is there an Opposer questioning assumptions and challenging ideas? Are there Followers building relationships and maintaining social harmony, or Bystanders observing and staying neutral?

Shift your own communication style

Once you have identified the roles that are in play, Kantor suggests that you can start to shift your communication style to better fit the needs of each person in the group. This may involve playing the role of a Mover to drive action and make decisions, or playing the role of a Follower to build relationships and maintain trust with the group.

Overall, learning how to read the room according to David Kantor’s Structural Dynamics Model involves developing a deep understanding of the different communication roles that individuals can play in a group setting, and being able to identify and adapt to the roles that are currently in play in order to achieve the group’s goals.

How to practice reading the room

Practicing reading the room involves paying close attention to the energy in the room.

Negative energy, nervousness, anger, anxiety, and fear can all be communicated through body language and tone of voice, and it’s important to be able to identify these cues in order to respond appropriately.

When entering a room, take a deep breath and try to stay present in the moment. As you interact with others, listen carefully to their words and pay close attention to their body language. Are they smiling or frowning? Speaking confidently or hesitantly? Nervous or relaxed? Angry or calm?

By observing these cues, you can get a better sense of the and emotional dynamics in the room and adjust your own communication style accordingly. Remember to stay in control of your own emotions and reactions even when the stakes are high, and try to create a positive and open environment for others to speak and share their thoughts.