Tough calls and the right team

Every CEO has a story about a challenge or failure that ends with, “I should have moved more quickly to fix that dysfunction on my team.”

People and performance issues are the trickiest to solve and often get back-burnered because of their emotional complexity. But when we tackle them, the outcome is always worth the effort.

A culture that values directness and resolution is foundational to building a resilient team. But there is a lot to construct from there. I’ve learned some guiding principles from great leaders and my own experience that go a long way in quickly creating a successful team.

➡️ Trust is table stakes.

At a minimum, leadership requires building trust with our teams by doing what we say we will do. At the same time, a CEO must trust that their leadership team is aligning with the vision and leaning in to make it a reality vs. leaning back and waiting to see what will happen. If your spidey senses say someone isn’t “all-in,” run hard after the truth. Have the heart-to-heart, ask the difficult questions, and LISTEN to their “why.” Can it be fixed fast? If not, parting ways may be best for everyone.

➡️ HR is not an administrative function; it’s a performance one.

Every CEO needs a partner-in-performance. Every leader needs someone to hold him or her accountable to holding the team accountable to well-defined and well-communicated goals. The best HR leaders fit the bill. It requires someone who has the capacity to understand the business in detail, the gravitas to challenge the CEO or business partner, and a process to track and improve performance.

➡️ Resilient businesses need both rockstars and superstars.

Kim Scott, in her book "Radical Candor," writes about the difference between rockstars and superstars. Her blog (https://lnkd.in/em9Murxf) also explains, “People in rock-star mode are solid as a rock and they are the backbone of team stability. Think the Rock of Gibraltar, not Bruce Springsteen. They love their work. They have found their groove. They don’t want the next job if it will take them away from their craft….People in superstar mode, on the other hand, need to be challenged and given new opportunities to grow constantly. They are the catalysts for team growth.”

Is your great performer a rockstar or superstar? Superstars are easy to reward with promotions and more responsibility. Rockstars are central to a sustainable business and must be acknowledged in other ways that keep them happy and secure. What will motivate your rockstar to stay? Only they know, and getting to know them and what drives them personally is the only way to find out.

Resilient businesses can only grow with resilient teams. I'd love to hear others' lessons learned while building them.