2 Steps for Leaders to Change Team Culture | Michelle Rushton

Summary

This video explores the formation and improvement of team culture, using the 'monkeys on the ladder' experiment as a metaphor. It highlights how team cultures develop organically, often based on unspoken norms that may not serve the group's best interests. The key takeaway is that leaders and team members must actively shape their culture, aligning on behavioral norms and holding each other accountable. The video emphasizes that building a high-performing team requires deliberate effort to create alignment and accountability, offering actionable insights for leaders aiming to enhance team performance.

Takeaways

• 😀 A strong team culture is crucial for morale, engagement, and performance.
• 😀 Team culture forms naturally, whether intentionally or not, and can have a significant impact on the team's success.
• 😀 The 'Monkeys on the Ladder' experiment illustrates how group behavior norms can be established without knowing their origins.
• 😀 Team members often conform to existing cultural norms rather than shaping them, leading to potentially ineffective behaviors.
• 😀 A team's culture can hold the group back from reaching its true potential, just like the monkeys who avoid bananas for no clear reason.
• 😀 Leaders and team members must intentionally shape team culture to align with success, as it doesn’t happen by default.
• 😀 The first step to improving team culture is alignment—ensuring all team members agree on key behavioral norms.
• 😀 Accountability is the second step, with team members holding each other responsible for maintaining the cultural norms.
• 😀 A new culture requires ongoing effort to cement, as it takes time to shift established behaviors and norms.
• 😀 Team leaders should guide cultural change by facilitating conversations that foster alignment and accountability.
• 😀 Even after cultural change is initiated, it’s important to revisit and reinforce the team’s cultural norms regularly.

Q & A

What is the key problem when a team culture isn't great?

When a team culture isn't great, it negatively impacts morale, engagement, and performance, leading to poor outcomes for the team and its members.

How does the 'monkeys on the ladder' experiment illustrate team culture?

The experiment shows how a team's culture forms through shared behaviors and norms, even if no one remembers why those norms were established. The monkeys are conditioned to avoid the bananas because of previous punishment, creating an unspoken rule that persists even when the original reason is forgotten.

What does the story of the monkeys teach us about how team cultures are formed?

The story illustrates that team culture forms naturally, whether intentionally or not, and that once formed, individuals tend to conform to it. Over time, these norms can become ingrained and difficult to change, even if they no longer serve the group's best interests.

What are the three key takeaways from the 'monkeys on the ladder' story?

1) A team culture will always form, whether intended or not. 2) Individuals tend to conform to the culture rather than influence it. 3) The culture may not always serve the group's best interests, and can even hold them back from reaching their full potential.

What is the first step in improving team culture according to the script?

The first step is alignment, where all team members agree on the behavioral norms that are most necessary for the team’s success. This requires open discussions and agreement among the team.

What role do team leaders and members play in shaping team culture?

Both team leaders and members must take responsibility for deliberately shaping the culture. This involves aligning on shared values and norms and holding each other accountable to uphold those norms.

Why is accountability important in maintaining team culture?

Accountability ensures that team members remain consistent in their behaviors and uphold the agreed-upon norms. It requires ongoing effort to maintain a culture and prevent the group from slipping back into old, unproductive habits.

What does the speaker recommend for improving team culture?

The speaker recommends having team members align on behaviors that support success and then hold each other accountable to these behaviors. This is necessary to create a high-performing team.

How does the concept of 'sticky culture' affect a team's progress?

A 'sticky culture' refers to the tendency of team members to conform to existing norms, even when they are no longer beneficial. This can prevent the team from reaching its full potential by adhering to outdated practices or beliefs.

What are some practical ways to keep a team on track with its culture?

Practical ways include regular conversations to reinforce the team’s values and behaviors, addressing issues when norms are not being followed, and using leadership and peer accountability to encourage everyone to stay aligned.