This year's Olympic Games were a true spectacle. In Paris, the world's best athletes came together to showcase their skills and reap the rewards of years of practice and discipline. Even more so, we had the opportunity to observe the dynamics of high performing teams.
 

Are you only as strong as your team? What makes a high performing team? How can individuals contribute?

In light of the recent Olympic Games, we'll be taking a closer look at this. For this, we are picking up the book "The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups" by Daniel Coyle and share with you the individual building blocks / skills:
 

Skill: Build safety

Safety is crucial for fostering a sense of belonging in any group. Signals like:  

• Eye contact
• Facial expressions
• Being attentive
• Body language  
• Tone of voice  

contribute to creating psychological safety. Psychological safety means that team members don’t fear negative consequences for asking questions, expressing concerns, or sharing ideas. In such an environment, they feel encouraged to contribute, which leads to open and honest exchanges.
 

Skill: Share Vulnerability

Without vulnerability, team members cannot build trust with one another. When we show vulnerability, we encourage all team members to bring their "authentic selves" to work. A team member who brings their true self to work is able to fully engage, which strengthens and multiplies the performance of the entire team.
 

Skill: Establish Purpose

A shared purpose unites teams, enabling them to work effectively toward a common goal. This  is essential for successful collaboration. Successful groups have a clear and compelling sense of purpose, which often goes beyond e.g. receiving a paycheck.

Leaders play a crucial role here. They set the environment by reinforcing the culture and establishing goals and priorities that align with the organisation's values.

If any of you have already read the book, feel free to share further insights in the comments. Aaand, in case we sparked your curiosity about the book, you can find it linked above.