Effective Team Building & Affecting Change as a Leader

September 14, 2020

Good morning!

How are you feeling today? Forty-one years ago last night Laurie and I were engaged to be married — after knowing each other for just thirteen days. I’m not sure how we’ve survived this long together, but I’m glad we have. I have no way of knowing if this is typical, but one of my kids purchased a home over the weekend (hooray, millennials; I believe in you!) by making an offer ten percent (10%) over the asking price. The home was on the market for just one day and they knew there was stiff competition from other hopeful buyers.

World Population Trends

• Take a guess at the prediction/ projection of the three most populous countries by the end of this century.
  • India and China are probably safe bets, the United States stabilizes, but Nigeria explodes to almost four times its current population.
  • Three or four other African countries also explode, but none like Nigeria, and it becomes the third most populous country in the world (assuming the same geopolitical boundaries, of course!).
  • India decreases by 300,000,000 but still grabs first place; China decreases by an astounding 50% and becomes second-largest, down from current first.  (World Economic Forum)

Politics Aside…

• According to a recent poll WSJ poll, sixty-two percent (62%) of (United States citizens) don’t feel comfortable speaking freely about politics.
  • I’m sad to say — and somewhat ashamed — I’m in the majority.
  • I’m predisposed to philosophy, nuance, listening, and questioning… not too much of that around any more.

Building an Effective Team

• According to Llopis, team building is both an art and a science, and the leader who can consistently build high performance teams is worthy of (her/ his) weight in gold.
  • When you manage each team member individually, you maximize (his/ her) strengths and learn how to fill in for (her/ his) weaker areas.
    • Individualized instruction?  Are you serious?!
  • … supported teams are successful teams… leaders are only as successful as their teams…

Aside: looking for help discovering how to get started with building an effective team? Without a Vision Consultancy can help!

The Essential Seven Skills to Affect Change

• The Essential Seven for affecting change:  Coaching — character — communication — commitment — contagious energy — caring — consistency (YT edits)
  • From Salesforce:
    • Make sure your own house is in order… it’s a business imperative to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of organizational culture;
    • Set the tone at the top… leaders (and others) will take their cues from what they OBSERVE in the C-suite, not from what they’re TOLD from the C-suite;
    • Empower your people… and hold leaders within your organization accountable for cultivating strong, diverse, inclusive teams;
    • Strengthen your community beyond the workplace… that means getting involved, staying involved, speaking up, rolling up your sleeves, and affecting change.

COVID-19’s Impact on Retail

• (From Coggins, Robinson, and Wilkie) — The great consumer shift — the COVID impact on U.S. retail:
  • Which of the behavioural changes; i.e., values, influenced/ caused by the COVIDs will stick?  We suggest:
    • Flight to online
    • Shock to loyalty
    • Need for hygiene transparency
    • Back to basics and value
    • Rise of the homebody economy

• Extensive McKinsey research boiled down to ten (10) trends based on the values (above) that have staying power:
  • • Digital shopping is here to stay
    • Millennials and high income earners are in the lead when it comes to digital shopping  (Obvi?!)
    • Consumers are switching brands at unprecedented rates
    • Brands need to ensure strong availability and also convey value
    • U.S. consumers are changing how they shop in response to health and safety concerns
    • Consumer shopping is focused on essentials
    • Consumers want value for their money — especially in essential categories
    • United States citizens are changing the way they spend their time at home
    • U.S. citizens are concerned about going back to regular activities outside the home
    • Consumer shift trends vary by consumer segment