How to Unlock Hidden Team Potential

Picture this, you are staring at your office door, dreading another day of managing that one employee who seems determined to test your every nerve... What if I told you that your biggest headache could become your greatest asset? Often, the behaviors that drive us crazy are misunderstood strengths. That constantly questioning team member? They could be your next great innovator. The employee always bending the rules? Perhaps a future out-of-the-box problem solver. 𝟱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 1️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 Instead of seeing problems, look for potential. What unique strengths is this employee not fully utilizing? 2️⃣ 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 Create a safe space for open communication. Often, problem behaviors stem from unmet needs or misunderstandings. 3️⃣ 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀  Help your employee see how their success contributes to the bigger picture. When personal and organizational goals align, magic happens. 4️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Invest in training and mentorship that addresses both skill gaps and leverages natural talents. 5️⃣ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 Recognize and reward positive changes, no matter how small. This reinforces good behaviors and builds momentum. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 When you successfully transform a problem employee, you don't just gain one rockstar - 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎. You demonstrate that growth is possible, challenges can be overcome, and every team member is valued. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 Remember, the transformation starts with you. Are you ready to see the potential in every team member, even the challenging ones? 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 "𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎" 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒆. 𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎. Ready to take your leadership to the next level and transform your team? Let's connect and explore how targeted coaching can help you turn challenges into opportunities. https://lnkd.in/gpDRRpyn #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement #ProblemSolving #TeamManagement #TalentDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #PeopleManagement

Have you ever worked with someone who you can’t quite unlock? That colleague or boss who leaves you scratching your head, wondering what makes them tick? Or even worse — you THINK you have them figured out…until you clearly don’t. If there's one thing I've learned in my years of communication coaching (and my 53 years as a human) it's that when someone seems "unlockable," it's often because we're using the wrong approach to connect. Here are four strategies that can help you find that elusive key: 1. Observe them in different contexts. We all show different facets of ourselves depending on the situation. Notice how they interact in meetings versus one-on-ones. Do they light up during client presentations but withdraw during team lunches? These patterns provide valuable clues about their communication preferences and what energizes them versus what depletes them. 2. Ask open-ended #questions that invite #storytelling. Instead of direct questions about preferences ("Do you like X?"), try open-ended questions that invite narrative: "What's been your most interesting project here?" or "What's something you’re looking forward to this summer?" Stories reveal values and priorities that might otherwise remain hidden. 3. Test different currencies of appreciation. Some people value public recognition, others prefer private acknowledgment. Try different approaches to see which resonates. When you find what they value, you've found a key to connection. 4. Seek insight from their trusted #allies. Who does this person seem to connect with naturally? Without gossiping, you might say to that colleague, "I notice you and Shira work well together. I'd love to collaborate more effectively with her - any insights on how she prefers to communicate?" Remember: When someone seems "unlockable," it doesn't mean they're deliberately withholding the combination. They may not even realize they seem inaccessible. Approach with genuine curiosity rather than frustration. The most important combination to this lock? Patience paired with positive intent. Building connection takes time, especially with those who don't immediately reveal what makes them tick. #ProfessionalRelationships #WorkplaceCommunication #LeadershipSkills #ConnectionAtWork #Coaching #DEIB

What's the real cost of your team playing it safe? Working with executive teams - from rapid-growth startups to global brands - I'm seeing a fascinating pattern: The more uncertain the environment, the more talented teams unconsciously protect themselves from failure. These teams engage in whats called "self-handicapping" - letting their visualization of what could go wrong paralyze their ability to do what is needed or what is hard. Some teams, like the Mars Veterinary Health HR Leadership Team, are working to combat "self-handicapping" by investing in #highperformanceteam coaching. This team spent two days together focused on unlocking their collective confidence. I helped them see that "if they love the sport of business", there is no better time to be a leader than right now. My executive team coaching focuses on: 💡Making the Invisible Visible💡 Showcasing the team's collective wins, extensive expertise, and past ability to lead effectively through change. When people see their massive potential in one place, it rewires the brain from "what if we fail?" to "look what we've already mastered." 💡Succeeding in Low-Stakes Moments💡 Before the pressure hits, we have the team work together in low stakes environments to get practice succeeding, together. Each shared victory builds collective confidence that re-surfaces when real challenges emerge. 💡Crafting and Sharing Stories of Momentum💡 Providing the team core storytelling skills and crafted narratives that remind them what their teams are capable of and how change is already happening. When teams experience their collective strength through stories, they stop playing defense and start making bold moves. The net-net: Team confidence isn't about having all the answers. It's about helping your team access their collective power to figure anything out. What untapped capability is sitting in your team right now? #Leadership #ExecutiveLeadership #TeamDevelopment #Innovation [Photo Credit: The Mars Veterinary Health HR Leadership Team working on their stories of momentum.

Not All That Glitters Is Gold. Have you ever noticed how the loudest voices in the room aren’t always the most impactful? In a tech product company, two employees stood out: Eva and Sam. Eva, a dedicated threat intelligence analyst, was an introvert who poured her heart into her work. She had a knack for innovative problem-solving, but despite her invaluable contributions, she often felt invisible. When she uncovered critical insights about a major attack group, helping her organization bolster its defenses just in time, she was proud—but her quiet demeanor kept her from receiving the recognition she deserved. In contrast, Sam, her boss, was outgoing and charismatic. He charmed executives with ease, quickly rising through the ranks. However, his rapid ascent left him disconnected from his team. His direct reports found him dismissive and unapproachable. When he presented Eva’s work to leadership, he would cut her off, diminishing her confidence and contributions. While he dazzled those at the top, he failed to earn the respect of the people who actually did the work. Despite Eva's remarkable achievements, leadership continued to overlook her while Sam basked in the limelight. They even bumped his salary, worried about the impact of his departure. Feeling increasingly unappreciated, Eva came to realize her efforts were consistently ignored. In a moment of clarity, she decided to leave the company, knowing her true value was unrecognized. In her new role at another company, Eva thrived. Within two years, she climbed two levels up, surpassing Sam's position. Does this sound familiar? In the corporate world, it’s easy to overlook hidden gems—dedicated employees like Eva who consistently deliver value but either prefer to stay out of the spotlight or are blocked from shining. Meanwhile, we can be mesmerized by those like Sam, who may shine brightly but lack true substance. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to see beyond the surface. Here are some actionable steps to uncover hidden talent: - Engage in informal conversations: Ask about their projects and ideas. - Hold skip-level meetings: Gain insights from those not directly reporting to you. - I've always been fascinated by the Undercover Boss approach: Step into your employees’ shoes to gain real insight into their experiences and contributions. - Solicit feedback: Create a safe space for open dialogue about team dynamics and recognition. True value isn’t always loud; it’s lasting. Take a moment to look for those diamonds in plain sight; they may just be waiting for the recognition and appreciation they deserve. #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #DiversityAndInclusion #HiddenGems #EmployeeRecognition #InclusiveLeadership

Early in my leadership journey, I struggled with feeling like my team wasn’t reaching its full potential. I kept asking myself: Am I not communicating clearly? Am I not pushing them enough? But over time, I realized the issue wasn’t effort, it was approach. Great leadership isn’t about pushing harder, it’s about unlocking what’s already there. Once I shifted my focus from expecting results to creating an environment where my team felt empowered, everything changed. I started listening more, asking better questions, and giving my team the space to step into their strengths. If you’re feeling like you’re not getting the most out of your team, I hear you. The potential is already there, and the best leaders create the conditions for it to grow. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your team’s impact: 1. Empower, don’t control – Give your team room to take the lead. Let them make decisions and own their projects. When they feel trusted, they’ll surprise you with what they can achieve. 2. Create a culture of learning – Encourage feedback, offer growth opportunities, and lead by example. When you show your team that growth is part of the journey, they’ll want to join you in it. 3. Align strengths with goals – Help each person discover what they’re really good at and give them roles where they can shine. People perform best when they’re in their element. How are you fostering potential within your team? ___ 🌐Building a high-performing workplace takes more than good intentions, it takes action. Perfeqta helps organizations create real change by developing strong leaders and building high-performing teams. Let’s talk about how we can support your team: https://buff.ly/9NiVYGd ✅Follow me for more tips and insights on workplace wellness & leadership and organizational strategies.