Building Stronger Teams Supporting Effective Team Leaders

A leaders guide and activities for developing resilience for you and your team

Building Stronger Teams Supporting Effective Team Leaders

A leaders guide and activities for developing resilience for you and your team

A free digital version of this guide is available at www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com

http:www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com

About the Centre

The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace (the Centre) was established in 2007 and has three main objectives:

1. Increase knowledge and awareness of workplace psychological health and safety

2. Improve the ability to respond to mental health issues at work

3. Turn knowledge into action through free, practical strategies and tools for all employers

The Centre works to achieve these objectives by:

Funding and sponsoring research and initiatives aimed at improving the understanding, prevention and management of mental health issues, particularly as they impact the workplace

Promoting and facilitating knowledge exchange through the sharing of research, resources and survey results

Supporting the development of programs and resources aimed at improving psychological health and safety in the workplace

The Workplace Strategies for Mental Health website, www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com, is the primary vehicle through which the Centre makes these resources available.

Legal and copyright information

Building Stronger Teams Supporting Effective Team Leaders is published by The Great-West Life Assurance Company as an initiative of the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace.

This publication is intended to provide general information and strategies on leadership and team building, and is based on information available as of the date of publication or as otherwise noted. It is not the purpose of this publication to provide all of the information that is otherwise available on the subjects of leadership and team building. This publication does not provide legal, accounting or other professional advice. No representations or warranties are made (express or implied) with respect to the information in this document, and we are not liable for any loss arising directly or indirectly from the use of, or any action taken in reliance on, any information appearing in this publication or in any publication by a third party that is referenced or linked to in this publication.

The Great-West Life Assurance Company (2016), all rights reserved. Any modifcation or reproduction of this document without the express written consent of The Great-West Life Assurance Company is strictly prohibited.

The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace and design are trademarks of The Great-West Life Assurance Company.

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Table of Contents

Introduction..................................................................................................................................1

Supporting Effective Team Leaders ............................................................................................3

Its Not Always Easy................................................................................................................5

Understanding Your Own Perceptions ....................................................................................6

Dealing with Negative Emotions ...................................................................................7

How Would Others Describe You? .................................................................................8

Envision Your Ideal Self ..................................................................................................9

Communicating More Effectively..........................................................................................10

Communication Styles .................................................................................................11

Identifying Your Interaction Style .................................................................................13

Communicating Without Judgment ............................................................................14

Attribution Error ..........................................................................................................15

Effective Listening........................................................................................................16

Acknowledge, Even if you Disagree .............................................................................18

Engaging Team Members .....................................................................................................19

Different Responses .....................................................................................................20

Get to Know Your Team Members ...............................................................................21

Ask, Dont Tell ............................................................................................................22

Invite Solutions ............................................................................................................23

Seek Feedback.............................................................................................................24

Provide Feedback.........................................................................................................25

Positive Feedback ........................................................................................................28

Building Stronger Teams ...........................................................................................................29

Team-Building Activities .......................................................................................................31

Team Effectiveness ...............................................................................................................32

Team Huddle ...............................................................................................................33

Good Enough vs. Perfection ........................................................................................35

Mistake Meetings ........................................................................................................36

Identifying And Overcoming Obstacles.........................................................................37

Identifying Workplace Risks .........................................................................................38

Learning from the Past ................................................................................................39

Dealing with Disappointment ......................................................................................40

Civility and Respect ..............................................................................................................41

Specifc Active Acknowledgement...............................................................................42

Volunteering Together.................................................................................................44

Practicing Non-Judgmental Interpretations ..................................................................45

Acknowledging Strengths ...........................................................................................47

Acknowledging our Accomplishments.........................................................................48

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Self-awareness .................................................................................................................... 49

Identifying Your Interaction Style ..................................................................................... 50

Identifying Your Values.................................................................................................... 51

Identifying Your Strengths ............................................................................................... 53

Matching Intent and Behaviour ....................................................................................... 54

Interpreting Negative Feedback Accurately ...................................................................... 55

Reacting to Change ........................................................................................................ 57

Emotional Intelligence ......................................................................................................... 58

The Funtion of Emotions ................................................................................................ 59

Emotional Triggers........................................................................................................... 60

Anger as a Symptom....................................................................................................... 63

Expressing Anger Constructively...................................................................................... 64

Dealing with Worry ......................................................................................................... 66

Examining Emotionally Driven Decision-Making...............