Let your organization flourish with high level co-operation.

Deep team co-operation is rooted in deep trust. That’s how healthy feedback and creative response-abilty can flourish. Said in reverse, organizational success is based on effective organizational functioning. Effective organizational functioning is based on clear feedback. Clear feedback can only be given and received with trust. This pattern is how an organization can become “awake” to itself, and completely flourish.

All communication, feedback and suggestions need to start with a consciously cultivated trust. Trust is actually the foundation of any healthy relationship. Generally speaking, without trust, we find it virtually impossible to listen to or receive suggestions or feedback because it can be experienced as an attack, even when it’s not.  This reaction is understandable because it’s not uncommon for people to be intentionally and unintentionally hurtful when giving suggestions and feedback. We can have unintended impact on each other as well. We often aren’t open to letting people criticize us if we don’t trust that they are coming from a truly loving, selfless, or giving place. Why would we? And even if they are coming from a truly loving place, if the communication is delivered badly it will be rejected.

Ineffective communication can be due to using unskillful methods (function) or it can be from inappropriate intention (form) e.g. personality clashes, impatience, stress, jealousy, intolerance of another’s ways of doing things, being tired, hungry, being misunderstood, etc. These inner drives are, of course, all normal, natural and typical human ways of being that can unfortunately add up to ineffective, hurtful and even damaging communication. Since we are fallible humans that have lots to learn about effective communication, we would be wise to intentionally develop our skills. The goal of team coaching and consulting is to learn effective strategies and practice them until we don’t need the them anymore. This way  we become masters of awareness and communication.

So, what do you need to hear or see from your co-workers and higher ups to be able to receive constructive criticism?

For followers to follow any leader, the leader has to humble themselves to the bigger purpose of the organization. This is also the only way the leader can have endless confidence to do what needs doing and say what needs saying, because it’s clear to themselves and everyone that it’s not about him/her. Of course the larger vision/purpose needs to be clearly defined so the leader knows what their deeply serving. The leader defines this.

What’s makes a leader?

• Vision
• Communication and listening
• Determine effectiveness of people and processes
• Willingness and courage to develop self to serve the vision/goal
• Model for others
• Keeping people aware of and in service of the vision/goal
• Light touch knowledge about different departments and processes
• Doesn’t need the people to like him/her
• Asks for, and considers objective and wise council from outside of their organizational system
• Is in the “game” of learning

I came to coaching to gain more clarity and fulfillment in my life and work, and the experience has surfaced a deeper awareness and knowing of who I am and want to be. What I love is the broad, authentic and trusting space you provide to explore the challenging places and the insights, creativity, freshness, and boldness you bring to each session. Coaching together has brought me more fully into my personal power and into more resonant leadership in my life and work.

-T. Lee