Building effective teams starts with putting people first – an exercise

By Eliska S. Padilla

January 13, 2021

In the movie, “The Help,” the main character Aibileen Clark is a nanny who understands that people need to hear that they are valued which she tells her charge regularly, “You is smart. You is kind. You is important.” It’s a pivotal moment when the small act of kindness is given such weight in the story. And it’s because she understood the fundamental importance of communicating our value for others, which is the essence of building up people first in an organization to ensure successful teams. This is an often-overlooked key to accomplishing strategic organizational imperatives.

Effective leaders encourage the heart of their employees by showing them that they are known, they are appreciated, and they are necessary to the success of the organization. Good leaders communicate this to each person on their team individually. Doing so builds strong teams and helps drive results. It’s the balance that is often missing in organizations.

People are more satisfied if they know they are known, they are more motivated if they know they are appreciated, and they are more productive if they understand their effect on the organization’s success. It all starts with putting people first.

This is more than a feel-good exercise and should be activated throughout the organization by each leader to drive organizational success.

How might you apply this principle?

Make a list of your direct reports and ask yourself the following:

Known

What do you know about each of them, personally and professionally? How might you specifically demonstrate that you know your employee? Are they in a committed relationship; do they have children, pets, own a home, come from a big family? In order to know others, we must also be known. Are you comfortable with sharing similar information about yourself?

Appreciated

What are your thoughts about how this employee affects others in your organization? Are they considered a go-to on a topic? Do they make others feel good about themselves and their place on the team? We often think our job as a leader is to point out someone’s flaws so they may improve. We often forget that helping an employee feel appreciated not only motivates them, but also helps them to know what to keep doing. So ask yourself how might you ensure this employee feels appreciated in the future?

Necessary

Assuming that you have the right team in place, each person is necessary to the success of the organization. However, is that something we tell our employees regularly. How might you measure your teammate’s performance? An annual performance evaluation is often pro-forma or avoided altogether, but studies show that regular communication and dialogue with an employee provides the guidance needed for good work. What is your plan for measuring and providing feedback on this teammate’s performance to show them how their work is essential to the organization?

In all areas, be specific and give yourself an assignment and deadline. After doing this for 90 days, ask your direct reports to do the same with those they lead, and so on throughout the organization. Building a culture that drives results and puts people first is a delicate balance, but one which leads to win-win for your organization and those who work with you.

Putting people first creates an environment where individuals are deeply satisfied with what they do, are motivated to work harder, and are more productive. And more satisfied, motivated and productive people, will help drive results in your organization. And, after all, isn’t that what good leaders do?