Rochelle Serry’s Post

How do you get the best most courageous ideas? As Margaret Heffernan outlines in this TEDX, the great ideas, advances and solutions don’t come from companies. People have ideas. Not companies. And motivated, trusted, and psychologically safe teams have the bravest ideas. Teams with high social connection. Confidence in each other, resilience, and a culture of helpfulness. Not competition. Teams with leaders where everyone is heard, women are present, stars don’t suppress the majority. Where ideas thrive and it’s safe to debate, discuss. Give birth to unformed ideas. To ask for help - to not peck surpress or compete. Courage. Connection. Confidence and Clarity. The what and why of Be Braver. The future solutions waiting for us need us all to collectively choose courage and Be Braver. To save the future, to become better. https://lnkd.in/ee9qvxzm #team #ideas #creativity #courage

Forget the Pecking Order at Work Margaret Heffernan As the new school year begins, this TedTalk from Margaret Heffernan is a powerful reminder of what drives high-achieving teams. Let's avoid the "Super Chicken." Here are a few key points: : ⬛️Muir's Chicken Experiment: The average group of chickens thrived over generations, while the "superchicken" group, selected for individual productivity, became aggressive and dysfunctional, reducing overall productivity. ⬛️Team Success Factors (MIT Study): Successful teams exhibited high social sensitivity, equal participation, and often had more women, highlighting the importance of empathy and balanced contribution. ⬛️Importance of Social Capital: Long-term team collaboration builds trust and enhances productivity. Social capital compounds with time, making teams more effective and robust. ⬛️Collaboration Over Stars: Teams that focus on collective success rather than individual superstars are more innovative and resilient, as demonstrated by successful companies and organizations. https://lnkd.in/evezP5d3

I get goosebumps listening to Margaret Heffernan's talk. It emphasizes the importance of social cohesion and collaboration over individual competition for achieving high productivity and success in organisations. Her research shows that the most effective teams exhibit high social sensitivity, equal participation, diversity and synched thinking time (at the coffee machine if needed!). This aligns closely with the principles of the #ThinkingEnvironment, which promotes generative attention, encouragement, equality (and the 7 other components!) Heffernan argues that the traditional "superchicken model" of promoting star performers and creating a competitive pecking order is counterproductive, leading to dysfunction and wasted potential. Instead, she advocates for building social capital through open communication, mutual support, and valuing diverse perspectives - core tenets of the Thinking Environment approach. Something that produces trust, great ideas, action, and makes teams gain time. Why are we wasting time?! https://lnkd.in/eX3ef7Sw

In our latest blog post, we delve into the transformative role of 🌟 accountability partners. 👥 Discover how these partnerships can boost motivation, provide valuable feedback, and increase success rates in achieving your goals. Learn practical strategies for finding the right accountability partner, nurturing the partnership, and overcoming challenges together. Don't miss out on this opportunity to unlock your full potential and accelerate your journey towards success. 💼 #Accountability #Success #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment

"The link between performance and rewards is suboptimal. But there's a collective tolerance for the way things are. It's in the 'too hard' box to deal with. And it's actually OK - if everybody's doing it the same way, there's a tolerance there for that suboptimization to continue. But if we can get some really solid examples of what the alternative looks like, and if we get those stories out, and if we get conversations going from the top down and also the bottom up, as to “no, this is wrong and we need to change it!", then we'll get the momentum we need to change." (Kevin Empey) Watch it: https://lnkd.in/eUbY_zkF 🚀 Join us for the #FlourishingFestival on October 16-17 to engage with top thought leaders shaping HR’s future, connect with peers passionate about thriving workplaces, and discover practical strategies to transform your organization. Let’s reshape HR as a force for humanity and sustainability—together, we’ll build the #futureofwork! 🌍🌟 #transformation #hr #management #leadership #innovation #personaldevelopment #sustainability

When I was posted to the Ministry of Trade and Industry as a Director several years back, one of my first tasks was to find a deputy director. I remembered a candid conversation with a prospective candidate, where we took an online personality test to gauge our working fit. Our results revealed stark differences, and she later confessed that she thought our vastly different personality types would be a deal-breaker. I accepted her without hesitation, largely due to our differences, believing our diverse perspectives would make us a formidable team! Margaret Heffernan's insightful TED Talk, "Dare to Disagree" highlighted the importance of embracing diverse perspectives and conflicting opinions, rather than seeking comfort in similarities. Heffernan gave the example of Alice Robinson, an outstanding healthcare researcher, who intentionally partnered Bob Hansen, a statistician, whose key role was to challenge her findings. Only when Bob couldn't find statistical evidence to refute her hypothesis did she publish, ensuring her research was rigorously tested. Heffernan argues that our tendency to surround ourselves with like-minded individuals can lead to the echo chamber effect that stifles creativity and innovation. Instead, seeking out diverse perspectives to challenge our own thinking and drive progress. As a leader, it's more comfortable to find people who think like myself. Projects may move faster, and things are done more efficiently. But doing things right and doing the right things are different. We need people with different views, perspectives, and experiences to challenge us and ensure we are making the best decisions. The partnership between that colleague and I turned out to be the best I had (at least so far). If I've scored goals, it's because she set me up for success. If she's found treasure, it's because I guided her where to dig. One plus one certainly is more than two in our case. Maybe even more than three! We definitely had our rolling good times, Kay Sugino! #Collaboration #Diversity #Innovation #TeamWork #Leadership #TedTalkAnalysis #7 out of 100 leadership episodes * credit to Kay for suggesting two analogies in the last para - emblematic of the teamwork between us https://lnkd.in/guFEuXpw

How to change other people. Yep. That's what my leadership coaching clients have been bringing to their coaching sessions lately. When I ask them what they want to be coached on, there is a general theme of, 'I want to be coached on how to get this person to stop doing this, or to start doing this.' Sound familiar? When we lead others, we run up against challenges, and sometimes, those challenges are working with other people. But here are the cold, hard facts — I can’t coach you on how to change other people. 🤯 My clients both laugh 😆 and cry 🥹 simultaneously every time I say this — because it’s both incredibly true and incredibly annoying. Deep down, we all want to change other people. And if we’re being really honest, what we want most of the time is to change them to be more like us. Okay, so…what can I coach you on if I can’t coach you on how to change other people? The question I ask my clients is this: ‘What about your leadership do you want to be coached on today that will support you in your work w/ this other person?’ Yep. Your leadership. That’s what I can coach you on. ✨ Do you enjoy this content? There's so much more in my monthly newsletter! Sign up here (scroll all the way down to the bottom). www.sharonmfoley.com

We often make too many promises to ourselves, only to break them. The key isn't in making more promises—it's in keeping the ones that matter. Read the full newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gZyWWi2U #Accountability #KeepYourWord #PersonalGrowth #SelfDiscipline #ExcellenceInAction #ContraMinds

#PresidentialDebate #HOTtake 🔥 Last night’s US Presidential Debate, beyond spurring 1,000,000 headlines this morning, was a reverse masterclass in harnessing “The Voice of a Leader” Some key points that each of the candidates made me consider… 1. Ditch strategies that rely too much on the classic “three-point” strategy. If you get tripped up, you’ll look like you’re lost in your own speech. 2. Avoid hyperbole and exaggeration. Inflating information to play into fear or pride is manipulative and only erodes trust. 3. Acknowledge failures but focus on solutions. Pointing out a flaw or identifying a failure without offering an idea on how to fix it is just about as productive as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. 4. Focus on facts. Stick to the truth and remain objective. 5. Also (should go without saying) try not to reference your golf handicap or the likelihood of world war 3 to promote confidence in yourself as a leader… Leadership is about focusing attention and resources on the challenges and needs at-hand, guiding the conversation constructively, and inspiring people to drive TOGETHER towards a solution. Leadership is not about being the best; it’s about inspiring it.

Are you looking for ways to make your organisation more robust? This Ted Talk from 2015 reminds us that companies don't have ideas - only people do. To build support and trust among staff, we must focus on building social capital through candor and getting to know each other. It's not about measuring bathroom breaks, but about taking the time to build relationships. In this insightful talk, the speaker uses the example of chickens to illustrate that our success depends on working together, not pecking each other down. We should stop trying to be "superchickens" and instead focus on building relationships. The talk is as relevant today as it was in 2015. Check out the Ted Talk and let us know what you think!