I had the pleasure of facilitating the Leadership Game with the staff/operations team of Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO).
We awarded points to people, there were some interesting debates and challenging positions being taken, along with healthy discomfort when participants had to get real and answer questions by themselves. 2.5 hours later … feedback was that the team wanted to spend even more time in this experience together!
What a fantastic team and culture! They weren’t shy, fully embraced the experience and we cracked some jokes along the way! I’m looking forward to serving some of the team even further through one-on-one coaching conversations.
Some insights that came out of this session for the team included:
“Hearing you explain the connection between leadership, influence and connection was powerful!”
“I enjoyed sharing with the team and group conversations.”
“This was a great way to start meaningful conversation and continue to build on the strong connection we already have within the team.”
The Leadership Game is a fun, yet challenging experience designed to help you and your team better understand core leadership principles and values.
Think of it as a self and group SWOT analysis.
My observations
Here’s what I’ve noticed recently facilitating different team sessions: Positive, progressive and dynamic team culture is PRICELESS – without this, there is no high-performing team. The secret ingredient is psychological safety.
Creating psychological safety within a team is crucial for fostering an environment where individuals feel comfortable taking risks, expressing their ideas, and being themselves without fear of negative consequences. Here are some ways to foster psychological safety:
1️⃣ Leadership Modeling: Leaders set the tone for psychological safety often through vulnerable leadership.
2️⃣ Regular Check-ins: Conduct regular one-on-one and team check-ins to assess well-being, workload, and any concerns team members may have.
3️⃣ Feedback Culture: Encourage constructive feedback and make it a regular part of team interactions, not just when “stuff” hits the fan. The more regular check-ins (above) happen, the more feedback culture can flow naturally.
GAME ON!
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