High-Performance Team Principles Compendium
Empowering High-Performing Teams with the Essential Leadership Cycle (ELC)
The Essential Leadership Cycle (ELC) is a dynamic and intentional framework designed to help leaders develop high-performing teams. This approach provides a structured method for assessing, improving, and sustaining team performance, ultimately leading to long-term growth [1].
The ELC is divided into two categories: Driving Elements and Resultant Conditions. The Driving Elements establish foundational conditions such as self and team awareness, which are critical for setting teams up for success. By enhancing awareness of individual and collective dynamics, communication, and responses under pressure, leaders and teams can improve their leadership practices and team outcomes [1].
One of the key practices for shared vision and values is consistent communication of purpose and alignment, living values in daily decisions, and clarifying key questions of identity and behaviour. Leaders should start with leader modelling, encourage peer-to-peer accountability supported by psychological safety, and differentiate between accountability (developmental) and blame (punitive) [1].
Trust and psychological safety are essential for collaboration. They consist of competency trust (confidence in each other's abilities) and relational trust (confidence in each other's intentions). Leaders should build trust by demonstrating consistency, integrity, and empathy, addressing breaches promptly and constructively, and modeling vulnerability by admitting mistakes and actively seeking input [1].
Clarity of roles and processes is crucial for reducing friction and enabling confident and responsible action. Key practices include using the R2A2 rule, aligning tasks with team members' strengths, and ensuring everyone understands success criteria [1].
Diversity is a fact, and inclusion is an act that allows all voices to be heard, respected, and leveraged for innovation. Leaders should embrace tools such as E-Colours to highlight and embrace personality diversity present within their team, address unconscious bias, and promote inclusive dialogue [1].
Self and team awareness is a cornerstone of effective leadership. Key practices include using personality diversity tools, promoting feedback, and leveraging social intelligence assessments [1].
Learning and continuous improvement are essential for high-performing teams. Leaders should build regular debriefs and feedback loops into team rhythm, treat mistakes and near-misses as learning opportunities, and use the Intentional Action Plan to track growth and learning goals for individuals and teams [1].
Commitment is about aligning and moving forward, even when consensus isn't complete. Leaders should allow space for dissent before seeking commitment, ensure clarity around what the team is committing to, and continually gauge commitment and effort levels across the team [1].
The Essential Leadership Cycle is more than a framework - it's a behavioral philosophy that builds cultures of trust, resilience, and excellence, supercharging the productivity of people. High performance is the result of consistent leadership, self-awareness, and collective intent [1].
By implementing the Essential Leadership Cycle, business leaders can evaluate, reinforce, and address gaps in team performance, ultimately creating sustainable, high-functioning team environments.
[1] Source: [Link to the original source if available]
- The Essential Leadership Cycle (ELC) is designed to help leaders develop high-performing teams, leading to long-term business growth and success.
- Trust and psychological safety are essential for collaboration, with leaders building trust by demonstrating consistency, integrity, and empathy.
- Clarity of roles and processes is crucial for reducing friction and enabling confident and responsible action, key practices include using the R2A2 rule, aligning tasks with team members' strengths, and ensuring everyone understands success criteria.
- Diversity and inclusion are vital for innovation, with leaders embracing tools such as E-Colours to highlight and embrace personality diversity present within their team, addressing unconscious bias, and promoting inclusive dialogue.
- Self and team awareness is a cornerstone of effective leadership, with practices including using personality diversity tools, promoting feedback, and leveraging social intelligence assessments.
- Learning and continuous improvement are essential for high-performing teams, with leaders building regular debriefs and feedback loops into team rhythm, treating mistakes and near-misses as learning opportunities, and using the Intentional Action Plan to track growth and learning goals for individuals and teams. By implementing the ELC, business leaders can create sustainable, high-functioning team environments.
