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Six behaviours help build stronger teams 18 August 2015 7:51am Leaders can build stronger, more cohesive teams by incorporating six key behaviours into their interactions, and by changing their habits, can help people do more with less, according to neuroscientist and business consultant Dr Jenny Brockis.

The human brain is capable of developing habits and thinking patterns that boost emotional intelligence and foster an open mindset, Brockis says in her book Future Brain.

One way leaders can achieve this is by making a conscious effort to become more "self­ directed".

Self­directed leadership is "a mental discipline of conscious choice" which starts with the development of self­awareness, Brockis says.

"So much of our thinking as well as our behaviour is switched permanently to automatic mode, so we forget to press pause and ask, 'is this my normal mental script? Am I open to new ideas or ways of doing things? Do I think well in difficult circumstances?'"

Instead of running on autopilot and leaving such questions unasked, leaders need to make a conscious effort to "check in" with their thinking to make it more focused and effective.

According to Brockis, leaders can minimise "the social pain of rejection" and maximise their capacity to be "self­directed" by using the "TRAICE" model, which comprises six key behaviours: 1. Trust – When employees and leaders share trust, they feel safe and relaxed with each other, and are more likely to have conversations that are deeper, more meaningful and more honest.

"We build trust through the behaviour we demonstrate that others observe. It requires consistency and effort on our part but is rewarded by loyalty," Brockis says. "Business leaders who draw a high level of trust will enjoy a lower staff turnover (reduced costs) and an increased profit margin through greater employee contribution. Staff who feel trusted get on with their job and do it well, report higher levels of job satisfaction, take fewer days' sick leave and are happier overall"; 2. Respect – "Respect matters because losing it means we can no longer command control of a situation." The key to showing and receiving respect lies in maintaining self­respect and valuing others, Brockis says; 3. Autonomy – Micromanagement stifles innovation and leads to demoralisation, but it's "rife" in many workplaces.

"Providing people with choices, no matter how big or small, real or perceived, matters a great deal," Brockis says. Leaders can boost motivation within their teams by finding ways to increase individual autonomy; http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_print.php?selkey=3618

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Print Article - Six behaviours help build stronger teams

4. Impartiality – Research shows that perceptions of fair and unfair treatment trigger a physiological response in people. Leaders can boost perceptions of fairness by being transparent in all of their interpersonal transactions, behaving with consistency, and rewarding on merit alone. "If as a boss you are always seen to be firm but fair, your chance of successfully introducing an unpopular work policy without causing discord or resentment is much higher than if you have been seen to be inconsistent or biased," Brockis says; 5. Clarity – "Clarity of thinking and understanding keeps our brain in a place of safety," says Brockis. "At work this depends a great deal on how clear we are with the messages we communicate. Clarity provides certainty, and the brain likes familiarity and recognisable patterns. In an uncertain world, this can be difficult, but we can look to achieve it by removing ambiguity and being transparent about the intention of our messages."

Effective communicators recognise the importance of providing as much information as possible so the message is complete, being transparent about the true meaning of the message, repeating the message several times, and inviting discussion about the message; and 6. Empathy – Empathy and trust together form the basis of all successful relationships, and business is all about relationships, Brockis says. Empathy enhances tolerance and reduces self­interest. "Being empathetic is not about being soft and pliant; it is a genuine reflection of understanding what someone might be experiencing or thinking. An empathetic leader will make hard decisions as needed, but from a place of humility and service. This softens the blow when announcing bad news and helps others remain resilient when coping with adversity."

Empathy can improve the bottom line of a business because customers and staff are increasingly expecting greater personal recognition and satisfaction, she says.

Leaders who incorporate the TRAICE behaviours into all their conversations and interactions with staff will develop a better understanding of themselves and others. They'll also be more likely to achieve higher­level thinking, Brockis says.

Monotask for higher performance Monotasking can also help leaders to achieve higher­level thinking.

"Want to be a high­performance thinker? Here's the secret: monotasking," Brockis says in the book.

She describes multitasking as a myth and a physiological impossibility – "unless you happen to be in the one to two per cent (according to research by Watson and Strayer) of the population who are supertaskers and use a different part of their brain to divide attention" – and says leaders can learn to exercise their attention as they would a muscle.

"The more we practise, the better we get and sometimes just a few simple changes in our work practices can make a big difference."

It begins with making conscious choices about where to direct your focus, and creating the environment that best suits your "attention­on brain", Brockis says.

Steps to creating an optimal environment include: choosing a quiet place to allow your brain to think in a less stressed state – noise is stressful and distracting, and can diminish our ability to focus; http://www.hrdaily.com.au/nl06_news_print.php?selkey=3618

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Print Article - Six behaviours help build stronger teams

practising your focus – set aside 10 minutes to pay close attention to a task you do regularly, such as reading or listening to music; deciding on tomorrow's priorities today – by sorting out the next day's top priorities before the end of your day, your mind can focus on what needs to be done in advance; managing your email – if an email warrants a response, reply immediately, if not, delete it; and "fighting for three" – Brockis cites author Peter Cook, who encourages leaders to identify three priorities each day and avoid lesser tasks until they've been dealt with.

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