Improving Team Performance

I often get asked this question: “What can LIO bring to improve the performance of a team that isn’t at its best?”

The way a question is formulated already shapes the quality of the answers it can generate. If we start from a narrow formulation, we end up with narrow solutions.

1. Identifying the assumptions

The question as it is often asked (“the team’s performance is not good enough, how do we improve it?”) carries several implicit assumptions:

·      that there is a single, objective measure of performance

·      that the team is not “good enough”

·      that it is the leader’s responsibility to “fix” this

2. Shifting the question

Instead of focusing on a judgment (“not good enough”), LIO invites us to reframe:

·      How do we know performance is not optimal?

·      What are these conclusions based on (data, comparisons, perceptions)?

·      What do team members themselves say about how they function?

·      Which dimensions of performance are we observing (measurable results, collaboration, creativity, learning, engagement)?

3. A more fruitful reformulation

A better way to phrase the question might be:

·      “As a leader, how can I create the conditions that allow my team to fully express its potential, talents, and capacity for collaboration?”

·      or: “How can I ensure that my team has the space, support, and trust it needs to achieve sustainable and fulfilling performance?”

4. Consequence

By changing the question, the focus shifts:

·      from numbers to the conditions for success

·      from deficit (and blame) to potential

·      from imposition to co-creation

This is precisely where LIO brings value. It helps clarify our perspective, so we can ask meaningful questions that lead to solid solutions. This creates a dynamic from the inside out, where performance becomes naturally sustainable and effective.