US$2.
billion
THE AMOUNT WARREN
BUFFETT GAVE AWAY IN
(^)
2017.
Ask NASA
CREATE A HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM WITH TIPS
FROM MISSION CONTROL MANAGEMENT
AUTHOR AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF MISSION
OPERATIONS FOR NASA’S HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT,
PAUL SEAN HILL.
How does managing a business compare with rocket
science and flying in space? No-one wants to fail,
whether that means blowing up a rocket or
bankrupting a company. Mistakes
that lead to failure are not typically
caused by rocket science errors, but
by management and team behaviours
that get in the way of better-informed
and more-deliberate risk-taking and
decision making.
What is the key to Mission Control that
corrects those behaviours?
A high-trust team environment that is
characterised by transparency, deliberate
alignment with the team’s core purpose, and
team engagement in every decision.
How can other leaders leverage this to enhance their
team performance?
Create a high-trust, value-based team environment:
- Align the team to a common purpose and prioritise
strategies and decisions on how well they contribute
to team success. - Practise full transparency in all discussions and
decision making. - Expect team members to engage on every subject.
“Train the way you fly. Fly the way you train.”
- Say what you mean: there can be no unmentionable
or undiscussable concerns. Rely on the alignment to
purpose and values to get through. - Do what you say: Take deliberate action based on
the conclusions reached in this high-trust team.
Reinforce the high-trust environment as a team:
- Discuss the need for transparency, value alignment
and engagement. - Assess individual and team behaviour and
management practices to align with these values. - Explore new ideas and remain open to behaviour
changes that enhance this high-trust environment.
Leafy relief
Every office should have a few pot plants.
They remove toxic pollutants such as formaldehyde (wooden
floors and furniture), carbon monoxide (traffic) and xylene
(marker pens) from the air, and increase feelings of calm and
wellbeing. Choose one of these hardy, low-maintenance
types and you’ll ensure they stick around for longer.
- Aspidistra elatior – cast-iron plant
- Ficus elastica – rubber plant
- Chlorophytum comosum – spider plant
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