RESOURCES

Leadership

Useful resources if you need to lead a team, or some spare people.

If you're doing this, you're micromanaging your team.

Micromanagement can stifle creativity, lower morale, and lead to high turnover rates. Recognizing the signs of micromanagement is the first step towards fostering a more empowering, trust-based environment. Here are key indicators that you might be micromanaging your team:

Overseeing every detail: if you find yourself needing to approve every minor decision or task, you're likely micromanaging. Empower your team by trusting them to handle smaller decisions on their own.

Frequent check-ins: asking for constant updates on tasks or projects can signal a lack of trust. Set clear milestones for check-ins instead of demanding daily or hourly updates.

Difficulty delegating: struggling to delegate tasks, or feeling that "if you want it done right, do it yourself," undermines team capability and growth.

Correcting minor issues: focusing on trivial mistakes or insisting on doing things your way, even when the end goal is achieved, can demotivate and discourage innovation.

Not focusing on big picture: getting too caught up in the minutiae can mean losing sight of the project's overall objectives and outcomes.

‍How to avoid micromanagement:
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Set clear expectations: communicate project goals, deadlines, and roles clearly from the start.

Trust your team: build a culture of trust by empowering your team to make decisions and take ownership of their work.

Focus on outcomes: instead of dictating how tasks should be completed, focus on the desired outcomes and let your team use their expertise to get there.

Provide constructive feedback: offer feedback that helps your team grow and improve, rather than nitpicking every detail.

Encourage autonomy: encourage employees to propose solutions and make decisions within their scope of work, fostering a sense of responsibility and ownership.

Recognizing and addressing micromanagement tendencies can transform your leadership style, improve team performance, and contribute to a healthier, more productive work environment.

How to be kind even on bad days.

In the dynamic environment of the workplace, leaders often face the challenge of maintaining a positive demeanor, even during stressful or difficult times. It's essential to understand that the way leaders conduct themselves, especially on bad days, significantly impacts the overall morale and productivity of their teams. Here's a collection of behaviors and strategies to help leaders navigate tough times without negatively affecting their colleagues.

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Embrace emotional intelligence: understand your emotion and accept it.

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Remember, you can’t always be at the top of your mood. And when this happens:

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Being respectful doesn’t mean pretending.
Focus on one single problem at a time.
While sincerity can cost a lost, a brief smile doesn’t.
If you don’t want to talk to someone asking, just ask for some time. People will understand.

Check if you established enough psychological safety in the workflow of your team.

Psychological safety is a cornerstone of high-performing teams, allowing members to take risks, voice their opinions, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation. Here’s how to gauge if your team's workflow incorporates enough psychological safety:

Openness to feedback: team members freely give and receive feedback, viewing it as a growth opportunity rather than criticism.

Willingness to take risks: employees feel safe to experiment and propose innovative solutions, knowing their ideas are valued even if they don't always succeed.

Comfort in admitting mistakes: there's an understanding that mistakes are part of learning and growth, leading to a more open dialogue about failures and lessons learned.

Active participation in meetings: all team members feel comfortable contributing their thoughts and ideas in meetings, without fear of being dismissed or ridiculed.

Support for one another: there’s a strong sense of camaraderie, with team members supporting each other’s contributions and valuing diverse perspectives.

‍Strategies to enhance psychological safety:
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Encourage open communication: foster an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and concerns without judgment.

Lead by example: demonstrate vulnerability by sharing your own mistakes and what you've learned from them, encouraging others to do the same.

Ensure inclusivity: make a conscious effort to include all team members in discussions and decision-making processes, valuing each person’s input.

Address conflicts constructively: handle disagreements and conflicts openly and constructively, focusing on solutions rather than placing blame.

Celebrate diverse perspectives: encourage diversity of thought by actively seeking out and valuing different opinions and approaches.

By assessing these aspects within your team, you can determine the level of psychological safety present in your workflow and identify areas for improvement.
Creating a psychologically safe environment not only boosts team innovation and productivity but also enhances employee satisfaction and retention.

In a stressful situation, are you playing the hero, the victim or the villain?

Stressful situations can bring out different facets of our personalities, especially in the workplace. Understanding the roles we tend to adopt—hero, victim, or villain—can offer insights into our behavior patterns and how they affect team dynamics. Reflecting on these roles can help us navigate stress more effectively and foster healthier interactions.

The Hero: always stepping in to solve problems, even when it's not asked for, can lead to a dependency culture within your team. While being helpful is commendable, constantly playing the hero might prevent others from taking initiative and learning from their experiences.

The Victim: viewing yourself as perpetually wronged or burdened more than others can create a negative atmosphere, impacting morale and productivity. This stance also shifts responsibility away from personal growth and problem-solving, encouraging a culture of blame rather than solutions.

The Villain: reacting to stress by blaming others, being overly critical, or dominating team discussions can alienate colleagues. This behavior can destroy trust and hinder collaborative efforts, leading to a hostile work environment.

‍How to navigate stressful situations positively:
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‍Self-awareness: recognize when you're falling into one of these roles and understand the impact on your team. Reflect on why you adopt these behaviors and consider alternative approaches.
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Encourage ownership: instead of taking over (hero), encourage team members to propose solutions and take charge of challenges, promoting autonomy and growth.

‍Foster open communication: create a space where team members feel comfortable sharing difficulties without fear of judgment or reprisal, countering the victim mentality.
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Practice empathy: understanding and acknowledging the pressures your team faces can help mitigate villainous behaviors, fostering a more supportive atmosphere.

‍Seek feedback: regularly ask for feedback on your leadership style and its impact on team dynamics. This can help identify when your approach might be contributing to stress rather than alleviating it.

Stressful situations are inevitable, but by being mindful of how we respond to them, we can choose to lead in a way that promotes resilience, collaboration, and growth, rather than conflict and division.

What's the advantage of running projects with cross-functional teams?

Cross-functional teams, composed of members from different departments or areas of expertise, offer a dynamic approach to project management. This method leverages diverse perspectives, skills, and knowledge bases, leading to innovative solutions and more comprehensive project outcomes.

Here are the key advantages:

‍Enhanced innovation: the blend of different backgrounds and experiences fosters creativity, leading to innovative solutions that might not emerge within homogenous groups.

‍Improved problem-solving: with a variety of skill sets available, cross-functional teams can approach problems from multiple angles, often finding more effective and efficient solutions.

‍Increased flexibility: these teams can adapt more quickly to changes or challenges, as they have a broader range of skills and experiences to draw from.

‍Better decision-making: diverse teams bring a wealth of perspectives, making the decision-making process more thorough and considered, reducing the likelihood of oversight.

‍Enhanced communication: working across departments breaks down silos, improving communication and collaboration within the organization.

‍Faster project delivery: with all necessary skills represented in one team, there’s less waiting on external departments, leading to faster project completion.

‍Higher employee engagement: participation in cross-functional teams can be more engaging for team members, as it allows them to learn new skills, understand different aspects of the business, and feel a greater sense of contribution to the company’s goals.

Sustainability

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Useful resources to be aware of DAB’s impact on People & Planet

Manifesto & Values

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Useful resources to understand the reason of values in a company.

People

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Useful resources to be a better coworker, no matter what.