How to build a thriving team

I’ve played and led enough teams in my life to give you a little insight on thriving teams.

First off, I hate when people play politics. Politics is when people choose their words and actions based on how they want others to react rather than based on what they really think. If I know one thing about great teams is that they’re open and honest. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of being penalized. Great teams are built on trust. And the only way to gain trust is to connect. And the only way to connect is to encourage vulnerability. To allow everyone to take off their armour and be themselves. Great teams don’t hold back with each other. They trust that when someone is pushing them it’s because they care about them and the team.

When there’s no vulnerability, when people are playing politics, when people don’t have a voice they’ll never really get on board.

Originally published at Jean-Luc Boissonneault.