Building Better Teams, One Choice at a Time

Cohesive leadership teams drive results, but building that cohesion isn’t a quick fix—it’s a journey. 🚀 In my new article, I talk about how intentional choices, ongoing learning, and a little bravery can transform any team. And speaking of bravery, I’m spotlighting a friend’s new book too! 📖 Dive in!

December 19, 2024

A friend recently shared something that made my day—she used my mantra, “It’s Choice, Not Chance, That Changes Your Life,” as the introduction to her book. Hearing how those words resonated with her reminded me how important it is to embrace intentionality in our decisions, whether in life or leadership.

That got me thinking about the choices we make in our organizations—specifically, how leadership teams function. When I work with leadership teams, one thing becomes clear: strong teams don’t happen by chance. They’re built intentionally, choice by choice, behavior by behavior.

Get your copy of my book to learn more about the fallout and fall-in of those choices by clicking on the cover.

A Leadership Story Worth Sharing

A while ago, I worked with a leadership team that started out… let’s just say, less than cohesive. There was mistrust, miscommunication, and a lot of wasted time spent navigating interpersonal dynamics instead of solving business challenges.

But here’s the thing: they didn’t stay that way. Over the course of six months, we worked through Patrick Lencioni’s Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team framework. It wasn’t an overnight transformation—it was a journey. A learning journey that started with a choice: the choice to commit to each other and to the process. We didn’t just sit in a room for one day and call it “team-building.” Instead, we created a roadmap:

Monthly Learning Sessions: Deep dives into the five behaviors—trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results. There were:

• Interim Learning Touchpoints: Bite-sized lessons and reminders delivered virtually or by email to keep the momentum going.

• Individual Coaching “Office Hours”: These are times for team members to work through their unique challenges with my support.

• Comparison Reports: Tools that helped the team measure their growth and strengthen their relationships.

• Results Measurement: Leadership development dollars—and, more importantly, time—are too valuable to waste.

The result? A team that not only worked better together but also delivered measurable business outcomes. They started solving problems faster, confidently navigating conflict, and driving results aligned with the organization’s goals.

Why It Works

Here’s what I believe makes this program unique in how I deliver it: it’s not just a workshop—it’s a journey. Leadership development doesn’t happen in a vacuum or over a few hours. It’s about consistent learning, intentional practice, and yes, a few brave choices along the way.

Your Choice, Your Team

If you’re curious about how the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team program could work for your organization, I’d love to chat. Whether your team is starting from scratch or needs a little tune-up, we can design a roadmap that’s right for you.

Send me an email at charlene@charlenewheeless.com, give me a call at 703.447.7077, or download the brochure here. —I’d love to hear from you! And if you’re looking for some inspiration to kick off your own journey of brave choices, I can’t recommend Small Brave Moves, by my friend Nicole Bianchi enough.

Until next time, remember: It’s choice, not chance, that changes everything.

Warmly

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