The 7 Factors That Ultimately Determine Team Success

Read Time: 4 minutes.

I'll admit it: I'm a sucker for a fresh start.

I know what all the stats say about the futility of resolutions, but I'm also a pragmatist:

I can get behind anything that helps people get a little better.

And the turning of a calendar tends to mark a time of reflection.

As my CEO coaching calls picked back up this week, I heard rejuvenated leaders and renewed enthusiasm.

I also heard a lot of talk of "diets."

They wouldn't have called them that, but that's what they were:

• "I'm only going to focus on what's important."

• "We need to tighten up operations this year."

• "There's definitely spending fat we can trim."

The spirit behind each of these diets is the same:

What is one immediate change that will make us healthier and more resilient over time in the long term?

Success doesn't come from what we give up temporarily.
Success comes from committing to a new normal.

A new normal that:

• Meet our current goals

• Can be sustained through adversity

• Is the easier choice than the old status quo

So, let's not engage in the act of dieting.
Let's commit to a healthier diet.

Here are 7 places you might want to cut and practical "diets" that will set you up for success.

Time Diet

"I want to use my time better."

• Tasks you can eliminate

• Tasks you can automate

• Tasks you can delegate

Try: Classifying tasks into "good time vs bad time."

Energy Diet

"I want to protect my energy."

• Cut social media scrolling

• Cut unproductive meetings

• Cut energy vampires from life

Try: Do an "energy audit"

Cost Diet

"I want to use our resources optimally."

• Cancel recurring subscriptions

• Fire unprofitable customers

• Replace low performers

Try: Doing a "zero-based budgeting" exercise.

Decisions Diet

"I want to make better decisions faster."

• Create SOPs for recurring decisions

• Push authority as close to ground as possible

• Commit to a 24-hour window for all reversible decisions

Try: Keeping a "decision journal" to improve speed and quality.

Excellence Diet

"I want to ensure the highest standards."

• Create a weekly feedback ritual

• Codify the team's culture standards

• Publish KPIs weekly; explain misses publicly

Try: Giving everyone a number that ties their role to the mission.

Communication Diet

"I want high-fidelity information flow."

• Eliminate duplicative channels

• Create a predictable rhythm for updates

• Centralize common data and SOPs as the source of truth

Try: Committing to weekly "Loom" video updates to the team.

Information Diet

"I want more signal, less noise."

• Minimize cheap dopamine sources

• Balance timeless wisdom with timely data

• Default to async written memos over sync meetings

Try: Have your direct reports maintain a "1:1 dashboard."

What You Missed This Week

⭐ Mar crossed 25,000 followers on LinkedIn this week.⭐

I know, it feels like a milestone every week, but she’s killing it. Give her a follow.

Did you miss our year-end recap over the holiday break?

📌 Check out our 2024 MGMT Reprise.

And here are our 5 most popular posts from this week:

1. 7 Mistakes Wise Leaders Are Smart To Avoid

2. 9 Avoidable New Manager Mistakes

3. 10 Management Behaviors That Always Backfire

4. 7 Ways To Raise The Energy of the Room

5. 9 Signs Your Team Might Be Toxic (one of my best ever)

Our goal is to build a community of 1 million thoughtful, curious leaders.

Your ♻️ reposts on any or all of the above are always appreciated.  

Thank you for reading. Appreciate you!

Dave & Mar