Debriefing: 3 Keys For Higher Performance Teams
- Greg Wooldridge
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2 min read
The positive changes that are achievable using a structured debrief can accelerate any team’s performance. It’s part of a process of continuous improvement that happens after any major event. When we commit to recognizing and fixing our own individual shortcomings, and when we highlight and celebrate those efforts that went well, a spiraling up of belief levels occurs. Here are some ideas from my experience leading the Blue Angels that you can use in your own debrief. Up we go!
#1 Lead With Authenticity
Every debrief needs a leader who is frank and fearless. He or she gives their personal view of the event, establishes the general order, and determines who speaks next. The leader may expose their own shortcomings early on, ensuring the team feels safe enough to follow suit and open themselves up for improvement. The leader’s role has little to do with rank or position, and more to do with committing him or herself to doing better for the whole team. As a former leader I can say it wasn’t always comfortable to expose my own faults, but it helped the rest of the team do the same. Lead by example. There were times, post air show, while signing autographs for the crowd that I had to compartmentalize my dissatisfaction with the way I’d flown, knowing that the upcoming debrief may be uncomfortable.
#2 Set A Tone of Gratitude
Gratitude blankets an effective debrief. When people bring a “Glad to be here” mindset to the table, it sets the tone for buy-in and ownership of outcomes. Shortcomings should be followed with an “I’ll fix it” promise: I am thankful to be a part of this team, I will not let the same mistakes happen again. Because some maneuvers require techniques that are learned over time the answer to fixing something may be a “chipping away” process that involves time and repetition. Gratitude is the “secret sauce” for this kind of continuous improvement.
#3 Celebrate Your Victories
The debrief must be a celebration of what went right as well as a discussion of areas needing improvement. If the event went well the mood will certainly be elevated. Yet, even if the debrief was difficult, the team will leave with a positive outlook on the next opportunity. There will probably be work to do in preparation for the upcoming evolution, however, everyone should leave motivated and excited. Celebrating and acknowledging what went well raises individual belief levels and raises the performance of the entire team. Progress is the expectation. Perfection is the goal!
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Glad To Be Here!
~Greg “Boss” Wooldridge
Greg is one of JFI’s Leadership Experts. Learn more about his story on our Leadership Experts Page.
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