In today’s workplace, teams are often asked to perform flawlessly while also learning and innovating. But trying to pursue both equally can backfire. Teams achieve more when they commit to one clear purpose. Here’s how to keep them focused.
Choose a dominant orientation—then commit to it. If your team’s job is to explore new ideas, adopt a learning orientation. Set ambitious development goals and reward experimentation. If the role demands consistent output, embrace a performance orientation. Focus on precision, efficiency, and results. Mixing both sends conflicting signals that weaken focus.
Tailor how you lead. Once you’ve chosen a direction, reinforce it in everyday practices. In learning-oriented teams, celebrate progress from mistakes and reward curiosity. In performance-oriented teams, track goals closely and give metrics-based feedback. Incentives should always match the orientation you’ve set.
Avoid mixed signals. Don’t encourage risk-taking while penalizing failure, or talk about innovation while only rewarding error-free execution. Align communication, coaching, and evaluation criteria so the team knows exactly what matters. |
