Behavior and Beliefs
A new lens for looking at team performance
Your actions and behavior are like the visible portion of an Iceberg floating on the surface.
Your underlying beliefs are like the large, invisible portion that is submerged below.
You don’t see it. However, it exists just the same, and it impacts you.
This concept was first introduced to me by way of parenting: i.e., your child’s behavior is a function of the beliefs they have made about themselves and the world around them.
If they believe they are incapable, their behavior will manifest as defeat, lack of effort, withdrawal.
If they believe they only matter when they have your attention, their behavior will center on attention-seeking activities, whatever it takes to get you to notice (acting out, hitting their sibling, getting bad grades, interrupting you, etc.).
I believe this behavior-belief concept applies to management, just as well as it does to parenting.
The people on your team behave according to the beliefs they have.
If they believe that they are only valuable when they are shipping, then their behavior is likely to reflect an “always-on” mentality, cutting corners, lack of quality.
If they believe that their role is low impact and that they aren’t really all that needed, then their behavior is likely to show as low performance, lack of engagement, and few ideas.
It all starts with belief.
So how can you tell what a teammate believes? Ask and listen. Ask about how things are feeling for them in the role or within a project, and listen for the emotions they feel and the phrases they use.
More importantly, how do you feel toward this person? Your response tends to give the biggest clue as to what may be happening beneath the surface.
Here’s a handy spreadsheet (again, for parenting) that ties emotions and phrases to beliefs and goals. For instance, if you feel angry at a teammate, it’s possible that your teammate feels that they must be in control in order to matter, and the two of you are in a power struggle. And don’t worry, there are suggestions on what to do next. :)
Does this idea seem to resonate with what you’ve experienced as a manager?
I’d love to know any thoughts or experiences this brings up for you!
If this post sparked any thoughts … I’d love to hear them!
Feel free to respond below, or click recommend to get others involved in the conversation. 🍟
