Week 8 Discussion Response- Managing People and Promoting Collab

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Lakenya Campbell

Walden University

Managing People & Promoting Collab

Prof Warrick

July 16th, 2025

Reflection on Developing Individuals and Teams

Throughout this course, I have deeply appreciated the distinction between a group and a true team. A group may consist of people working toward similar goals, but a true team is characterized by shared purpose, mutual accountability, and collaborative synergy. I now understand that forming a cohesive team requires more than bright individuals— trust, psychological safety, and inclusive team dynamics. My professional experience aligns with this; teams I have seen thrive were the ones where members had the autonomy to contribute meaningfully while united by a common purpose. I also value a team charter that clarifies responsibilities, standards, and goals. Structure has helped me set expectations, avoid misunderstandings, and promote teamwork.

One of the key takeaways from the course was the value of diversity and inclusion in team settings. Vickberg and Christfort's framework on work styles—pioneers, drivers, integrators, and guardians—resonated with me. I have worked with all these categories and found that knowing their skills and preferences improves teamwork. Beyond appreciation, real inclusion involves deliberate prejudice mitigation and advocacy for underrepresented voices. Williams and Mihaylo emphasized the role of managers in disrupting bias, something I have witnessed firsthand (Williams & Mihaylo, 2019). For example, I once observed that a team member's ideas were frequently overlooked until a conscious effort was made to rotate meeting facilitation. That little shift made quieter voices heard and boosted creativity.

The modules on coaching and feedback were particularly impactful. Ibarra and Scoular's view of leaders as coaches changed my viewpoint from directive management to empowerment and inquiry (Ibarra & Scoular, 2019). I have found that team members often uncover insights themselves when I ask thoughtful questions instead of giving immediate solutions. Goldsmith's "feedforward" approach was an effective alternative to feedback (Goldsmith, 2002). Try. Forward-thinking, less personal, and productive. Implementing this with my direct reports has resulted in clearer development paths and improved morale. Understanding how to have challenging performance talks with sensitivity and transparency has boosted my management confidence.

Finally, navigating uncertainty and team conflict emerged as another critical focus. Davey's encouragement to "let your team have that heated conversation" stood out (Davey, 2019). Avoiding disagreement frequently leads to unresolved conflicts, but systematic communication may reveal fundamental causes and align. I have witnessed that opening communication and modeling vulnerability amid uncertainty promote resilience. Ancona and Isaacs' advice on autonomy helped me see control as instruction rather than micromanagement (Ancona& Isaacs, 2019). The course has improved my capacity to promote individual development and build adaptable teams.

References

Williams, J. C., & Mihaylo, S. (2019).  How the best bosses interrupt bias on their teams.  Harvard Business Review,  97(6), 151–155.

Ancona, D., & Isaacs, K. (2019, July 11).  How to give your team the right amount of autonomy.  Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–4. http://hbr.org

Davey, L. (2019, December 23).  Let your team have that heated conversation.  Harvard

Goldsmith, M. (2002).  Try feedforward instead of feedbackLinks to an external site..  Leader to Leader,  2002(25), 11–14.

Ibarra, H., & Scoular, A. (2019, October 31). The leader as coach: How to unleash innovation, energy, and commitment. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–11. http://hbr.org