Takeaways from the Elevate Team Impact Roundtable: Building Resilient Teams with John Estafanous
In today’s fast-paced business environment, the demand for resilient, adaptable teams is more critical than ever. LEAD3R’s roundtable on “Building Resilient Teams,” hosted by RallyBright CEO John Estafanous, highlighted some powerful insights on what makes teams not only withstand adversity but thrive through it.
At the heart of this conversation was the idea that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back from challenges. As one participant pointed out, resilience is more than overcoming adversity; it’s about thriving despite it. This shift in mindset is key as businesses face constant disruption—from external forces like market volatility to internal challenges like resource constraints.
The Key to Resilience: Adaptability and Selflessness
Estafanous emphasized a key differentiator between high-performing teams and resilient teams: selflessness. High-performing teams deliver results, but resilient teams go beyond that—they’re willing to sacrifice individual needs for the collective good. In resilient teams, members prioritize the team’s mission over their own roles, creating an environment of trust and mutual accountability.
This selflessness fosters adaptability, which Estafanous described as the ability to respond to external forces and market conditions at a high velocity. Adaptability ensures teams can pivot quickly without losing sight of their purpose and goals.
Breaking Down Silos and Rebuilding Connectivity
The pandemic left many teams isolated, creating silos within organizations that are now struggling with cross-team collaboration. Several participants highlighted how cross-functional teamwork—or lack thereof—has become a significant hurdle in today’s business landscape. While teams within organizations have grown closer, connecting those teams across functions has become more difficult.
This leads to the question: How do organizations rebuild the connective tissue between teams? The roundtable participants agreed that this starts with clear communication, mutual understanding, and proactive collaboration. Estafanous pointed out that organizations need to nurture relationships between teams, ensuring that they understand each other’s missions and how their goals are aligned.
The Role of Leadership: Setting the Foundation for Resilient Teams
Much of the roundtable focused on the role of leadership in fostering resilient teams. Leaders must do more than set goals—they need to create an environment where their teams feel empowered to make decisions, adapt to changing conditions, and take ownership of their collective mission. Leadership, according to the participants, is not just about driving performance; it’s about empowering teams to be proactive and solution-oriented.
One roundtable participant, summed this up perfectly: “The hardwiring of deliberate organizational design makes processes work.” Leaders must be intentional about how teams operate, ensuring there is clarity around decision-making, communication, and team goals.
The Path Forward: Building Teams for the Future
As we look ahead, the shift from focusing solely on resilience to building adaptability into the DNA of teams will be crucial. The conversation at the LEAD3R roundtable underscored the importance of clear direction, shared purpose, and the willingness to collaborate across teams. When leaders take a proactive role in fostering this environment, teams can not only survive the disruptions of today but also thrive in the challenges of tomorrow.
