Systemic Team Development & Growth: A Leadership Guide
Leadership development is no longer just about the leader, but about the entire ecosystem in which the leader exists. The truth is it always has been, though the systemic nature of leadership has historically been largely ignored in the leadership development industry. Leaders are at the cornerstone of successful, productive and efficient teams. If a team has a problem, it is very often a reflection of the leadership culture and the broader organizational culture. Problems in teams very rarely originate at the team level. They often represent and point to more systemic dynamics.
Effective team development is an essential cornerstone for organizational success. However, from a systemic perspective, it goes beyond the simple aggregation of individuals with complementary skills. Systemic team development focuses on understanding the interrelationships and dynamics within the team, considering not just individual contributions but the team’s collective behavior, culture, and alignment with organizational goals. That also includes how a leader creates, defines and maintains those rules, norms and ways of working.
As an executive leader, adopting a systemic view allows you to identify the elements and drivers of team challenges, harness untapped potential, and foster environments that support growth and innovation. This approach helps you create teams that operate cohesively, adapt to change, and achieve sustainable success. It will also uncover areas of leadership and organizational culture that need attending to, but which most leaders and organizations would prefer to deny or ignore. Just because we don’t deal with it as a leader, does not mean it doesn’t exist and it certainly does not minimize the impact it has on people, business outcomes and productivity.
Understanding Systemic Team Development
In systemic team development, every team member is seen as part of a broader system. The way they interact, the unspoken rules that govern their behavior, and the shared narratives that drive decision-making all play a significant role in how the team functions.
A truly systemic approach involves not only focusing on the internal dynamics within teams but also recognizing how those teams fit within the larger organizational system and external environment. Teams are interconnected with other teams, organizational levels, and key stakeholders both inside and outside the organization. Understanding these interconnections is crucial for fostering greater collaboration, adaptability, and long-term success.
A systemic perspective does not simply focus on improving individual performance. Instead, it views team dynamics through a lens that highlights:
Interdependence Across Teams:
Success is not only about individual teams but also about how teams work together across departments, levels, and geographies to create synergies and efficiencies.
Alignment with Stakeholders:
Systemic development extends to considering the interests and needs of external stakeholders such as customers, partners, suppliers, and even the broader community.
Shared Purpose:
Teams thrive when all members, across various levels, align with a common mission and understand their role in fulfilling it.
Communication Across the System:
Effective communication is the bedrock of systemic teamwork. It’s about ensuring transparent, timely, and effective communication not just within teams but across the entire system—from individual contributors to executive leaders, and from internal teams to external stakeholders.
Feedback Loops Across the System:
Establishing continuous feedback mechanisms across teams and stakeholders creates opportunities for reflection, learning, and real-time adaptation to changing conditions.
Adaptability and Innovation:
Systemic teams are better equipped to respond to external changes and internal challenges because they understand the larger system in which they operate. They collaborate and innovate based on insights gained from a broad perspective.
Key Elements of Systemic Team Development
Team Identity and System Identity:
Establishing a strong sense of collective identity at the team level and within the larger organizational system allows teams to build trust, solidarity, and alignment with overall objectives.
Collaboration Across Teams:
The development of strong inter-team relationships ensures that teams operate as part of a broader system, with the ability to adapt to changes and address issues that require multi-team collaboration.
Clarity in Roles and Connections:
While shared leadership is important, clearly defined roles and connections between teams ensure that each member and team knows their contributions and responsibilities in the larger context of the system.
Cross-Functional Communication:
Establishing clear lines of communication across teams, departments, and external stakeholders allows for smoother coordination and quicker decision-making.
Stakeholder Engagement:
In a systemic team development model, understanding and aligning with the needs and expectations of external stakeholders—whether they are customers, partners, your board members, or regulatory bodies—is essential to drive success.
Understanding Power Dynamics Across the System:
Every team, department, and level within the organization has its own power dynamics. Recognizing these interdependencies, and understanding the role of external stakeholders, allows you to address tensions and optimize performance.
Systemic Feedback Loops:
Building mechanisms to gather feedback across the entire system—internally and externally—ensures continuous improvement and alignment with organizational and stakeholder goals.
Leadership Benefits of a Systemic Approach
For executive leaders, adopting a systemic approach to team development brings several key advantages:
Improved Collaboration Across Teams:
A systemic view helps break down silos, promoting collaboration across departments, functions, and even geographical boundaries.
Stronger Alignment with Organizational and Stakeholder Goals:
By viewing teams as part of a larger system, executive leaders can ensure that teams are not only aligned internally but also with external stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, and partners.
Enhanced Problem-Solving Across Levels:
With a systemic perspective, teams at all levels of the organization are better equipped to solve problems by considering the impact of decisions across the entire system.
Sustained Growth and Performance Across the System:
Systemic development ensures that teams and leaders remain adaptable and resilient, able to adjust to internal changes and external disruptions while keeping the entire system in balance.
Resilience in Complex Environments:
Teams that understand their role within the broader organizational system—and the influence of external factors—are better positioned to navigate the complexities and volatility of today’s workplaces.
Reflective Questions for Senior Leaders
To apply a systemic approach to team development in your organization, reflect on the following questions:
How do the behaviors and dynamics within your teams reflect the larger organizational and stakeholder ecosystem?
How do you ensure that teams across different levels and functions collaborate effectively toward common goals?
In what ways do you foster communication and transparency not just within your teams, but across the entire organization and with external stakeholders?
How do you manage the interdependencies between teams and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and mutual benefit?
Are there opportunities to enhance the feedback loops between teams, levels, and stakeholders to promote continuous improvement?
How does your organization leverage the collective intelligence of all teams to solve systemic problems and innovate?
How do you handle conflicts that arise not just within teams, but between different teams or between internal teams and external partners?
How do you ensure that all levels of the organization understand the broader systemic context and their role within it?
How do you assess the health of inter-team relationships and the alignment of team goals with organizational objectives?
How do you integrate feedback from external stakeholders into your team development and decision-making processes?
The systemic approach to team development is powerful, yet it requires intentional and ongoing effort from leadership. As an executive, the decisions you make in shaping your teams will have a profound impact on your organization’s success.
Effective team development is critical for organizational success, extending beyond merely combining individuals with skills. A systemic approach emphasizes understanding team interrelationships and dynamics, considering collective behavior, culture, and alignment with organizational goals. Leadership plays a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining team culture, rules, norms, and operational methods.
This approach ensures that each team member’s contributions are maximized within a supportive framework. By carefully managing team dynamics and fostering a culture of shared understanding and purpose, organizations can achieve significant improvements in productivity and employee satisfaction. The systemic perspective integrates various elements, including individual strengths, interpersonal relationships, and strategic alignment, to create a robust and adaptable team structure.
Ultimately, embracing systemic team development transforms teams into dynamic assets that drive innovation and achieve organizational objectives effectively. It encourages leaders to look beyond surface-level problems to address the underlying systemic issues that impact team performance, ensuring a resilient and high-performing workforce.
Work with Dr. Bruce Pereira
If you’re ready to dive deeper into systemic team development and unlock the full potential of your leadership and teams, then get in touch. Together, we can create tailored strategies to help your teams thrive through change and complexity, and fostering not just internal success but alignment with the broader system, including all key stakeholders.
I can help you enable leaders and build teams that are not only high-performing but also resilient, adaptable, and deeply aligned with your organizational and stakeholder goals. Reach out today to explore how systemic thinking can transform your leadership and team development efforts.