Balaji is a technology executive with Amazon. His professional experience spans three decades and he is passionate about improving employee experience and engagement at the workplace. He has facilitated several workshops on leadership and meditation across many different Fortune 500 companies.  


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Balaji Iyer

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 BALAJI IYER
 shares 4 ideas for building a high-performance team, and why these ideas
 make a difference. This is based on his professional experience over three
 decades of improving employee experience and engagement. He facilitates
 workshops on leadership and meditation for Fortune 500 companies.
</h4>

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 One of the most significant issues faced by organizations is employee
 engagement. According to a 2022 McKinsey research report, 55% of employee
 engagement is driven by non-financial recognition, and the majority cite “not
 having caring leaders” as a key reason for leaving their team. Research at
 www.catalyst.org shows a 48% increase in innovation, a 44% increase in
 engagement, and increased retention when employees feel their leaders are
 empathic.


So, here are 4 key ideas for building a high-performing team:

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 Idea #1
 Self-awareness is the basis of empathy
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 Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation create space between our thoughts,
 enabling us to be reflective. In a recent leadership workshop I facilitated,
 participants appreciated the full-body awareness and tuning in to the heart.
 It provided a break from the constant stress that fills up every working day.
 Taking time during the day to pause and reflect, by meditating, improves our
 responses to events. Leaders become better listeners, resulting in an
 opportunity to provide a compassionate response to employees’ situations.


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 Idea #2 Deep work creates long-term happiness, starting with individuals and
 affecting the entire team
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 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of “flow” recommends a balance between
 skills and challenges to be able to remain in the flow state. It is important
 to allow space for quiet time, one to four hours every day, for ourselves and
 our teams to dive deep. When employees can focus on their work without
 interruption for multiple hours in a day, it provides them an opportunity to
 master their skills. It results in an increase in their productivity along
 with their happiness.


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 Idea #3 Debate, discuss, and decide
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 A strong culture of open constructive debate builds solid teams and products.
 The diversity of the team and their thought processes provide the best
 possible chance at success, especially if we allow them to share their ideas
 and debate the merits of each. In contrast, a command and control style
 produces an “Emperor has no clothes” situation.



 In any organization, we need every team member’s hearts and minds to be
 successful. We can then focus on the data behind every view point and decide
 the best way forward in alignment with the organization’s mission. Positional
 power need only be used as a last resort, to break a deadlock.


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 Idea #4 Inclusiveness is key to engagement
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 Leaders will benefit by spending time understanding their employees and their
 aspirations. They will then be able to work toward their best interests,
 whether within the current organization or outside. Such an attitude will earn
 the trust of the employees. Leaders have a duty to focus on employee growth,
 and include them in the organization’s vision and goals. In a corporate
 setting, managers can also align the individual goals of employees with the
 organizational vision.



 When employees feel valued by their leaders, and they see their efforts are
 resulting in meaningful accomplishments for the organization, they feel
 included and engaged.


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