30 May Democracy in Teams: Building Collaborative and Empowered High-Performing Teams

As South Africa marks its seventh democratic election on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, it’s an ideal time to reflect on how democratic principles can enhance team development within organisations. Participation, equality, transparency, and collective decision-making—the cornerstones of democracy—can transform teams into more engaged, innovative, and resilient entities.

In previous discussions, I emphasized the importance of employing traditional African leadership principles to develop team intelligence. Today, I want us to think about how democratic principles can further enhance our teams. I am passionate about fostering harmonious collaboration in teams while achieving business goals. Context is paramount to me—therefore, I believe in leveraging what we have and what we know to improve ourselves and our business practices. This means adopting what serves us and our goals and discarding what derails us or does not serve our needs, rather than relying on foreign concepts that may not be inherently ours or relatable. This brings us to my thoughts today: how can we leverage democratic principles to develop resilient, high-performing teams where every member is willingly driven to serve selflessly and work diligently towards shared goals?

1. Inclusive Participation

Democracy thrives on the active participation of all its citizens. Similarly, successful teams benefit from the diverse input of all members. How do we create an environment where everyone feels their voice is valued encourages engagement and innovation? 

In practice:

• Facilitating Open Dialogue: Regular brainstorming sessions, feedback forums, and collaborative meetings allow team members to share their thoughts without fear of judgment. Try using Liberating Structures to transform team meetings – talk to us about developing skills in this important area of teamwork.
• Recognising Contributions: Acknowledge and celebrate contributions, big or small, to foster a sense of belonging and motivation.
• Equality and Fairness

Equality is essential in a democratic society and within teams. How do we ensure that all members are treated with fairness and respect helps to mitigate feelings of favoritism?

In practice:

• Ensuring Equal Opportunities: Provide equal access to professional growth, training, resources, and leadership roles.
• Promoting Diversity: Actively build teams that represent various backgrounds and perspectives to enrich collective intelligence and creativity. Diversity is not limited to race or color but includes gender, age, socioeconomic status, education, and life experiences. By fostering an inclusive environment, we encourage a broad range of ideas and solutions.
• Transparency and Accountability

Transparency builds trust and accountability among team members. Clear communication about goals, processes, and decision-making aligns everyone with the team’s objectives. What do we do about complaints such as “decisions change day-to-day” or “we’re kept in the dark about important issues”? 

In practice:

• Sharing Information Openly: Regularly update team members on organisational goals, challenges, and changes. Considering the “new” ways of work, whether we communicate on Teams, WhatsApp or email communication should be accurate and continuous to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
• Encouraging Accountability: Foster a culture where team members hold themselves and each other accountable for their tasks, driving performance and trust.
• Collective Decision-Making

Democratic decision-making processes empower individuals by involving them in decisions that affect their work, addressing concerns like “our opinions are disregarded”.

In practice:

• Collaborative Planning: Involve team members in setting goals and defining strategies to increase buy-in and motivation.
• Consensus Building: Strive for consensus in decision-making processes, ensuring that decisions are well-considered and supported by the majority.
• Empowerment and Leadership

Democratic principles empower individuals by giving them a voice and a stake in outcomes.

In practice:

• Delegating Responsibilities: Trust team members to take ownership of their tasks, boosting confidence and initiative. 
• Continuous Learning and Development: Provide opportunities for personal and team development. Programs like Purposeful Teams, which ground teams on their purpose, and Teams That Talk, which enhances team communication, are essential.
• Mentorship Programs: Implement mentorship schemes where experienced team members can guide and support their peers, fostering growth and strengthening the team.

As we celebrate 30 years of democracy, it’s crucial to recognize the parallels between democratic values and effective team dynamics. I believe that by adopting participation, equality, transparency, and collective decision-making into our team development practices, we create work environments that are democratic, innovative, and resilient.  As we commemorate this milestone, I encourage leaders to build teams that reflect the spirit of democracy, driving organisations toward a future of collaboration, innovation, and shared success. By focusing on our context and leveraging principles that resonate with our cultural and historical background, we can develop stronger, more effective, and Purposeful Teams. It all starts with who we are (Context), why we exist (Purpose), where we are going (Vision), and how we’re getting there (Strategy). Today’s food for thought: how can we incorporate democratic principles into our strategies?