What truly drives high-performing teams?
Kristine at Fig Practice and I have kicked off 2026 reflecting on and revisiting some core
components of High Performing teams.
What truly drives high-performing teams?
One idea that we keep coming back to from Owen Eastwood’s brilliant book Belonging, alongside
Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological safety, is this - performance follows human
connection.
Here are a few of our reflections and how they show up in psychologically safe teams and
thriving cultures -
1. Whakapapa - We are part of a continuum
When people understand their place in the team’s story, they feel valued. Psychological safety
grows when people experience, in genuine ways, that I matter here
2. Belonging before performance
Teams are far more willing to challenge, create and innovate when they feel safe. Belonging
reduces fear and unlocks potential, especially when the work is complex or the stakes are high
3. Shared identity and purpose
Clarity of values, rituals and expectations helps reduce anxiety. When people know what good
looks like and what is expected of them, they feel more confident to contribute
4. Stories shape culture
The stories teams tell, and the ones leaders model, shape trust and connection. When leaders are
willing to be vulnerable and reflective, it creates space for others to also show up more honestly
5. Trust is a daily practice
Belonging isn’t a one-off initiative - it’s a commitment. Small, consistent actions signal to your
team that their voice is safe and valued
✨ When leaders intentionally cultivate belonging, psychological safety stops being a concept
and begins to show up in everyday moments. That’s where sustainable performance takes hold.
Curious how to build deeper belonging and psychological safety in your team or organisation?
Let’s connect – we’d love to support you through coaching, workshops or team development
conversations.
Check out our new podcast channel Two P’s in a Podcast on Spotify to hear more of our
thoughts and reflections - https://lnkd.in/eKgVDCzq
Bridging the Leadership Gap: Why Capability Building Is Your Growth Engine
It’s a familiar story: you’ve got talented people, you’ve got drive, you’ve got ambition. But somewhere between what could be and what is the leadership link starts to fray. In New Zealand today, leaders aren’t just struggling with tasks - they’re being asked to lead change, build culture and unlock potential.
Here’s the truth: It’s not enough to simply have leaders anymore. You need to develop leaders.
Why the gap exists
Leadership today demands agility, empathy and strategic thinking. The old command-and-control style doesn’t cut it
Many managers were promoted for performance, not capability and now the job looks very different
Organisations are changing faster than ever (AI, hybrid work, new generations) and leaders are expected to keep up
What this means for your business
When leadership capability is weak culture falters, engagement slips, change stalls. When it’s strong teams thrive, momentum builds, growth happens. The difference often comes down to one factor - connection between what we expect leaders to do and what we actually equip them for.
Three capability pivots to focus on now
From Doing to Enabling
Great leaders don’t just manage outputs - they lift capability in others. Ask: How can this leader help their team learn, not just deliver?From Strategy to Practice
It’s not enough to know the direction. Leaders must translate strategy into action and help their teams apply it in real timeFrom Idea to Embedding
Learning doesn’t end at the workshop. The long game is making new behaviours stick using coaching, reflection and follow-up to lock in change
At The Leadership CoLab, we partner with ambitious NZ businesses to turn this into action. We help you design coaching, frameworks and development programmes that build leadership muscle so when change hits, you’re ready.
👉 What’s your biggest leadership capability gap right now? And what’s the one step you can take this week to bridge it?