High-Performing Teams Start Here
Welcome to the very first edition of the Carpenter Leadership Consulting newsletter!
I’m thrilled to have you here and excited to share insights to help you and your team thrive.
One of the most common conversations I have with leaders is about teams. How do I build a high-performing team? How can I better support my team?
High-performing teams don’t happen overnight. (But wouldn’t that be nice?) They require intention, clear communication, and a strong foundation of trust. Without trust, even the most talented teams can struggle. But when trust is present, collaboration deepens, innovation flourishes, and goals become more than just possible. They become achievable.
This month, I’m focusing on practical ways to strengthen your team’s connections.
Pressed for time? Try using my Quick Team Exercise below with your team. Also, as you reflect on your own team, consider this: What’s one small shift that could build more trust and collaboration?
I look forward to sharing more ideas and strategies with you!
Best,
Susanne
Making time to talk about how the team is performing is one of the keys to your success. While team retreats are valuable, consistent check-ins along the way allow for timely adjustments and improvements.
Check-ins also don’t need to take a lot of time. One of my favorite 10-minute exercises is the Temperature Check, which I’ve seen create impact across teams.
Here’s how it works:
Think of trust like a thermometer. At 0°, relationships are frozen. Team members are guarded and defensive. At 100°, there's warmth. This is where you see genuine psychological safety where innovation thrives.
In this quick exercise, team members privately rate their perceived trust temperature, share only their numbers (no justification needed), and then each suggest one small action that would "raise the temperature by 5 degrees."
The magic happens in those small actions your team shares. Tiny shifts practiced consistently, created noticeable improvements within weeks.
If you're interested in running this exercise with your team, click the button to contact me, and I'll send you my detailed facilitation guide.
My Favorite Resources
Great leaders never stop learning. Each month, I’ll share a few resources–books, articles, podcasts, and tools–to help you lead with clarity and confidence. This month’s resources are focused on helping you strengthen and support your team.
Book
The Culture Code
Daniel Coyle explores what makes successful teams thrives and offers insights on building trust and creating a culture where people do their best work.
Article
How High Performing Teams Build Trust
Ron Friedman breaks down the behaviors that strengthen trust within teams and offers practical strategies you can use with your own team.
