Tools for Stronger Teams: Part #2
Meetings are the heartbeat of team collaboration. Or at least, they should be.
In practice, they often feel more like a necessary evil: calorie-dense, low-nutrition affairs that drain energy rather than spark it.
In this blog series, Tools for Stronger Teams, we’re exploring the models and approaches we use in our work with executive teams. Not just by doing more – but by doing the right things, at the right time, with clarity and intent.
This post is about one of the most under-discussed aspects of teaming: knowing when not to team.
Misunderstanding ‘teamwork’
In most teams, the default answer to any challenge is more collaboration. Bring more people into the conversation; get more input; socialise the idea; seek alignment.
It sounds inclusive and feels responsible. But left unchecked, it becomes a reflex that kills progress.
The problem isn’t collaboration itself – it’s collaboration without discernment.
Sometimes, a bold idea gets whittled down to something safe but forgettable. A brilliant individual with deep expertise is slowed down by unnecessary input. Or we turn everything into a group activity because it feels more polite.
We trade decisiveness for diplomacy, and swap brave for beige.
The Mona Lisa problem
Imagine Leonardo da Vinci had been asked to create the Mona Lisa in a modern-day corporate environment. Every stakeholder adds their thoughts:
“Can she smile more?”
“What if we added some flowers in the background?”
“Could we make her less ambiguous?”
By the end, the masterpiece becomes a compromise, the artistic equivalent of a dish of warm water. Technically acceptable, but creatively dead. The takeaway is about trusting people to lead in their space; knowing when collaboration will enhance the work, and when it will dilute it.
So when should we collaborate?
This is where structure matters. As we explored in our previous post on team conversations, not all discussions are created equal. If you’re not clear on the purpose of a conversation – or who should be in it – you’re likely to end up in unnecessary complexity, conflict, or confusion.The same is true of decisions.
We use the Innovation Funnel to help teams decide not just how to engage, but when, why, and who to engage. Here’s a quick recap.
- Stage One: Ideation
This is the moment for input. The aim is quantity, creativity, energy. No wrong answers; let the ideas fly.
- Stage Two: Refinement
Now we’re honing options and stress-testing decisions. It’s not the time for new ideas – it’s the time to choose and commit.
- Stage Three: Informing
The decision is made – no more feedback needed. The goal is clarity and execution. This isn’t a team debate, it’s a clear, directional update.
Ask the Leonardo question
When deciding how to structure your next piece of work or conversation, ask:
Is this a Leonardo moment?
Is someone already well-placed to lead and deliver, based on their expertise, vision, or ownership?
If so – trust them. Get out of the way, and don’t crowd the canvas.
But if the idea is early, messy, in need of shaping or stress-testing, it’s probably a chance to team up with intent. Name the purpose of the collaboration and set expectations for how people contribute.
Strong teams aren’t the ones who collaborate constantly, but the ones who know when to lean in and when to lean out – when to challenge, and when to back the expert.