Syncing with Nature's Rhythms: The Key to Team Performance

My dad is a firm believer in the wisdom of nature's clock. He lives by the adage of being early to bed and early to rise, following the sun's lead. His example taught me the profound importance of aligning with the natural ebb and flow of the world around us.

During the tumultuous times of broken sleep and challenging days when my kids were little, I often found myself reflecting on my dad's teachings. Looking back, those periods felt more daunting, and I'm certain it had much to do with my sleep habits. The positive correlation between consistent sleep patterns and psychological well-being became abundantly clear. When our sleep is erratic, our mental health suffers. In our fast-paced world, it's easy to forget that we're creatures of nature, not machines. Amid the constant buzz of artificial lights and endless distractions, the simple act of slowing down and listening to our bodies can feel revolutionary.

So why am I writing about this? Because the impact of sleep deprivation on team dynamics is staggering. Research from Whoop, coupled with insights from Google's Aristotle Project, revealed the critical role of psychological safety in team performance. Defined by Amy Edmondson as the belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. It’s a sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject, or punish someone for speaking up. Psychological safety is the foundation upon which high-functioning teams are built. Google's data underscored that psychological safety is paramount to team success. If you're interested, you can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html

Delving deeper, Whoop's study of 600 CEOs and Business Executives unearthed a correlation between sleep deprivation of a CEO and the psychological safety of their direct reports. Kristen goes on to say that these individuals may not recognize their own cognitive and emotional declines due to lack of sleep because they’ve adapted, but those around them can sense the difference in their behaviour and interactions. Research indicates that for every 45 minutes of sleep debt accrued, there's a subsequent 5-10% decrease in executive functioning, such as decision-making abilities. This should give any CEO pause for thought, considering the implications for their team's performance and the stripping of psychological safety.

As Kristen Holmes puts it, sleep is the greatest natural performance enhancer we have on this planet.

So, if you’re a business executive finding yourself lamenting your team's performance, perhaps it's time to look inward and prioritize creating psychological safety. It's about fostering an environment where individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to speak up. And for those who need a numerical standpoint, teams that experience increased psychological safety earn, on average, $4.5 million more than a team that doesn’t.

By honouring our body's need for rest and cultivating a culture of trust and openness, we pave the way for improved individual and team performance.

So what can we do?

🌞 Prioritize Sleep Wake Timing (it’s more than just the number of hours spent in bed).
🌞 Seek sunlight upon waking (it helps set your circadian rhythm).
🌞 Implement the Physiological Sigh to reduce anxiety and stress.
🌞 Start taking small steps towards creating a psychologically safe team.

If you’re interested in Steven Bartlett’s DOAC featuring Kristen Holmes’, you can search on YouTube.

Let's tune into the lessons of nature and embrace the transformative power of sleep and psychological safety. If your company is seeking practical ways to infuse psychological safety into your small business, we invite you to book your free consultation today so we can build a workplace culture where individuals and teams thrive.