ProfessionalDevelopment
Every manager dreams of leading a great team — one that collaborates seamlessly, consistently delivers results and pushes boundaries to achieve extraordinary goals. But building such a team is no easy feat. Many managers struggle because they focus too heavily on outcomes without first fostering the trust, motivation and resilience that underpin high performance.
Enter a simple yet transformative framework: support, celebrate and challenge. These three pillars are the foundation of great teams. However, their success isn’t just about what managers do — it’s also about the personal responsibility of each team member to embody these principles.
Great teams are made up of great teammates, and the same principles of support, celebrate and challenge can help individuals become better contributors to their team’s success.
Let’s explore why this approach works and how it can transform your team, as well as your role within it.
Support is where everything begins. It’s the bedrock of psychological trust — a team environment where members feel secure enough to share ideas, take risks and even fail without fear of judgment or reprisal. Without this foundation, no amount of motivation or strategic planning can build a truly cohesive team.
Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety demonstrates that teams with high psychological safety perform better because members feel free to speak up and contribute without fear of humiliation or rejection. In her studies, teams with strong support structures reported and addressed errors more effectively, leading to better long-term outcomes.
To build support as a manager:
Listen actively: Authentic listening shows your team that their voices matter. Research by Zenger and Folkman highlights that active listening is among the top leadership skills linked to employee engagement.
Remove barriers: Support your team by addressing systemic or resource-related challenges, which research from Harvard Business Review shows has a significant impact on performance.
To show support as a teammate:
Be reliable: Follow through on your commitments, whether it’s meeting deadlines or offering help.
Offer help: Recognize when a teammate is struggling and step in to lend a hand without being asked.
Create a safe space: Encourage open communication and be receptive to feedback from your peers.
Support isn’t just about what leaders provide — it’s a shared responsibility. Team members who support one another create a culture of trust and collaboration, where everyone feels valued.
Once support is established, the next step is to celebrate. Recognition is a powerful motivator, and celebrating achievements big or small, reinforces positive behaviors and shows team members that their efforts matter. A trophy company’s radio ad suggests that “recognition doesn’t cost; it pays!” Truer words could not be spoken.
Gallup’s research into employee engagement reveals that employees who feel recognized are 3.6 times more likely to be engaged at work. Similarly, Amabile and Kramer’s Progress Principle highlights the motivational power of acknowledging small wins during long-term projects.
How to celebrate as a manager:
Recognize effort and progress: Celebrate not just outcomes but also the hard work that went into achieving them.
Make recognition personal: Tailor celebrations to each individual’s preferences, as personalized recognition has a stronger impact on morale.
How to celebrate as a teammate:
Acknowledge contributions: Let your teammates know when you notice their hard work or creative ideas. Be happy for other’s successes not just your own.
Celebrate milestones together: Whether it’s completing a project or hitting a team goal, take time to share in the success.
Express gratitude: A simple “thank you” for someone’s support or collaboration can go a long way in strengthening relationships.
When teammates actively celebrate one another, it creates an atmosphere of positivity and shared success, which boosts morale across the team.
Challenge is where teams and individuals grow. It pushes everyone to stretch their skills, take on new responsibilities and think outside the box. But here’s the catch: Challenges can only be effective if they are introduced in an environment where support and celebrate are consistently modeled. Otherwise, they risk being perceived as criticism. This is about a collective ownership in being our best, not just about holding others accountable.
Kim Scott’s Radical Candor framework emphasizes that effective feedback and challenge must be balanced with genuine care for the individual. Without that care, challenge can alienate rather than inspire.
How to challenge as a manager:
Frame challenges as opportunities: Reframe challenges as chances for growth and innovation. This approach, rooted in Carol Dweck’s work on the growth mindset, encourages resilience and problem-solving.
Provide constructive feedback: Offer specific, actionable suggestions while balancing critique with encouragement.
How to challenge as a teammate:
Encourage growth: Push your peers to stretch themselves and recognize their potential.
Offer honest feedback: Constructive feedback from a teammate can be more impactful than from a manager because it often comes with shared experiences and mutual respect.
Model growth: Demonstrate your willingness to take on challenges and improve, inspiring others to do the same. This is about encouraging your own growth and being open to honest feedback.
When challenges are presented and received in the right way, they drive both individual and team growth, fostering a culture of resilience and innovation.
Support, celebrate and challenge isn’t just a framework for managers — it’s a philosophy for teams. For teammates, embodying these principles means creating a cycle of trust, recognition and growth that everyone contributes to.
Building great teams starts with great leadership, but it also requires great teammates. Whether you’re managing a team or contributing as a member, the principles of support, celebrate and challenge can guide your actions and interactions.
Ask yourself:
As a manager: Have I created an environment of trust, motivation and growth for my team?
As a teammate: Am I doing my part to support, celebrate and challenge my peers?
The best teams aren’t built by accident — they’re built through intentional actions. By adopting the support, celebrate and challenge framework, you can create a team dynamic that drives engagement, innovation and lasting success.
Patrick Veroneau, M.S., is CEO of Emery Leadership Group. Email Patrick at patrick@emeryleadershipgroup.com or connect through linkedin.com/in/patrick-veroneau.
