Team challenges can feel overwhelming to tackle head-on. Here’s how leaders in a recent Activation Bootcamp found ways to infuse small but meaningful relief into their teams—without trying to fix everything.
Team challenges can feel overwhelming to tackle head-on. Here’s how leaders in a recent Activation Bootcamp found ways to infuse small but meaningful relief into their teams—without trying to fix everything.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
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Hey, it’s Rachel Cooke, your Modern Mentor! I’m the founder of Lead Above Noise, where we help leaders activate performance and engagement without burning out. Whether it’s bootcamps, keynotes, or Pulse Checks, we help teams achieve meaningful change. If that’s what your organization needs, let’s talk!
So, I’ve been reflecting on something that comes up in almost every conversation I have with leaders. It’s this question of, “What do I do when the challenges my team faces feel too big for me to solve?” And I get it. Sometimes the problems—whether it’s a lack of resources, frustrating processes, or tensions with other teams—feel completely out of our hands.
But here’s what I tell them: You don’t need to fix the whole system to make a difference. In fact, sometimes the most impactful thing you can do is make things just a little easier. Small, intentional changes can create the kind of relief that boosts morale, strengthens relationships, and moves your team closer to thriving—even if the bigger challenges still exist.
This mindset shift sits at the foundation of the Activation Bootcamp I run. Just convincing leaders that a low-stakes first step can have a meaningful impact - feels like a win today. It’s the place where momentum begins. Instead of spinning on how to solve the unsolvable, we focus on first steps.
I recently wrapped an Activation bootcamp where I was pretty delighted by the actions I saw taken. And I’d love to share some with you today. Because maybe there’s a mindset shift you need to make…and this can help you make it.
So here we go. 5 big challenges that were raised to these leaders, and the 5 steps they took not to solve - but to ease - those realities.
Challenge 1: Not enough learning and development opportunities
This is a big one, and for good reason. People want to grow. But the reality? Transforming an organization’s approach to learning and development often requires massive investments of time, money, and resources.
So, what did one leader do? She implemented a monthly lunch-and-learn series. Simple, low-cost, and easy to manage. She tapped internal experts to share knowledge on key topics, curated LinkedIn Learning courses, and even screened TED Talks. The team created their own homegrown learning circle. It wasn’t a massive overhaul, but it was a first step—and it gave people a space to learn, share ideas, and connect.
Challenge 2: Frustration with mandatory return-to-office (RTO)
This team hated the company’s policy compelling them to commute in more days than they wanted. The leader couldn’t change the policy, but he could make the experience more meaningful.
He noticed the frustration was tied to how unproductive those in-office days felt. People were commuting in, only to sit on Zoom meetings all day. So, he created a shared document where team members could post the days they planned to be in the office and their key topics of interest. The team began using this to coordinate in-person lunches, coffees, and networking meetups. It didn’t change the RTO mandate, but it made the time feel more purposeful and connected.
Challenge 3: Being consulted too late in the process
This team often found themselves blindsided by decisions made without their input. They’d get handed a directive to implement, only to realize they could’ve contributed valuable insights earlier in the process.
The leader’s fix? A simple 15-minute weekly check-in with leaders from the other teams involved in their projects. This quick sync allowed him to surface potential changes early and ensure his team’s voice was heard before decisions were finalized. It wasn’t a complete overhaul of the decision-making process, but it created more influence and less frustration.
Challenge 4: Inconsistency in how requests are received
This team struggled with messy, unclear, or incomplete requests from other teams. They spent way too much time trying to make sense of the asks before they could even start the work.
To ease this pain point, the leader worked with the team to create a simple intake template. The template required a basic level of research and clarity before requests were submitted. This small step cut down on back-and-forth communication, saved time, and ensured the team could focus on doing the work rather than deciphering it.
Challenge 5: Frustration with “lazy” other teams
This team felt like they were working harder than everyone else. The finger-pointing was creating tension and eroding trust.
The leader felt it too but suspected the frustration might be coming from incomplete information. So, he implemented a monthly cross-team meeting. Each month, his team and one other would come together to discuss a current challenge they were facing. These conversations increased transparency, built empathy, and highlighted the hard work other teams were doing. Turns out, no one was lazy—they just hadn’t understood each other’s roles and priorities. The meetings not only improved collaboration but also strengthened relationships across teams.
So, there you have it. Five challenges, five eases. Not fixes, but meaningful steps within these leaders’ control to create relief, improve workflows, and boost morale.
If your team is facing challenges that feel too big to solve, I encourage you to think small. What’s one step you can take to make things just a little easier? You’ll be amazed at how small changes can create big impact.
And if you’d like support in uncovering your team’s challenges and finding ways to ease them, reach out to me at Lead Above Noise. Whether it’s a bootcamp, keynote, or Pulse Check, we’ll help you create meaningful change.
Join me next week for another great episode of Modern Mentor. Until then, visit my website at leadabovenoise.com, and follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Thanks so much for listening, and have a successful week!
Modern Mentor is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. It’s audio-engineered by Dan Feirabend. Our Director of Podcasts is Brannan Goetschius. Our Podcast and Advertising Operations Specialist is Morgan Christianson. Our Digital Operations Specialist is Holly Hutchings. Our Marketing and Publicity Associate is Davina Tomlin. Our Marketing Contractor is Nathaniel Hoopes.