A big part of leadership development is building the courage to authentically and constructively speak our minds in order to build and maintain alignment with others. Effective leaders highly value the need to maintain alignment. That means asking early for clarification and greater understanding, before the little unclear things are allowed to fester.

We all have experienced someone on our team who plays the role of Debbie Downer or Pessimistic Pete. They may complain about what's not working, voice fears and hurdles they see in the future, or simply exude resistant energy through their body language. It can feel like these teammates hold the group back.

Relaxed attentiveness is what you’ll see in a team that is doing its best thinking together. Team members exhibit a state of relaxation, not anxiety, and a calm attentiveness — they’re not multitasking.