Some leadership teams look great on paper.
Their Scorecard is solid; their Rocks are on track; their Level 10 Meetings are efficient and on time.
From the outside, they’re a model of productivity.
But underneath, there’s often something missing: energy, joy, connection.
You can feel that undercurrent when you walk into a room with them.
These teams have become what I call human doings. They are getting sh*t done… AND they’re exhausted.
They’ve overlooked one important truth: teams aren’t machines. They’re made up of people.
And people need more than structure to thrive — they need trust, laughter, and space to breathe.
Teams Exist to Produce Results… But There’s More to the Story
I just completed a course through Team Coaching International. Their core belief is that teams exist to produce results, and to sustain those results, they have to be made up of human beings, not just human doings.
It sounds simple — but it’s pretty profound.
The Team Coaching International model breaks team effectiveness into two dimensions:
- The Productivity Dimension – What the team does: goals, decisions, accountability, execution.
- The Positivity Dimension – How the team works together: trust, communication, respect, optimism.
You need both. Why?
Productivity without positivity leads to burnout.
Positivity without productivity leads to complacency.
The best teams find the sweet spot — where they’re both high-performing and highly connected.
When Teams Become “Human Doings”
Think about a time when you were on a high performing team (whether it was a sports team, a work team, even a relationship). What made it great? What made you want to show up and perform day after day?
Most entrepreneurial teams lean hard toward the productivity side. They’re wired to move. That’s not a bad thing. It’s what makes entrepreneurs who they are.
But when that bias goes unchecked, things start to slip.
Here’s what “human doing” mode looks like:
- Conversations stay purely tactical — no real curiosity or reflection.
- Wins are logged but rarely celebrated.
- Team members stop challenging each other — they just get through the agenda.
- The word “fun” feels… foreign.
The irony is that when you ignore the human side of teamwork, performance eventually drops.
People disengage.
How to Build a Team of Human Beings
You can’t fix burnout with another to-do list.
You fix it by reconnecting to what makes people want to show up.
Here are four ways to rebalance your team — so they produce results and enjoy the process.
1. Create Space for Real Connection
Skip the superficial “how’s everyone doing?” check-ins.
Instead, ask something meaningful:
“What’s energizing you this week?”
“What’s one thing that’s been a challenge lately?”
Those few minutes of humanity shift the entire tone of a meeting.
They remind everyone they’re on the same side — human first, title second.
Also, at least once a quarter, do something socially together as a team – dinner, go-karting, pickleball, anything! This keeps you connected outside of work and builds your human connection.
2. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Outcomes
Entrepreneurs are notorious for finishing one mountain climb and immediately looking at the next.
Can you breathe for a sec? Celebrate what’s worked so far?
Progress fuels momentum. Celebration sustains it.
3. Normalize Feedback
Healthy teams talk to each other, not about each other. (Triangulation kills team positivity – resist the urge!)
This takes courage. Try creating a norm where feedback is given often, lightly, and with good intent.
When people can say “Hey, here’s something I noticed” without fear, trust deepens and performance skyrockets.
4. Protect White Space
Rest isn’t laziness — it’s leadership.
When there’s no margin in the week, creativity dies.
Clarity Breaks aren’t wasted time — they’re maintenance for the system that drives your results.
You can’t pour from an empty tank. And neither can your team.
Encourage reflection. Schedule breathing room. Protect time for strategic thinking — not just doing.
Where EOS Fits In
Some people think EOS is just about structure — Rocks, Scorecards, the Accountability Chart.
These tools absolutely drive clarity and results.
But what often surprises leadership teams is how much EOS also builds team health.
Our annual, quarterly and weekly meeting pulse, coupled with the EOS tools are designed to strengthen trust, improve communication, and create the kind of openness that fuels both performance and positivity.
When you engage in a Level 10 Meeting™ or use tools like the People Analyzer™ or IDS™, you’re not just improving efficiency — you’re improving connection.
You’re learning to listen, debate, and decide together.
EOS helps teams become high-performing and healthy — productive and positive.
So, ask yourself:
Is your team full of human doings… or human beings?
The strongest teams don’t just perform. They thrive – together.