Leadership & Teamwork
Strong, positive teamwork is defined by a leader who has a
vision and the ability to inspire his or her team to work toward
the realization of that vision.
The leader is not threatened in the least by the expertise and
diversity of his or her team. Rather, a good team leader engages
his or her teammates in a discussion about what quality looks
like, what is needed to perform and complete the job, and
empowers the team members to always strive for quality
improvement.
Let's break all that down into its component parts. The first is
a clearly defined leader. I believe every team must have a
leader. There must be someone who is in charge and makes the
ultimate decisions.
Team members may take turns being the leader as long as everyone
is clear who the leader is on any given day. Another variation
of that theme is to have certain people be the leader for
projects that are in their area of expertise. However, in every
event, there can be no question among teammates who is the
leader for that day or project.
The leader needs to have a vision. This is similar to Covey's
second habit, "Begin with the end in mind." A true leader
creates the end product twice---once mentality and then in its
actual form. It is impossible to lead toward a fuzzy vision.
People are simply not inspired to follow uncertainty.
Having the vision is not enough to inspire teammates to strive
toward the same goal. A good team leader knows how to help each
teammate see how the end product or service will be useful and
what, exactly, their individual contribution is toward that end.
How does the janitor contribute to fans' enjoyment at a
professional baseball game? By providing a clean, neat bathroom
experience---that's how. If the janitor sees himself as a
critical cog in the big picture goal and he receives positive
recognition for it, then he is more likely to perform his job
with enthusiasm.
Another component of being able to inspire one's teammates is
having a clearly defined mission that everyone, preferably, has
had a part in developing, but if not, then at least team members
can agree to the previously established team mission.
This becomes important in times of conflict between team
members. When there is a dispute to be solved, it is helpful to
have an already established way to measure the solution.
Solutions are always held up against the mission and whether or
not it will move the team closer or further from the ultimate
goal.
The other advantage of having a mission that has been agreed
upon by all team members is that it can enhance cooperation. One
of the most difficult things to manage on a team is an
individual ego. There can be petty jealousies and a competitive
spirit that can kill the cooperation of the best team. The
mission statement is a way to minimize this potential for
disaster.
The mission remains the focus that everything else is compared
to. An individual's action is either helpful or hurtful to the
mission and dealt with accordingly. The group's goal must always
be placed above any individual's desires or ego. Jealousy and
backstabbing have no useful place on a team.
A good leader is in no way threatened by the expertise and
diversity of his or her team. The best leaders are always
seeking information from the front line people who are doing the
actual work. Without information from team members, the leader's
hands are tied behind his or her back.
It is also critical to use team members in their areas of
expertise. Leaders can't know everything about everything. There
will be team members who have skills and abilities that surpass
those of the leader in certain areas. A good leader will ask for
help when it is prudent.
This is also a time to value diversity. Having a team made up of
people who all do the same jobs in pretty much the same way
really has no value. One person could more easily do the job
than assembling a homogenous team.
The value of a team comes from its heterogeneity. Getting
feedback and suggestions from people who do things differently
is what will spark the creativity and the genius of the team.
This is what masterminding is all about. Tap into the wealth
that is already there.
Finally, a good leader holds the bar high. He or she does not
ask his team to be average or mediocre. Average and mediocre can
be easily replaced. The leader asks his or her team to
collectively do their very best and when they are done, the
leader asks them to always strive for continuous improvement.
The work is never done. The team should always be evaluating
what has been implemented and be comfortable making suggestions
for ways to do it even better.
Previously, I mentioned that a good leader empowers his or her
teammates. Creating a need-satisfying environment does this.
Team members must get along and know that the leader and the
company have their best interests at heart. They must feel
important, listened to and respected. They must have the freedom
to make choices within the context of their assignments and they
must have some fun in their work.
It is also critical for team members to feel safe. This means
that they are not fearful in any way. The team leader is
critical in fostering this environment for the empowerment of
the entire team.
If you are interested in training your employees in the area of
teamwork, contact Kim at 708-957-6047, email at
kim@coachingforexcellence.biz or visit the website at
www.coachingforexcellence.biz