Have you ever been part of a great team at work? A team where you loved to come to work every morning, a team that charged you up with energy, and a team that encouraged you to accomplish goals you thought were impossible.
Business leaders can build the teams they need to get that competitive advantage by investing in high-performing teams and giving them the tools they need. They must support them on their journey through deliberate practices grounded in art and science. These 3 steps are proven approaches to building effective teams.
- Craft a Shared Vision That Inspires
The best teams are grounded in a sense of purpose and are inspired by a shared vision. Helping teams discover their unique purpose jump-starts teams into the honeymoon phase, reminding them why they commit their nights and days to each other and their clients.
Crafting a shared vision helps teams begin imagining new possibilities and renews a sense of focus and passion. Watching a team go all in is priceless; it’s every leader’s dream.
- Engage the Right Mix of People
Once a team is fully engaged in their “why,” they need to discover how to work together to bring their vision to life. The right mix for a team is a diverse group of committed and passionate people with a shared vision and deep investment in each other’s success. As individuals, they bring their own unique experiences, skills and perspectives. But the magic happens when they come together to solve the most complex problems.
The right mix is much more than a collection of individual superstars. In fact, a focus on individuals undermines team-building.
- Practice the Behaviors That Lead to Success
Leaders can craft a beautiful shared vision and recruit the right mix but it’s how the team behaves together that matters most. Lencioni got it right in his bestselling book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.” What differentiates great teams from dysfunctional teams is their ability to practice five winning behaviors that drive collective success.
A leader’s ability to model these behaviors — and expect nothing less of the team — are essential to success.
Leave a Reply