| |
| |
|
Leadership Information |
|
|
|
Building Teams and Teamwork
A tight knit team is a group of competent individuals who care deeply about each other and are fiercely committed to their mission. They are highly motivated to combining their energy and expertise to achieve the common objective. From our observation and studies on building teams, we have found three primary conditions that have to be met in order to attain higher levels of team performance and member satisfaction.
CONDITION NO 2 - OWNERSHIP AND HEART This condition necessary for teamwork to blossom requires that building teams occur from the "inside out." In other words, people have to work hard at developing "team friendly" attitudes, values and beliefs. Teamwork functions best when people believe it from the heart and act or think with integrity and in a way that is aligned with basic team principles. Tightly knit teams are built on attitudes, mindset, and values as much as the policies and systems to support them. At its most basic level the key to unlocking the power of the teamwork "Genie" depends on the willingness of the team members to rub the lamp of responsibility. Stake holders in the team need a passion for personal management to "install" teamwork and to nurture it. The seeds of teamwork have to be planted, cared for, and developed by the members themselves. As we stated before, building teams doesn't come from the outside in, it comes from the inside out. There is no question that "outside" forces will impact the ease and speed with which teamwork takes hold. But those forces do not control the heart and will of the individuals. Each member is responsible for his/her actions to the group. There are so many people who just don't get the idea of responsibility and yet these same people tell us that they can't remember the last time that they had a serious teamwork experience. Some say that they have never felt the power, energy and enthusiasm that comes from a solid team experience. All too often organization members are unaware of the level and quality of teamwork that is going on around them. They are too busy competing against each other to think about it much. In any social structure, if people are not willing to take responsibility, get involved or become interested in what is going on, they deserve what little luck gives them. Members forgo their right to complain about the level of morale and the quality of work life when they don't assume responsibility, assist in building teams, and help to foster teamwork. One of the key challenges today is to teach and empower people to be more proactive at building teams. The primary predators of teamwork are not outside of the team-it isn't top management, it isn't the union or the government, it isn't the weather, or the stock holders. It is the mindset, paradigms, values and beliefs we form as members of a work group. We see a disturbingly large number of people in organizations who play the role of victim to these outside forces and lament about how unfortunate their work situation is, the low level of moral, and what everyone is doing to them. Once team members form the perception that its problems are being caused by others or circumstances "out there," they tend to over look the real problems. Many have a "teamwork" blind spot and don't see the possibilities and potential that exists when we work as a team. They are too focused on the events beyond their control, don't harness the available potential, and fail to create the culture that they want. A team cannot fulfill its potential and solve problems if issues and concerns are not identified and addressed. When building teams, members will continue to struggle by avoiding the work and thus the rewards that can be achieved through constructive openness. Teamwork can prosper if everyone is willing to give up some of their control needs, let go of the past baggage, break down the fences and silos that becomes what some people refer to as a seamless organization. With a little more effort and practice, team members will begin to recognize and take control of what goes on within their teams. Team members can determine and control how resources will be managed effectively, how they treat each other, how well they will communicate with each other, whether or not they will speak up in team meeting, the amount of caring and sensitivity they will show to each other, whether they will support the leadership, and display a level of self management. The level of teamwork, probably more than any other element of organization life, is controlled by the members of the team. Team members can choose to act in skillful and empowered ways or they can be passive and give away responsibility and let the external forces dictate the quality and level of teamwork that will exist. If you would like more information on building teams, effective teamwork or CMOE's 25 years of team building experience, please contact a Regional Manager toll free at 888-262-2499 or (801) 569-3444.
MORE RESOURCES:
Leadership - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Leadership Webster's defines leadership as : "1. the office of position of a leader, 2. In Leadership, Dreams Are The Stuff That Great Results Are Made Of Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. The best leaders don't order people to do a job, the best leaders motivate people to want to do the job. 5 Leadership Power Principles! 95% of Workers Fail Because of This.. Getting Things Done, Without the Sweat! How do you get your people on your side? And once their on your side, how can you get them to do anything you want? It's a skill that we all want. Nothing's better than leaving the hard work for someone else! But how?Do You Have It In You?Getting what you want and deserving it are two totally different things! Do you think it's reasonable to order a task onto your subordinate? Do you think it's acceptable to call up a friend only when you want something? Or how about being nice to someone just to butter them up but ignore them otherwise?No way! No fair!What would you think if someone treated you like that? Well this happens all the time. Blowing Your Own Leadership Horn There are two streams of competitiveness running through every organization. The first goes outward: It's the organization's competitive activities toward its competitors. Leadership Success and its Greatest Barrier: the Law of Administrivia Years ago, a very wise, and often cynical boss of mine asked me for a definition of management. After reflecting on the question I proceeded to give him an intellectually careful and, I thought, accurate definition. Leadership: Seed or Fruit? Purpose: Learn immediately if you are fostering leadership or ignoring it. Discover the power of nurturing your people. None of Us Arrived with an Owners Manual: A Fresh Perspective on the Drive to Lead (part 2) Why didn't I get an Owner's ManualAfter a little while with life happening and no sign of the Manual we began to realize we would need to make the best of it. We began to look around to see who had one and studied what they knew, surely some of it must be generic! We began to study our parents, our siblings - if they looked competent enough, and our other care givers. Leadership and Power - Being the Boss Doesnt Guarantee Either of Them Some people mistakenly associate supervisory positions, or seats of power, with leadership. They presume that these two things are synonymous. The Happy Jar I just delivered a free speech. I am a great believer in free speech, but an even greater believer in paid speech. The Sink Or Swim Approach To Leadership Looking around in most corporate environments today you'll find mission, vision and values statements proudly displayed on the walls, in print materials and even engraved in granite. Often, they've invested a great deal of time; effort and expense in crafting just the right message to best describe the foundational principles of the company. Your Ultimate Leadership Feedback Loop: Their Leadership Life on our planet flourishes through feedback. If life forms don't develop feedback loops and get good information about how well they are interacting with their world, the world eventually kills them. Choose Your Best Life: Where Are Your Choices Leading You? According to the dictionary choice means "to select freely after consideration, to have a preference for, to take an alternative and of high caliber." Based on this definition, I believe choice is the act of careful selection, identifying preferences and exploring quality alternatives that lead to freedom. People Problems -- Understanding the Dueling Paradigms You've spent the last 12 years riding your technical skills up the corporate ladder.Now the payoff -- you're a manager. Leadership Lessons from Pope John Paul II "Heroes are rebels with a cause. Rebels because they challenge the traditional ways of thinking and refuse to follow the herd. The Power of the Leader Within - The Keys to Martial Arts Life Mastery, Key#1 "What do you want to be when you grow up?"Remember that question from your younger days? Adults seem almost programmed to ask it, don't they? Maybe you remember asking that same question to your own or another's child recently. Remember?I do. Miraculous Leadership It was a time of turmoil. In November 1979, supporters of the Ayatollah Khomeini took 71 Americans hostage in Iran. 3 Es For Leaders - Engage, Empower, Encourage! "Enflamed with the study of learning and the admiration of virtue; stirred up with high hopes of living to be brave.. A Leader's Ultimate Goal - Connect to Engage! Connect and Engage! Your People Are Your Power.It's been said many times that true leadership is measured by ones ability to motivate and influence others. Three Growth Guidelines from Stephen Covey I have been looking for answers to what it takes to create a winning corporate culture in the midst of today's confusing economic indicators. If I rely solely on history or economic indicators, I won't find the answers.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
