The Perfect Team
Dr. David Rafeedie
Jackie knew she had the perfect team. They made her look good, and she showered them with praise to her superiors and anyone else who would listen. Her team remained focused on the task, and their work was excellent. The only conflict on their team came when they had idea debate; nothing was ever personal. With Jackie giving direction, they collaborated and when a decision was made they moved as one to achieve the goal. They functioned like a smooth, well-oiled machine. Their nickname in the organization was the A-Team. And it wasn’t just the work environment; they were close off-site too.
They loved each other. The team was so close as a team, the team members socialized together after work, and many times their life partners joined them. Members of the team often took vacations together. They worked hard together, and they played together. They were one big happy family.
They were so close-knit and worked so well together; there was never any turnover. The team stayed fresh, creative, and productive. Jackie and her team were a case study on how to do team. They are the perfect team!
And of course, they don’t exist. You knew that. There are no perfect teams. There are great teams. There are Performing teams, but there are no perfect teams. And performing teams are built. Check out this article on the subject, https://davidthecoach.com/blog-1/2018/1/18/team-building-moving-your-team-to-maximum-effectiveness.
Building a performing team takes insight and discernment in hiring.
A lot of people have the skills an organization needs. Even in an era of specialization, there is plenty to go around for most positions. There are exceptions to this of course. Because there are skilled people to choose from, in my view, the most critical need for any team is finding a good “match.”
A good match is someone who fits in well with the culture of the team. You want a person who will contribute to the health of the team; who will help the team to the grow and raise production, not someone who will bring toxicity to what you are building. Nothing impacts production more negatively than a toxic environment.
Here is a great article from Harvard Business Review on how to manage a toxic employee: https://hbr.org/2016/10/how-to-manage-a-toxic-employee.
It requires diligence and consistency in team building best practices
Performing teams are made, not born. It requires consistency, will, and patience on the part of the leader. The concern for some in a position of leadership, is they are so busy or ill-equipped to put together a consistent team development regime. Here is where a leadership and team coach can come in handy. A coach equipped in this area will help you identify and bring clarity to where you want your team to be and discover the characteristics that will mitigate your success. A leadership coach will help you discover why you do what you do, and develop a strategy to change in ways you feel are important.
There are certain universal best practices for team building, of course. But a powerful team building regime not only incorporates those universal best practices but it is also tailor-made for your team. Tailor-made regimes are designed around specific areas to improve and develop that consider “who” the team is as a whole and also considers who the individual members are as well. Mostly; one size does not fit all.
I wouldn’t coach a Pop Warner football team the way I would coach an NFL team. I might coach the same techniques in some areas, but because they would have different goals for individuals and the team itself, I would coach each one very differently. That isn’t a perfect example, but you get the idea.
It requires time
With a consistent and well-designed professional development and team building regime and the right expertise, the time it takes to develop a Performing team will be cut down considerably. Time is a key ingredient in many important parts of life. Growing up, grief, and travel, to name a few. It is also a critical part of building a Performing team.
The amount of time can be built into the design of the regime as you plan out the year ahead. SMART goals and milestones for your team to reach are essential in establishing an effective plan.
Building a Performing team requires a strong and healthy leader
Leadership is everything! You have heard me say that before. What I mean by that is any organization or team is only as strong and effective as the leader. The leader or leaders in any organization or team are the initiators and embedders of culture.
Guess what? Not everyone in a leadership role is a strong and effective leader. Often, a person may be in a leadership role for other significant reasons. That is great! If that is the case, then getting some help is the order of the day. A wise, and strong, leader will find the strengths she lacks in others. A strong and healthy leader builds a strong team around them to compliment their soft spots.
Working with the team leader or the whole team, coaching can make a real difference in a team’s culture and performance by helping the team reach its capacity faster than it normally would. Working with an experienced coach can help you and your team achieve more and achieve it faster than you thought possible. Email me at info@davidthecoach.com and let’s have a conversation. I would love to explore a coaching relationship with you.
If you are reading this on social media, check out my website at www.davidthecoach.com. You will also find more blogs on leadership, team development, and other success factors there.