Dr. David Rafeedie

James retired many years ago. But his mind was still active, and his body wasn’t in bad shape either. He decided he wanted to plant fruit trees.  He knew there was a market of pomegranates in his neighborhood. He would start with one tree and see how he did. If he were successful, it would be the beginning of a new and delicious hobby and bring in some extra money.

He planted the seed and covered it loosely with about an inch of soil that was slightly alkaline, just as in their natural habitat.  It soon sprouted, and there was a sapling. He nurtured that sapling with the same kind of attention and care that one would give a baby. He watered it. He weeded around it. He fed it nutrients

But as it turned out, it wasn’t a pomegranate tree after all. It turned out to be an apple tree. The apples were good. But he was disappointed because he didn’t want to have good apples, he wanted good pomegranates. He did all the right things, the tree grew,  but it was the wrong tree with the wrong fruit. He didn’t like apples, and there was no neighborhood market for apples. Apples were a dime a dozen.

Right from the beginning, James had made a critical mistake.

Like planting the right tree, performing teams don’t just happen. They are created and nurtured. It takes intentionality to move a team to the performance level. It takes consistency and will. In my view, nothing is more strategic for leaders than building their teams.

Like the old man and his apple tree, there is a process involved in developing a performing team.

Recruiting: make sure you know what you are planting.

If you have the opportunity of starting a team from scratch or adding to your team you can, before making an offer, do the homework to ensure the person has the skills to accomplish what you want them to accomplish. Skills can always be honed or even taught.  More important in my opinion, is to have a good match. Someone who fits into the leadership and organizational culture. You need a person with the skill and who is a good match to maximize what you want to accomplish.

There are some good tools available to help you decide on the right person.

As a Harrison Solutions Consultant, I can help you in that process. If you are working with an existing team, I can help you coach and develop them further and faster.

Coaching for growth: watering the plant

A team is always limited by the capacity of the leader and its team members. Increasing capacity of the leader and individual team members is a sure way of achieving the results the organization needs. Success comes from team members who are growing. Coaching for growth can change the culture, and with culture change, you can embed success.

Coaching for results: cultivating the soil to get the fruit.

Where is it you want to go? What is it you want to produce? Helping your team or organization hit the target is the prime task of the leader. Knowing the target, developing the goals, designing the change management strategy, recognizing and celebrating the milestones are essential steps in the process.

Team development: feeding for health is critical to success.

Team development is an intentional, ongoing process. Development is necessary to enhance production and performance. Not doing anything and expecting different results from what you have been achieving is not realistic.

Evaluation: weeding is always necessary

Taking time to take stock is important for success now and into the future. Slow down to speed up! Take the time to assess. Take the time to look ahead. You will find that investment of time well worth it. Ask the questions:

Generally, how is it going? Have we hit our milestones? If so, celebrate and ask, how can we do better? If not, why not? What are the barriers? What are some ways we break through them?

The fruit from your efforts will be a performing team; a team that achieves the results the organization requires for success.

What do you think? Please feel free to comment.

Everything changes with a coach. I can help you expand your capacity as a leader and help you and your team get to where you want to be faster than you thought possible. 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. Email me at info@davidthecoach.com and let’s have a conversation.