Building a team takes intentionality. A group of talented individuals are not a team. Those individuals need to cooperate. They need to care about the same things. They don’t always have to agree but they have to agree on the purpose and steps toward that purpose. How is this accomplished? The following are some important steps to
Decisions should be discussed, decided on and accepted before they are acted upon. Acting upon a direction that has been left open for discussion leaves the team with no direction at all. Action cannot be confused for progress. Busy isn’t always productive. Unity helps make sure that energy is focused in the same direction. A lack of
A team must come together before it can move forward. Team unity is something that is too often overlooked in an impatient race for progress. Everyone pushing and pulling in their own direction makes for tough sledding. A unified team takes the time to focus energy towards the goal. They don’t settle for a false consensus. Unity
Teams that focus too much on their identity often lose sight of their purpose. Identity grows with the team. Who we are is not who we used to be. Nostalgia can create a naive recollection of who we are based on who we were. Most men are not the athlete that they once were but if you
We all run up against bumpy spots. We all have tough seasons of life. Great teams stick with teammates through these bumpy spots in life because they understand that the benefit of being on a team is the development of each other. Great teams believe that people can change and that time always tells. Ordinary teams don’t
It is wise to say that information should be handled with care because information influences easily. That influence is like fire. When used and controlled correctly, it is safe and useful. It can heat, cook, and bring light and clarity to dark and confusing places. When information is not handled with care, it can be just as
Great leaders understand that information empowers and they make sure everyone who needs to know something knows it in a timely manner. Information should never be used as a currency for control. As the team grows, the leadership of a team needs to be disciplined enough to make objective choices about how, when and to whom information is
Powerlessness is a terrible feeling. Have you ever found out about something the wrong way? It makes you feel out of the loop and insignificant. Great teammates that feel out of the loop say so. It’s often not a personal attack to leave someone out and is probably the result of an honest oversight. However, sometimes the
There is truth to the saying that knowledge is power. There are few things more empowering than great team communication. By choosing to not create effective methods of communication, we choose to rob our teammates of the power that they need to contribute to the team. It takes effort and time. Communication systems should always be considered
Great teammates are vulnerable. They appreciate and cultivate a safe place for the team to reciprocate that vulnerability. Ordinary teams waste a lot of valuable energy keeping up appearances and never really reach the true potential that a healthy and efficient team dynamic makes available.