Category: Leadership

Build a High Performance Team You Can Be Proud Of

All high performing teams have a trait in common. Team members are willing to put team goals before individual goals. The team members work together for the good of the team. You can see this attitude reflected in very diverse high performing teams from an army unit, a research team, and even a community social group.

This cohesion rarely happens without effort. As a team leader, getting team members to look past their own goals needs to be a top priority.

A leader can start the process by developing and communicating a shared vision for the team. But to be effective, here are the requirements for success.

1. Connect emotionally. Your team members need to know you truly care about them. It is easy to connect on the highs, but you must also connect at the lows.
2. Connect intellectually. Challenge them. Teach them. Listen to them.
3. Resolve conflicts quickly and effectively. Conflicts can spiral out of control if not addressed immediately. Understand individual views but build cohesive views.
4. Support the individual but align effort in favor of the team. Recognize individual efforts individually, recognize and reward team accomplishments in the team environment.

In my career I have led many teams. Some effective, and some very ineffective. I have learned that when I did not take the time to work through these steps with individual team members, as well as with the complete team, I was heading towards failure. Regardless of how busy you are, if you want a high performing team, you must commit your time and effort to lead.

Develop Your Skill of Being Reliable

There have been times in my life where I missed an event or activity that I had planned to attend. I made a commitment and I failed to follow through. I will never forget the first time. I was 16 years old, and working in the stock room of a drug store. I was scheduled to work, but I didn’t want to go. I wanted to go out with my friends. At sixteen, it seemed more important than work.

The next day when I went back to work, my manager was not happy. He said, “If you decide to do that again, don’t plan on coming back to work. You will be fired.”

It was a lesson with a huge impact on me. It taught me about commitment. There are very few times I commit to something and fail to follow through. However, there are still times I commit, follow through, but lack enthusiasm.

Reflecting on this experience has helped me identify three things that keep me focused on dependability.

1. Understand why I decided to commit. What was my motive? Keeping the why clear in my mind helps me from wavering on a commitment.It also helps me say no to things that are not important.

2. Be accountable to someone. If I know someone will hold me accountable, then I will work harder to follow through. I value other people, and I don’t want to let them down. Accomplishing something for someone else is much more rewarding emotionally.

3. Determine how I may grow. If I know the benefit to myself, I will be more determined about success. Every experience usually provides learning and growing if we look for it.

If you sometimes struggle completing a commitment, maybe these three ideas can help.

Are You Accepting Your Future… Or Creating It?

No one can predict the future. The future is created by the actions we take. If we change our actions, we can change our future.

The end of 2016 is quickly approaching. The plans and goals we set for this year will either be accomplished or missed. I hope your year has been as successful and great as the vision you had last January.

I like to use this time of the year to reflect on the process I use to drive my results. Before I begin to define my goals for next year, I can improve my habits that drive my results. For 2017 to be better than 2016, we can’t just do the same things. Results only improve when you take actions to improve them. Here are some questions to think about as you prepare for next year.

1. Do you have a process to set goals that will make a difference in your life?

2. Do you have a process to review your progress?

3. Do you have a process to reflect on failure and success?

4. Do you have a process to adjust your plans if needed?

5. Do you have a process to celebrate small wins during the year?

6. Do you have a process to quantitatively measure your results?

7. Do you have a process for assessing your resources and fully utilizing them?

8. Do you have a process for prioritizing your actions to align with your goals?

That list of question may seem intimidating. The word “process” in every question reflects the requirement that achievement happens through the daily and weekly effort that you expend. It doesn’t happen by a stroke of luck.

I hope these questions have given you some ideas that will help you prepare for 2017, and where your normal process can improve. If you need help getting started, send me a message.

Competency Is Not Enough

Being competent is not enough. If you want to stretch yourself to reach your potential, go beyond proficiency.

People need to trust you before they care about you being capable. When you hire someone to do repairs at your house or on your car, you care that they are qualified. But you are most concerned that they are trustworthy. Character is more important than skill.

Here are three ways we can build our character.

Integrity – We can improve our integrity by being honest. There is no need to exaggerate or omit facts. People appreciate the truth even when they don’t like the truth. Building integrity is a life long pursuit.

Authenticity – Being authentic is simply being yourself in all situations. If you want to be authentic, work on being the person you desire to be. Learn to be comfortable with yourself no matter the circumstances. Authenticity will overcome office politics.

Discipline – Develop the discipline to live your values, and daily habits. Follow your plan every day.  Know that every day means every day.

Although these seem simple, I have found that most people enjoy growing their skill more than growing themselves. Success is not just about competency, it is about being a person that attracts success.