Unleashing a team to solve a problem can be a very effective way to approach and solve problems – or it can be a disaster. If you have ever been on a team when some team members relied on the group to get the job done, you may question the value of teams. If you think back on groups you participated in during college or in previous job situations, some were time wasters, while others produced results. What characteristics and qualities distinguish a high performance team from an ineffective one?
Ideally, a team brings together a group of people with skill, talent, and sense of purpose who merge it all for the common good to become an even more passionate collective force to get the job done. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t, for reasons that go beyond the talents of the members.
For some teams, the members need to bring specific knowledge or competence in a particular areas to the group. If members represent functions in the business or are spokespersons for different points of view, they must be able to articulate their perspective. But subject knowledge is not as important as the ability to work well with others – the essence of being a team player. A group of the best and the brightest can get so self -absorbed that they handicap the team. In contrast, a good team member listens to others and is respectful of different opinions. Each member must come ready to do their share of the work.
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Good teams may develop a strong sense of purpose which can come about because the members are committed to the mission of the group or because they are competitive with other groups. Passionate people can get the group off track, but good leadership can help develop these goals and use the team spirit to best advantage by facilitating productive meetings. In fact, most successful teams start with good leaders who clarify the roles of team members and the general goals, bring out the best in each team member, keep the egos in check and the team focused, and encourage good communication within the group.
The leader sets the tone and also defines how the group makes decisions. Regardless of who is the official leader, team members may emerge who can sway the other members. In some situations, this can become a power struggle that divides the group, but a good leader will assign this potentially dissident force to a role with meaningful responsibilities.
Forming teams can be an effective way to approach business problems. With a combination of individual members working together for the common good and good leadership, the team can exhibit the characteristics of a high performing team.
Tracey Fieber is founder of “The Secrets to Retirement Success System™”, the most complete Retirement Transition program for executives and small business owners. Using her own principles, Tracey went from a corporate executive to a retirement filled with adventure, passion and purpose, in less than 8 months! Tracey is the celebrated author of the Retirement Success Home Study System™, and author of the upcoming book “How to Retire to a Life of Adventure, Passion and Purpose”. Get your free CD “7 Steps to Cracking the Retirement Code”, available on www.NewFaceOfRetirement.com. 2010 © New Face of Retirement, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Feel free to pass the above in its entirety to anyone you wish.
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