“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
Henry Ford
If you talk to any truly successful person or organization, they could probably tell you from experience, there’s only so much you can accomplish on your own.
Sure, a single person can start a business or launch a non-profit initiative. In fact, people do it every day. However, you will eventually reach a point where you cannot continue growing without the help and support of other people.
You may find yourself lacking the skills necessary for continued growth. It may be that you need more resources than you personally possess. Or perhaps there, quite frankly, just aren’t enough hours in the day for you to accomplish everything.
This is where the power of the team comes in.
A well utilized team allows you to maximize the strengths of each individual person, and consequently achieve greater results as a group.
Now you may be thinking, “I already have a team in place…so why am I not seeing the growth I was hoping for?”
Here’s the catch…it’s not enough to simply have a collaborative team. The true success of any group comes with intentionality and investment. In other words, you can’t simply put a group of people together and hope for the best. Success comes when you…
● Analyze the strengths of each individual and assign roles accordingly.
● Invest in the culture of your team so each member feels productive and appreciated.
● Clearly formulate and articulate your vision and goals so your team is able to work effectively.
You have to set your team up for success or your team, and consequently the mission of your organization, will fall apart.
This may sound overly simple and painfully obvious, but you’d be surprised how many organizations find themselves crumbling due to poorly managed teams.
Common Pitfalls Your Team Must Avoid:
● Poor Communication
Effective work begins with good communication. However, when expectations and goals are not clearly defined and then communicated clearly, productivity and innovation inevitably suffers. When a team is consistently unsure of what they should be doing due to a lack of clear communication, it will be impossible for them to work productively and confidently.
● Under Utilizing Talent
Great leaders know the strengths of each team member and place each person in a role that best utilizes their talents regardless of their title or position. Unfortunately, many people find themselves in roles that underutilize their potential because their strengths have not been evaluated and applied. This can be frustrating (not to mention boring) for your team members, and also diminishes the overall potential of your team.
● Ill-Equipped Team Members
In some cases, people are given roles and responsibilities they are not equipped for. Perhaps they simply do not have the skillset or natural talent for their role and would be better off in a different position. Or maybe they haven’t been given the training they need to be successful. Perhaps they need a mentor or coach to help them grow into their new role. Regardless, it is the responsibility of an effective leader to make sure that each member of your team is equipped to do the job they have been given.
● Lack of Commitment
When members of your team (in positions of leadership or otherwise) consistently do not follow through on their commitments, it creates a lack of trust amongst the group as a whole. This can lead to the toxic “every person for themselves” mentality that, if allowed to persist, will destroy your team and your organization with it.
As we begin this new year, it’s a great time to take a step back and assess the effectiveness of YOUR team.
There are many validated tools and assessments that can provide a baseline, a starting point for discussions and strategies for team growth and development. The challenge is knowing which one best suits your situation.
Join me at my FREE online Assess for Success: Grow and Retain Top Talent in Nonprofit Organizations virtual summit. You’ll hear from expert about tools for assessing the current strengths and weaknesses of your team and learn strategies for maximizing the potential of your organization.
Mark your calendars for March 4-6, 2020 and CLICK HERE to save your spot!
