The Right Components to Build a Winning Team.

Developing a strong team is a critical competitive advantage in today’s business world. When you’re able to harness the collective genius of a team you achieve exponentially more than you would with just individuals.

What are the right components for a winning team? 

The Right People:

• Complementary strengths – You can’t build a winning football team with all quarterbacks. You also need a complete offensive and defensive line up. You need individual players operating in their area of strength or talent sphere. Everyone has a unique contribution to make that augments the collective strength of the team making the team stronger.
• Committed – Every member must be committed to the vision. Each individual must set aside their own personal agenda for the greater good of the team. When the individuals are unified in their commitment to the achievement of a common goal, the team becomes an indomitable force.
• Collaborative– Remember the 1980 hockey team that beat the Soviets at the Lake Placid Olympics? Their coach Herb Brooks built his team on the right people and personal chemistry versus the best players. He was “anti-dream team” with the belief that a dream team is a group of individuals, not a team. History  proves his theory to be correct. Individuals must be collaborative to harness the power of a team.

The Right Environment:

• To create – An environment conducive to creativity is one where people feel comfortable in expressing their ideas without fear of criticism. It’s an environment where support is given in the development of ideas and critiquing is withheld until later. This allows ideas to flow freely and creativity to reach its full expression. In the training that I do with companies I use this model:

Peak Performing Team = Doing the Job + Brainstorming – Critiquing Ideas (until later)

• To make decisions – When the team is empowered to make decisions, they’re more committed to the outcome. The buck stops with them and knowing that creates a strong sense of responsibility. When a team isn’t given any latitude in decision-making they become disempowered. Give your team decision-making power where appropriate.
• To make unique contributions – Teams want to put a fingerprint on their work. They can proudly say they were the ones that put “that” together. The more of themselves they can put into a project, the more personal it becomes. Being a part of something bigger than self gives us a sense of purpose.

Putting the right people together, then creating the right environment is critical especially in today’s collaborative culture.

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  Ecclesiastes 4:12

Do you have the right people and the right environment for a winning team?

See you next Tuesday when we talk about getting more involved in causes that you believe in through volunteering.  See you then!