The Essentials of Good Teams
By Dr. John Townsend

Most leadership involves working with teams; that is how great things get accomplished in organizations. Teams, by definition, do what one person can't do alone, combining the multiple roles and competencies of the individuals involved. This model is similar to how the church operates with each person's spiritual gifts: "In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. (Rom.12:6, NLT)" Teams can benefit you in several ways: different skill sets; more people providing more energy; and the relational dynamic of ideas, interaction and support.

There are as many types of teams as there are needs in an organization: executive, management, a board of directors, a board of elders, sales, marketing, production, research and quality improvement, to mention a few. However, when teams don't operate the right way, they can slow your mission down, and even stall it. It's a problem Patrick Lencioni addresses in his book Death by Meeting (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004). Teams can be deadly, as well as the meetings they require. Here are some of the elements of a good team that will give life to the organization. These will help you evaluate the effectiveness of your current situation, so that you can make any needed improvements.

One purpose. A team should have a clear purpose in mind. There is a reason it exists, and a need that it is designed to meet. It may be "to guide the company in its mission", or "to create great products and services", or "to give attendees an excellent worship experience." When I am consulting with leaders, I like to start with nothing. Let's assume you have no, that is, zero teams in your company. How few can you operate with? Rather than having a glut of teams, you will end up with only those that are essential. In addition, keep the larger mission of the organization in mind when you construct the purpose. The team's goal is to serve the goal of the big picture. It integrates itself as a unique contributor to the organization.

The right members. Ultimately, a great team has people who have a few characteristics. Their roles and competencies are necessary to the team's purpose; there are as few of them as possible, to keep agility high; and they are able to work in a team, which is critical. There are some people who are resistant to the flow and give-and-take a team requires. While most of these can be helped to become a team player, there will be some who short-circuit the process. For example, you may have the genius who can't take feedback, or the specialist who wants nothing but freedom and doesn't want to be bothered with interaction. When you are forced to do it, it's generally better to sacrifice a higher competency person who can't connect on a team for someone with a somewhat lower skill set who works well in that context.

One leader. That is you! While teams are all about the process and the interaction, someone needs to guide, be the facilitator, and be in charge. Great team leaders make sure the purpose is clear in everyone's mind. They protect the process of team functioning so that it moves along toward the goal. They draw out every member's feedback. And they make the final, sometimes difficult decisions, when there is conflict.

Buy in. Good teams are not only clear about why they exist, but the members believe in the purpose. They know their role, and support what their tasks are supposed to contribute to. This is a big issue, because some teams have people who feel obligated to be there, and will ultimately sabotage things. Talk with those who don't buy in, and help them see the importance to the organization, or rethink their membership. Buy in makes a difference.

Tasks and Meetings. Teams reach their purposes by meetings and tasks. There is a specific approach you need to take with meetings, which is beyond the scope of this article. The bottom line is that the leader must be efficient in time management so that assigned tasks and meeting agendas are really accomplishing something. This is often an area in which you do well to get an outsider's perspective on how you are handling tasks and meetings. The common problems have to do with assigning people tasks which they don't have the resources for; having no time deadlines; not having measurable outcomes; and spending unnecessary time in meetings on things that can be discussed via email or a phone call to a key person or two. If you go to the trouble of holding a team meeting, which involves taking people away from their tasks and the focus it requires to do that, make sure that every minute counts. You don't have to be obsessive or cold about this. Be warm and congenial, but keep the ball rolling.

Stay in touch. Although team meetings are important, they won't provide you with all the information you need about how people are really doing in their roles. Hit the streets, so to speak. Be in frequent contact with your team members, especially your direct reports. It really doesn't take a lot of time; you don't need to have lunch with each person every time. A few minutes dropping by someone's work station, or a brief phone call, can accomplish a great deal. Be a good listener. All you might need to ask is, "How is it going?" You are likely to get an earful of helpful information, and will then know better how the various members are doing. This will help you in constructing and improving the bigger picture.

Remember that, while teams are about a task and a function, they are made up of people. People have their own needs, backgrounds, baggage and questions. Keep the "people factor" in mind with your teams. It is a secret that every great leader, department head, sports coach and motivator always focuses on: "So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (Rom. 14:19, NASB)." God bless you and your team!

By Henry Cloud, Ph.D. from the http://www.cloudtownsend.com/ website.

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