Over 200,000 squashed into the area, watching on eagerly, nodding in agreement, shouting in support…
Millions more following live from around the world…
They were captivated. Hooked. Under his spell…
When Martin Luther King Jr delivered his seminal ‘I Have a Dream‘ Speech in 1963, it would have him named Man of the Year by Time Magazine, win the Nobel Peace Price the following year and go on to influence the lives of millions.
Why was this speech so effective? And how can it make you a better leader?
This month we dive into our leadership training series, focusing this week on:
To help you understand what it takes to build a high-performing team, I’ve identified 12 must-have characteristics that allow teams to perform optimally…
And the first attribute is one that Dr King had in spades…
Before we get to the team building checklist, have you ever wondered what type of leader you are?
Find out now:
Here are my 12 characteristics of high-performing teams. Use this checklist to measure against your team:
1. A common mission Firstly, you need a clear mission and vision. Something to believe in. Secondly, this mission is communicated (go back and watch Dr King’s I Have a Dream speech for cues). Thirdly, this mission needs to be committed to and lived by all.
2. Clear on each other’s objectives Does each person and department know how they fit into the organisation? The more clear this is, the better employees understand how they impact the result. With clarity, they also how they can let the team down if they don’t fulfil their requirements (as opposed to just being seen as someone who comes in and out of work each day to complete a task).
3. Agreement on working approach/methodology / shared values / shared beliefs Are the key processes structured within the business based on continual improvement and best practice success?
4. Help each other achieve targets When there are deadlines, does the team come together to support each other to get across the line?
5. Leverage the strengths within the group Like sporting teams recognise, do you have an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each player and how to best play to them?
6. Information & team performance reviews Are there processes in place to debrief, review and share best and worst practices to ensure values are being lived and led (in a positive and continually improving way)?
7. Celebrate individual and team success To successfully grow a business, you need to celebrate both individual and team successes.
8. Genuine belief in the team While you may have strong individual players, each team member recognises the contribution and requirements of all team members. As management expert Ken Blanchard points out, ‘None of us is as smart as all of us‘.
9. Open communication Lack of, or incorrect communication within an organisation is one of the most frustrating experiences for employees. Do employees know who, when, where and how best to access information or people in the organisation?
10. Open interaction and involvement for all Do you have ways of engaging, and seeking feedback, ideas and contributions from all team members?
11. Encourage innovation and support failure (if you learn from it) Recognise that failure at trying something new just brings the organisation one step closer to finding the right and better way. You must support creativity and innovation.
12. Look for continual improvement (even when things are going well) This is about being brave enough to challenge processes and systems when they are going well and not just when they are not working. Thinking about the industry, business and consumer trends for 5 years will help review proposed changes and impacts.
So, those are my 12 must-haves for high-performing teams.
How does your team stack up?
If you have questions on this topic or any others, feel free to reach me by email or set up a free one-on-one consultation session, or drop me a comment below. Thanks for sharing!
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