How Can a Leader Build Teams That Last?



It takes great leadership to build great teams. Leaders are the ones who are not  afraid to course correct, make the difficult decisions and establish standards of performance that are constantly  being met – and improving at all times. No matter what type of environment it is, team building requires a keen understanding of people, their strengths and what gets them excited to work with others. Team building requires the management of egos and their constant demands for attention and recognition – not always warranted.  It is both an art and a science and the leader who can consistently build high performance teams is worth their weight in gold.
Let’s see how you as a leader can successfully build teams that will last for a long time:

1.      Be Aware of How You Work
As the leader of the team, you must be extremely aware of your leadership style and techniques. Are they as effective as you think?  How well are they accepted by the team you are attempting to lead?  Evaluate yourself and be critical about where you can improve, especially in areas that will benefit those whom you are a leading.
Though you may be in-charge, how you work may not be appreciated by those who work for you. You may have good intentions, but make sure you hold yourself accountable to course-correct and modify your approach if necessary to assure that you’re leading from a position of strength and respectability.
            
           2.      Get to Know Your Team
Much like you need to hold yourself accountable for your actions to assure you maximize performance and results, you must make the time to get to know your team and encourage camaraderie. Learn what defines the strengths and capabilities of your team – the real assets that each member brings to the table, those they leave behind and those yet to be developed. Fully knowing your team means that you have invested the time to understand how they are wired to think and what is required to motivate them to excel beyond what is expected from them.

3.      Clearly Define Roles & Responsibilities
When you successfully complete step 2, you can then more effectively and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of those on your team.  Now, don’t assume this is an easy step; in fact, you’ll often find that people’s ideal roles lie outside their job descriptions.
Each of your team member’s responsibilities must be interconnected and dependent upon one another.  This is not unlike team sports, where some players are known as “system players” – meaning that, although they may not be the most talented person on the team, they know how to work best within the “system.”  This is why you must have a keen eye for talent that can evaluate people not only on their ability to play a particular role – but even more so on whether they fit the workplace culture (the system) and will be a team player.

4.      Acknowledge and Reward
With proactive feedback comes acknowledgement and reward.  People love recognition, but are most appreciative of respect.   Take the time to give your teammates the proper accolades they have earned and deserve.   At a time when people want to feel as if they are making a difference, be a thoughtful leader and reassure your team that you are paying attention to their efforts.   Being genuine in your recognition and respect goes a long way towards building loyalty and trust.  It organically ignites extra effort!

5.      Celebrate Success
At a time when uncertainty is being dealt with each day, you must take the time to celebrate success.  This goes beyond acknowledgment – this is about taking a step-back and reflecting on what you have accomplished and what you have learned throughout the journey.

In today’s fast-paced, rapidly changing world of work, people are not taking enough time to understand why they were successful and how their success reverberated and positively impacted those around them. Celebration is a short-lived activity.  Don’t ignore it.  Take the time to live in the moment and remember what allowed you to cross the finish line.

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