Building a Powerful Team: Foundational Characteristics
Perhaps one of the best examples of true teamwork is conveyed by Thomas Quick as he describes a surgical team, headed by a surgeon. The team includes surgical assistants, nurses, anesthetist, and technician. Each function is specialized and highly skilled, and each person knows that his or her success is dependent on the other members of the team. All are committed to one objective—the well being of the patient.
Compounding Impact: The Divine Origins of Teamwork
While often overlooked and undervalued, God’s social nature reveals key components of successful team-mindedness and activity. Executive leaders who consider and explore these observations can better display these insights within their own teams through collaboration, partnerships, and team-mindedness. This trickles throughout the whole organizational population, leaving positive effects inside and outside the company.
Infusing Team-Mindedness to Compound Cohesion
The quality of relationships among the executive leadership team is a primary factor in developing effective teams throughout the whole organization. Researchers Hersey and Blanchard indicate that the most significant factors in the productivity of an organization pertain to the interpersonal relationships therein. These relationships are foundational to the success of effective teams. This is a linchpin for all leaders.
OWN YOUR TEAM’S DEVELOPMENT
It is very important that we, as leaders, determine what developmental stage our team is in, not only for the purpose of knowing our responsibilities, but because your team needs to work its way through the elements of each phase. There are valuable formation skills that are attained through each stage. Wise leaders regularly reflect on those under their care, both individually and as a team.