Cultivating Synergy-How To Build A Strong Team
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Written by: Mike Taylor
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Word Count: 529 |
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 |
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How important would it be to have every person on your team contributing equal amounts? While it may make sense to just assume that not all team members are created equal and to leave it at that, you may be selling yourself short in doing so. What if there is untapped potential within your team which you could begin to put to work immediately to build their confidence and effectiveness? Surely any leader would be interested in such results, but knowing how to get them is an entirely different story. Here are three steps to put you on track in strengthening your team starting now:
It begins with involvement. People are the most convinced by the conclusions which they themselves come to on their own. If you have a mission or goals which your team members have not made a contribution to, they are probably not giving their all because of that. Instead, call a meeting with your team members and ask for their input in determining a direction for the team. Chances are that they know their job better than you; in fact you better hope that they do. Make the most of this knowledge and get them involved.
The second thing which you must do is to awaken each person's greatness by putting them in the correct position. Do you have a few members of your team who are achieving most of the results? If so, you are not making the most of each person's strengths. You may end up moving some things around, or even making the difficult decision to let some people go if they are not in a position which allows them the best use of their talents and passion. This will be better for you both in the long run.
Finally, get your team involved in creating the universal vision or goal. People are the most greatly persuaded by conclusions they reach independent of outside assistance. Not only that, any great vision which requires the work of many hands must be born of many minds. Involve them by having them contribute to your projected goals and mission statements and be sure to value their input. You will be amazed at the level of motivation this will awaken in them.
Following these three principles is the key to awakening the natural strengths of your team. It will also help to make their individual weaknesses irrelevant, because they will be covered by the strengths of the other members. Just remember that each of these will take continual development and attention in order for them to become habits. Once they do, your trust with your team will grow and their collective strengths and motivations will push you to the next level.
About the Author
StrengthsMapper is a powerful add-in for Mindjet's MindManager mind mapping software program. StrengthsMapper allows users to create mind maps of personal strengths and team strengths. Create personal strengths posters to share and communicate your best strengths. Managers can boost team building and analyze team dynamics. Increase effectiveness and productivity of teams. Visit www.strengthsmapper.com
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