I invited several top leaders, authors, and bloggers to share their wisdom with Leadership Freak readers. Thanks to Jesse Lyn Stoner for contributing this insightful post on creating magnificent teams in uninspired organizations.
Do any of these common business challenges look familiar? Even one is too many!
1. No shared vision
2. Too many priorities
3. Short-term focus; putting out fires
4. Duplication of efforts
5. Poor communications
6. Some team members not pulling their weight
7. Unresolved interpersonal conflict
8. Lack of creativity
9. Team decisions not supported
10. Senior leaders unaware of the issues
Are you tired of waiting for senior leaders to change things? Stop waiting.
The assumption that change has to start at the top is wrong. You have more power than you might think.
It is possible to create a magnificent team in an uninspired organization. And when others begin to notice, a ripple effect just might begin.
1. Focus on your greatest sphere of influence – most likely that’s your own team.
2. Take time for reflection.
Where do you stand on the issues facing your team? You might need to learn more about what’s going on before you draw conclusions. How are you going to find out?
3. Gather your team to think together about what might be possible.
Instead of starting with problem-solving, first ask questions like:
- What do we need to do to make it safe for people to speak up? What groundrules will support open and honest discussion?
- What would be happening if we were magnificent? What results would we accomplish? How would we feel about ourselves, each other, and the team?
- What changes could we make as a team that would move us in that direction? – some quick wins (small changes that are easy to do) and a few big changes that would leapfrog us forward.
4. Model the way – tell your team one thing you are going to do immediately. And do it.
How might leaders create magnificent teams in uninspired organizations?
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Agustín Ruiz
