How to Inspire Teams to Pull Together Rather than Fall Apart
I asked a group to talk about a time when they saw an organization pulling together. They talked about shared problems and crisis.
Give people a shared problem if you want them to pull together.
10 powers of solving great problems:
- People feel important.
- Energy goes up.
- Teams pull together. Differences become less important.
- Day-to-day behaviors have more value.
- Effectiveness – doing the right things – eliminates busyness.
- Efficiency – getting better at doing the right things – gains value. (Doing the right things comes before process improvement. Get out there and do the right thing. Improve as you go.)
- Inaction becomes intolerable. “We have to do something.”
- Priorities – doing what matters now – seems simpler.
- Peripheral activities lose importance.
- Shared resources flow easier. Silos go down. Collaboration goes up.
5 ways to find the right problems:
- Stop making excuses when you hear complaints.
- Step outside established channels of communication. Have conversations with new people. Bring the outside in.
- Invite customers to speak up.
- Avoid quick solutions. Wallow in the mud awhile.
- Spend time on the front-line.
Ask your team, “What problem are we solving?” If the answer is making money, start again.
Create useful solutions:
The future belongs to problem-finders who develop solutions. It’s not enough to simply find a problem. You have to solve it.
The difference between a complainer and a leader is passion for solutions.
- Avoid small problems! You need something compelling.
- Choose a problem that ignites emotion.
- Ask, “What might make this better?” Start with ‘what.’ You’ll figure out ‘how.’
- Develop solutions that serve others, bring value, and make you feel good. Emotion is energy.
- Implement imperfect solutions quickly. “Shoot bullets before cannonballs.” Jim Collins. Perfect as you go, not before you go. Embrace the power of small imperfect beginnings.
How might leaders find the right problem to solve?
What motivates teams to pull together, rather than fall apart?
How might leaders find the right problem to solve? Search and you will find! Is there a such thing as a wrong problem? (just me thinking out loud Dan) Really depends on where ones interest lies and their knowledge base, humanitarian as compared to business problems, leading youth compared to adults, just look at the government,the skies the limit! You may spend a lifetime and never solve all the worldly problems. Perhaps look at the Bible for solving problems tremendous data base there too!
I really liked your creation of useful solutions. Working for a non-profit, this comes up almost daily as there are always uphill battles with find funding, fighting for policy change, or just trying to stay energetic daily when it’s hard to stay afloat against major Industries. These solutions are practical and reminds us how to stay focused! Great post.
Great post. This line in your post is intriguing, “Ask your team, “What problem are we solving?” If the answer is making money, start again.” I would enjoy hearing additional thoughts on effective ways to challenge people who work more often than not just for the money. They literally live pay check to pay check and tend to think more about their need for money and less about solving the problems their employers may see as needing to be solved.
Awesome, relevant article