I am a passionate follower of many sports and as I watch the great teams square off against each other, I can’t help but notice how similar a professional sports team is to the businesses that I work with every day. So I asked myself; what turns a good team into a great team?
I believe there are 3 traits great teams possess, and they are:
- Leadership
The first trait of a great team is strong leadership – the coach and the captain. A good leader will get the most from his or her team by making sure that each team member clearly understands their role and how that role contributes towards the success of the business. A good leader takes ownership of the success of the team by “leading” not just directing.
- Vision
The second trait of a great team is vision – the game plan. A clearly defined vision allows a team to pursue greatness because it gives everyone a common goal. When team members know the “rules of the game” they are free to be as creative as possible within those boundaries. All of your team members should know your company’s vision and more importantly, believe in it. But don’t stop with your employees; tell your customers and vendors as well. It will give them confidence to know that your company will be around for a long time.
- Communication
And finally, a great team communicates well – every player knows there role within the game plan and what is expected of them. Great teams communicate; up, down, sideways, it doesn’t matter. A great team knows that each person has a responsibility to communicate with every other team member about anything that affects the success of the business.
Of all the corporate roles I’ve had, the most enjoyable were also the one’s where the company, and I, were most successful. Not surprisingly these were the companies where everyone knew where they were going, what the individuals’ role was and we were empowered to make it happen – and the management team bought into the vision.
Your team can make or break your business. So develop a strong vision, foster communication within your team and most importantly; lead them, don’t jut manage them!
Photo credit – Flickr_Grazus.