The fashionable nature of the term team has outlived its usefulness in business. Your executive team is not Seal Team 6. Your project team is not the NY Giants and your sales team is not the Chicago Bulls.
It seems that every group of people working together in any organization is now referred to as a team. Few actually function as a high performing team.
Be aware and cautious of the tendency to dumb-down individuality for the sake of team harmony. Give smart people a forum to disagree. A clearly understsood mission to which every team member is aligned and committed is the starting point. Get clear on how the team will engage in a way that builds and maintains trust. Anticipate the factors that may get in the way.
The ability of a team to leverage the intellect, drive and commitment of the “I’s” on a team is what makes membership on the team valuable to the members and the business. The best leaders create shared perspective, build team skills and use team leadership tools in ways that make it easier and more satisfying to get great results. I’m the Outsider and that’s what I think
