From the last blog, you now know the ways that performing groups are divided, but how do we create the type of team we are after? Well, like any good plan, we first have to prep.
I think it's first important to understand that teams are relationships. Not only relationships from member to member, but from the members to the team itself. This means that the people influence the team, and the team influences the people. Just like our day-to-day relationships, this can be both a blessing and a curse. Just as easily as the team can positively or negatively influence a new member, a new member can also positively or negatively influence the team.
Once we understand this truth, it makes understanding the need for the right people much easier. The truth is that it's nearly impossible to build a performance team with the wrong people. If the people don't have the skills to perform and are unwilling to sharpen their skills to achieve a high level of performance, then a Learning Team is all they'll ever be. If the people have all of the skills to perform but are unwilling to work together to accomplish a common goal, a Talent Show is all they'll ever be. You might be thinking, Tanner this sounds counter-intuitive. I thought you were going to tell me how to build a performance team, and now you're informing me that I might just have all of the wrong people and now there is no hope. Well, that would be true if people couldn't change, but they can, and that's how we prep. People do change, and because teams are relationships, the team can influence people, and influence changes people.
So, if you already have the right people, great! Now, how do you begin building your team? If you don't have the right people, you have two options, either fire the wrong people and hire the right people (sounds expensive, because it is), or invest in making the wrong people, the right people. Whatever way you do this is up to you, but there might be more respect for you as a leader if you take the investing in your current team route, and respect for you as a leader will only benefit the team when hardship comes. For that reason, we will focus on the invest strategy.
There are lots of ways to invest in and influence your team to become the right people, but I'm going to share with you the most effective one that I have found. That is, leading by example. And I don't mean just doing the right thing. I mean doing their things right, right infront of them. Let me give you an example.
One of the best leaders I have ever worked with was my store manager at Home Depot, Matt Holmes. Matt was a great leader that developed a great team, not because he was super special and had the right people, but because by example he showed the wrong people how to be the right people. Although he was the store manager and had all of the excuses in the world to be in the office doing paperwork, making calls, being in meetings, etc., he never used them. He was in the office when he needed to be, and if he didn't need to be, he was out on the floor, doing our things, our jobs, correctly, right infront of us. If there was freight to be put away, he had a freight cart. If there was an issue requiring a manager, he made himself available, if something needed swept, he was sweeping. People saw Matt doing their jobs and saw him as capable; worthy of his position, and deserving of their respect. Matt influenced the team, and in return, the team changed. People started taking more ownership in their jobs; willing to do things without being told or forced.
One common misconception that leads to a capable leader losing positive influence over the team is assumed widespread capability. You have likely seen it or experienced it, and after I explain it I am going to give an example of one leader I know that has never fallen victim to this misconception and, as a result, has been hired on multiple occasions for his ability to change a culture.
Assumed widespread confidence of capability is the assumption of the leader that everyone in the organization views them as capable. A leader will work their way up within a team, and when they get to the top, they don't need to focus on showing their capabilites. This is true as the team has already seen you do the work, excel at it, and recieve promotion after promotion because of it. BUT - what happens when, after some years, new team members rotate into the team? Team members who haven't seen you do the work? Well, as you might guess, they begin to question your capability. This isn't to say you aren't capable, you may very well be, but if they don't see it, how can you expect them to believe it? When a large enough niche forms within the team that believes the leader isn't capable, it is very likely that they gain influence, and possibly even sway some of your teammates who once thought you to be capable, to begin questioning your capability. Never assume widespread confidence in your capability.
The leader that comes to mind for me isn't new to this blog at all, but it's my Dad. While he can't be out in the field doing the work for safety reasons, he still makes an appearance. He shows them he is willing by taking the time to learn the lingo, know the guys, and show them that he can and will be out there supporting them, even if he isn't able to do the work himself. Although, even then, he helps with what he can whether it be holding tools or shining a flashlight. I don't know that he has ever had a position in which he assumed widespread confidence in his ability, and he has changed a number of organization's cultures for the better.
The first step to building a performance team is preparation, getting the right people on board. If you have the right people then you're in luck, if not, you'll have to lead by example by doing what they do, right, right infront of them. And, if there happens to be a barrier to showing them you can do it right, atleast take the time to show them you are willing if you were able. Leading by example consistently is sure to create positive change by positively influencing your team on their level.
-- Next blog, we will look at developing a performance team --
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