Team Leadership

I used to hate group projects in school.  Because there was always someone who wouldn’t do their part, and everyone else had to pick up the slack.  On the other hand, I find very few things more rewarding than working with a high-performing team. So what are the characteristics that distinguish dysfunctional groups from high-performing teams?  The answer lies in leadership that creates an environment where everyone is willing to pull more than his weight toward a goal of shared success.

This past weekend I was involved in a project in our school district that was a wonderful lesson in what it takes to lead and be part of a team.  The project included administrators, teachers, students, and volunteers (both students and parents) – each being required to do a share of the work.  Here are some observations I made leading up to the event, and as I watched the two days unfold.  The lessons in leadership were innumerable, and the ramifications evident: 

• Aptitude
  • Capabilities:  A great leader ensures that everyone on the team is able to do his job.  This sounds simple, but in a team situation, it’s easy to assume that good players will carry those who are mediocre. When a deficiency exists, leaders must make sure people have access to resources to improve their skills.
  • Organization:  It is essential in a team activity that there is a clear process for how the project is to be accomplished.  When more than three people are involved, it’s easy to assume that someone else is handling a task.  A clear understanding of “who does what by when” is needed to minimize unexpected surprises.  Periodic checks along the way ensure that the project is on track.

• Attitude
  • A greater purpose:  A great leader creates a feeling of purpose larger than the team itself.  Pro-football teams win a championship for a city, not just the team. Academic achievements benefit the entire university’s reputation, not just one department.  Every organization has a greater population for which its success is a reflection.  Until that is understood and shared, motivations remain selfish.
  • Individual gain:  As a corollary to the previous point, a great leader also communicates that success for the team translates to success for each individual. If a leader doesn’t create a line of sight connecting the individual’s gain to the success of the group, the assignment becomes something they are doing for someone else – rather than including a component for personal growth -- always a huge motivational factor.  In fact, if it’s dangerously construed that only the leader can benefit from a group’s success, feelings of resentment and animosity are born, which leads to complacency in the least, and sabotage in the worst scenario. 

• Support
  • Tangible Support:  A leader must provide the resources necessary to get the job done.  Sometimes this is monetary, but it often goes beyond just writing a check to include other resources – equipment, manpower, and facilities.  A leader’s highest level of tangible support is visible presence.  Nothing beats seeing a leader roll up his shirtsleeves and carry part of the load. 
  • Intangible Support:  A leader’s intangible support is often even more important than that which can be measured.  Conveying a personal level of dedication and support for success is vital to motivate a team to get the job done.  In the absence of being physically present, which isn’t always possible, a good leader makes it clear that success is expected and will be rewarded. 

We had great examples of leadership this weekend during our project.  Given very little guidance, a group of student and parent volunteers improvised, carried out both assigned and unassigned duties, and provided one another with support in spite of unexpected challenges.  This group of people experienced satisfaction of getting a job done, deepened friendships and made new ones, and will likely remember the weekend more for the positive outcomes while chuckling about the hiccups along the way. 

On the other hand, we also witnessed ramifications of poor leadership from people who obviously didn’t have a vested interested in creating a successful event.  They performed (or didn’t perform) their duties with long faces, seemed stressed out because they were ill-prepared, and will likely remember the weekend event as something they had to do, rather than something they wanted to do.  Interestingly enough, I doubt any of them made a single new friend, and certainly failed to positively deepen any relationships with which they started the weekend.

We are often asked to lead projects – sometimes by a boss, sometimes by a group of volunteers, and sometimes it just happens to fall in our laps because no one else is around to do it.  The difference between whether it becomes a positive or negative experience is determined by how we lead.  Providing a qualified group of people with needed resources and a shared understanding of purpose can make the event one of their most memorable and one from which all involved can grow and learn.