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Innovation Is Key
Consider the words manager and leader for a moment. Here are
definitions that might help:
" A manager is someone who maintains things. A manager is an
administrator of processes, policies, and people.
" A leader is someone who has a vision and communicates it. A
leader focuses on the long-term goal, not the day-to-day processes.
In short, a manager manages the present situation, and a leader leads the
way into the future. A key part of that leadership is the willingness to
innovate. Where a manager is a champion of the status quo, a leader asks
questions and pokes at current policy and procedure to see if something
better can be found. To a great extent, it's that willingness to be open to
excellence and change, and to involve the team in those efforts, that
motivates a team.
In the 1970s, a team of researchers named Berlew and Burns talked
about some key characteristics of leaders. A leader, they said, carries out
the following actions:
" Establishes shared values among team members
" Instills confidence in followers
" Creates organizational excitement
" Isn't afraid of introducing major change
" Empowers followers
" Gives meaning and purpose to an organization
Know Your Team's Strengths
One other thing will help you become a good leader: Get to know your
team. Quite often managers or supervisors get into the rut of seeing their
workers according to their job descriptions. But each person on your team
is complex; each has strengths and weaknesses. It's your job to really
understand the best way to use the whole person to get the job done.
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Chapter 5
Now I'm finally going to resort to a sports analogy. Leadership is very
much akin to the role a coach plays on a sports team. A good coach
knows his or her players and watches carefully throughout the game to
put each player in a role that will maximize that person's usefulness. Ask
yourself these questions to see where your coaching skills could use
improvement:
" Do I fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of each team
member?
" Am I constantly aware of whether each team member is being
challenged in his or her work?
" Have I created an environment in which each worker is willing to
play the role that best ensures the success of the team? Am I
willing to make shifts in assignments to utilize each person in the
best way?
" Do I look for opportunities to help team members grow in their
areas of weakness? Even if someone will never be the star hitter,
that person still has to know how to hit now and then.
Office Team Building
Even though team building cannot be a once-a-year event, it's still
possible to have some fun with your teams. If you've laid the foundation
for a true organizational team structure, applying it to the dynamics of
your group outside of day-to-day work can be a logical extension.
Caution
Don't insist upon participation in team activities outside the office. If
several team members participate, that will be fine. The key is not to
make this out-of-the-office team effort feel forced or allow it to become a
burden to those who are too busy or not inclined to join.
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Chapter 5
Sponsor a Sports Team
Clich sports analogies aside, sports provide a model of teamwork that
cannot be denied. The trust and communication players must have to
maintain their focus and get a football from one end of a field to another,
for example, provide a wonderful model for your office team. Allowing
your employees to spend time outside the workplace building that kind of
trust can have direct benefits back on the job.
Many offices sponsor sports teams to play other companies, or they have
one department play against another. Doing so builds team spirit even
among the team members who choose not to play because they root for
their group to win. Ask your employees if they would enjoy such an
activity and remember, keep it fun. The last thing you need is to build
cliques or personal conflicts on the playing field that spill over into your
working team.
Get Behind a Cause
Less time-consuming than a sports team, but often every bit as good for
team building, is a cause that employees can rally around. Consider some
of these group efforts:
" Sponsor an employee who is running in a charity race.
" Sponsor a poor family or child through a local or national agency.
Post letters and progress reports on the company bulletin board,
where everybody can read them and feel proud.
" Participate as a group in a volunteer activity. For example, man the
phones for a local public radio station pledge drive.
" Organize a food or toy drive at Christmas time.
" Organize donations of food or clothing for a disaster relief effort.
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Chapter 5
Tip
The key to making support of a cause a team-building effort is to make
sure that everybody is kept apprised of the contributions to date and the
impact your efforts are having. Announce progress in the team meeting
every week to keep people interested and involved.
Team Paraphernalia
One other way to build team spirit is to engender a feeling of pride in your
organization or department. You can do this by building brand loyalty, a
tactic companies and sports teams have discovered with a vengeance in
recent years. How is this done? Simply give people something they can
wear, carry around, or display proudly on their desks that sports your
company or team name or logo. In other words, give them tchotchkes.
Plain English
Tchotchke, a Yiddish word, has become a catchall phrase for small gifts or
giveaways such as notepads, pens, or key chains that companies give
to employees or customers.
Now, these things aren't free, but their ability to provide an ongoing
reminder of your team is usually worth it. If employees wear or carry the
items outside the office, it's also a nice form of free advertising.
Try to find interesting items; coffee mugs, caps, and T-shirts are old
standbys, but get creative!
" Mouse pads
" A customized screen saver
" Cookies with your logo baked in
" Puzzle cubes
" Water bottles
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Chapter 5
Tip
Get together with your marketing department. These giveaway
professionals might just be producing several hundred of some giveaway
item for a trade show or for customers. If you can piggyback your order
with theirs, that lowers the unit price for everybody.
Whatever you decide might make a nice gift, remember to make it a
reminder of the intangible things you're doing to provide leadership and
an environment where true team spirit can thrive.
The 30-Second Recap
" Team building must be part of your everyday work environment
and cannot be a short-term effort.
" Support for team building from management is important for long-
term success.
" Keystones of good teams are trust, communication, involvement,
conflict resolution, and feedback.
" Good leaders provide innovation and understand how to use the
skills of the team to best advantage.
" Team building can be supported by out-of-work team efforts, such
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