Some say a leader is only as good as the team surrounding him or her, and in many respects this is true. The leader must pick a team with the potential to win and then get that team to reach its full potential. Along the way, the leader challenges each team member to be great and each team member must all push the leader toward greatness.
Leaders like Sarasota based Randy Benderson know that this back and forth is a necessary dynamic on all teams that want to reach their goal on a project. So he, like other great leaders invite and internalize this thinking in their organizations.
Start With the Right Team
The first part of achieving the goals that have been set is to bring together a team that has the talents, drive and potential to get there. Selecting a team is job that requires a clear understanding of the needs for the job. This understanding will vary your selection. If you are doing a commercial real estate project you will need one set of team members, setting up a retail store will require a different team, but there are some basic qualities and personalities your team must have no matter the goal to be reached. Here are the qualities needed for a great team:
- A history of winning
- Multiple skill sets
- An ability to effectively communicate
- Relevant job experience
- Excels at critical thinking
- Understands the position and the team goals
- Thrives in a team environment
- Organized and analytical
- Deals well with high stress
- Believes in the mission
Delegate Responsibility
The right team members can be trusted with important responsibilities relating to getting to the goal. They thrive knowing that the leader has given them high levels of responsibility and it compels them to get the job done at the level required. In fact, they will often overachieve and cause other team members to step up their games and deliver more than requested. By letting go of large areas of responsibility and not micromanaging details, the leader gets the dual benefit of more free time to think about other key elements of the project, and a motivated and empowered team.
Reward Success
Any goal worth reaching requires lots of effort and sacrifice. When you take on a team you are asking them to make this sacrifice and those that do should understand how much you appreciate their effort and accomplishments for the team. So be prepared to reward the team when they have success. When milestones are set, each time one is hit, a rewards should be given. Sometimes they may be financial rewards, other times just a kind word, the key is the acknowledgement. This practice becomes infectious and soon everyone will be rewarding each other and the team’s spirits will be constantly lifted.
Here is a news scoop for all the leaders whether they are in Tampa Bay or Phoenix; treat your team the way you want them to treat your project and you will always have a winning team!
