The October 2002 newsletter contained an article about leading effective teams. Three suggestions were offered to ensure active team participation for a manager-directed team:

• Define what you want the team to do in one concise sentence.
• Identify the skills and knowledge needed on the team to achieve the defined goal.
• Identify the individuals in your organization who have the skills and knowledge needed for the team.

Here are a few more tips to ensure a strong foundation for your team.

Assess the attitudes, working style, and preferences of your potential team members.

Objective: To ensure compatibility of team members' personal styles.

Not everyone is well suited to teamwork by temperament, ego, or personal preference. No amount of knowledge or skill will make up for a lack of credibility or for an earnest dislike of a particular member's approach. The right mix is critical to team success. Successful team members need to respect each other and act in a manner that conveys faith in individual contributions. This attitude is difficult to fake so it is worth your time to ensure you are not putting a cat among the pigeons.

Make sure all identified players want to be on your team.

Objective: To ensure that all team members are interested and motivated to work as a team.

Motivating people to join a team that doesn't involve a recreational activity is one of life's greatest challenges. Within hierarchical systems, the "joining," of course, can be achieved through conscription, but then "motivation" becomes problematic.

Some people just don't work well in groups. Don't force them onto your teams. If you need their expertise, ask them to support the team on request—and outside of the team environment.

Establish roles, responsibilities, and accountability for every team member.

Objective: To provide a structure within which team members can work successfully.

Roles provide structure and support for the team goal. Responsibilities determine who will be doing what and guide team members in seeking the appropriate individuals for specific support or decision-making. Accountability suggests an environment where actions are expected to achieve positive results. Embracing accountability demonstrates that the team's goal is worthy and that every member of the team is committed to ensuring success.

Look for more tips for leading effective teams in an upcoming issue of this newsletter.

2003 - 2004 Copyright Marian Schickling. Printed with Permission.

About the Author
Marian Schickling is a freelance instructional designer/developer and writer with over 20 years' experience. Her articles have appeared in Communication Briefings, The Professional Skier, AAA Going Places, and the Sunshine Press. She has also collaborated on numerous American Society for Training and Development Info-Lines and ghostwritten a book entitled "Identifying Targeted Training Needs." Marian can be emailed at Mschicklin@aol.com.

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