Building the Connected Team

January 17, 2017
 

This month’s discussion on Building the Connect Team is a critical one. Team work is essential in the work environment. Every company strives to have high-performing teams they can count on. Take a look at the challenges and solutions we discussed in our monthly Round Tables.

Some people make things happen.
Some people watch things happen.
Other people don’t have a clue.

Challenges:

  • A connected team is not possible when it includes poisonous people
    • Individuals having a cancerous “me-first” attitude; not team values.
    • Wrong people filling key positions
  • A disconnect with the leadership
  • Don’t confuse connectivity (relationships) with results
  • Career path impediment
    • Some sabotage, make waves to diminish performance and connection.  The motive is to move someone out of the way.
  • Alignment vs Connectivity
    • Alignment: Motivated by energy moving forward with goals and aspirations of the team.
    • Connectivity:  Across a team but not pulling the team forward.
  • Political correctness is a false connectedness
  • Not many leaders can see connectedness well
    • Not present, late for meetings, too focused on self
    • Wrong indicators – going by what people tell you
    • On a “Power Trip” and managing negatively
    • Lack of trust for employees
  • Employees not understanding the business
  • Lack of consistency –people are unpredictable
  • Cell phones – interrupting the working environment
  • Lack of defined objectives and common understanding
    • They don’t know what they don’t know
    • Lack of trust for leaders or team members

Solutions:

  • Military/War Strategy
  • Relationship Building / Team Building
  • Training/Development – Learning Management System (LMS)
  • Career Development
  • Building Trust
  • Focus in increasing Employee Engagement
  • Company Blog
  • Picking up on clues/red flags in people that are not team players and adjusting as needed
  • Alignment that team is important
  • Anchor on mission/visions/values and seeing the big picture
  • Put a cell phone policy in place to minimize distractions
  • Working for a common goal with a focus in mind (Row the Boat)
  • Approach teams like you are raising your children – know their personalities/likes/needs/wants, adjust efforts to make activities productive for their particular proclivities, etc.

Take-Aways

  • You need to see the big picture
  • Anchor on mission/vision/values
  • Hire consistently for with your values in mind
  • Encouragement – I am doing the right thing?
  • Work for a common goal with a focus in mind

Learn More

Join us Friday, January 20th in Kalamazoo, Michigan as Jen Randall (Co-Founder & President, Maestro) elaborates on this topic. Register Here

Join the Conversation

What challenges do you face with your teams? What strategies have you put in place to build an effective, high-performing team in your company?