how to build a great team"

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28 the north magazine G reat teams, rather like good wine, take time to mature. Instant teamwork might sound like every leader’s dream, but part of the point of creating a good team is the journey it takes to get there. There are, however, some vital ingredients you need in a team. Leave these ingredients out and you’ll have a bland, uninteresting recipe. Here are some key things to consider if you want a team which performs at its peak time after time. Great leadership: Every team needs a good leader. This is not necessarily the person with the greatest skills, the biggest personality or the loudest voice! A leader is always someone who has followers, is able to impart vision in an inclusive rather an exclusive way and brings out the very best in people. Be clear about your goals: A team needs to know where it’s going. The goal needs to be clearly stated and easily understood. It also needs to be something everyone believes in. And it needs to be a goal you can easily measure as this helps bring clarity, focus and a sense of achievement. Strengths in differences: Some of the most effective teams are made up of the most unlikely mix of personalities and characters. There is strength in diversity and it’s how those different strengths are utilised which can create a team with real impact. Another important factor is fostering a spirit of collaboration and discovering the conditions that allow winning teamwork to emerge. This takes time which is why making space for conversations in a variety of contexts is so important. Feedback: Reaching goals is rather like going on a journey. You know the destination and you’ve a good idea of the route but sometimes you may need to adapt or change things a little in order to get to where you want to go. That’s where feedback comes in. Every team needs the time and space to step back, look at what progress has been made towards the goal and what may need to be different in the light of changing circumstances. Enjoy the moment: Always value success and take time to appreciate the people who have made the journey to that point possible. Savour that moment as a team because sooner or later some fresh goals will come along with some different challenges and the journey will begin all over again. WORDS DONALD MACNAUGHTON business For more details contact Donald at Tel: 01463 795888 or email: [email protected] HOW TO BUILD A GREAT TEAM

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Short article by Don MacNaughton of Zoned In Performance on how to use team building strategy from the sports world in the corporate arena.

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Page 1: How to Build a Great Team"

28 the north magazine

Great teams, rather like good wine,take time to mature. Instant

teamwork might sound like every leader’sdream, but part of the point of creatinga good team is the journey it takes toget there.

There are, however, some vitalingredients you need in a team. Leavethese ingredients out and you’ll have abland, uninteresting recipe.

Here are some key things to consider ifyou want a team which performs at itspeak time after time.

Great leadership:

Every team needs a good leader. This isnot necessarily the person with thegreatest skills, the biggest personality orthe loudest voice! A leader is alwayssomeone who has followers, is able toimpart vision in an inclusive rather anexclusive way and brings out the verybest in people.

Be clear about your goals:

A team needs to know where it’s going.The goal needs to be clearly statedand easily understood. It also needs to besomething everyone believes in.And it needs to be a goal you can easilymeasure as this helps bring clarity, focusand a sense of achievement.

Strengths in differences:

Some of the most effective teams aremade up of the most unlikely mix ofpersonalities and characters. There isstrength in diversity and it’s howthose different strengths are utilisedwhich can create a team with realimpact.

Another important factor is fostering aspirit of collaboration and discovering theconditions that allow winning teamworkto emerge. This takes time which is whymaking space for conversations in avariety of contexts is so important.

Feedback:

Reaching goals is rather like going on ajourney. You know the destinationand you’ve a good idea of the route butsometimes you may need to adapt orchange things a little in order to get towhere you want to go. That’s wherefeedback comes in. Every team needs thetime and space to step back, look atwhat progress has been made towardsthe goal and what may need to bedifferent in the light of changingcircumstances.

Enjoy the moment:

Always value success and take time toappreciate the people who have madethe journey to that point possible. Savourthat moment as a team becausesooner or later some fresh goals willcome along with some differentchallenges and the journey will begin allover again. �

WORDS DONALD MACNAUGHTON

business

For more details contact Donald atTel: 01463 795888 or email:[email protected]

HOW TOBUILD AGREATTEAM