LEADERSHIP: ALL TOGETHER NOW

Published: 2007-04-10   please add a comment below

Generate connections, linkages, bonding and hence cooperation, unity, togetherness
Get away from silos, selfishness, isolation, opting out and other UDI behaviour

Which do you prefer: an afternoon at the football; or, an evening at the symphony?  Either way, you'll see teamwork in action.  And, perhaps that's the reason so many highly effective leaders have experience of team sports or other team activities. 

I was forced to play sport at school, but hated it.  And, lacked talent for the orchestra.  Perhaps that's why I’ve spent much of my career as a sole practitioner.  And, when I’ve run businesses or voluntary projects, I relied initially on other skills.  There are no guarantees, but team aptitude is a good foundation for leadership.

Think about your own preferences!  Are you a team player? Or, more of a loner?  And, how is that impacting your current leadership role?

Whatever the answer, the good news is teamwork, like other elements of leadership, can be learnt – albeit, at times, requiring significant shifts in default behaviour.  But, as with anything worthwhile in life, the only issue is the courage to try.

So what are some of the steps that can lead to effective teamwork?  Here are a few I've picked up over the years – from watching those for whom it’s intuitive and easy.  Define goals, tasks and roles for your team and its members.  Balance the skills and personalities - to support the goals and what needs doing.  Encourage synergy, sharing and support - within your team; and, resolve conflictsBuild alliances and encourage cooperation with other teams - to leverage your team's resources and capabilities and build wider integration.  Support and uphold management and team decisions - so there is "cabinet solidarity."

How well are you doing on each of these simple actions?  What would colleagues say - those, who work with you as your peers, subordinates or managers?

Build teamwork - and go further!



Dr. Timothy Pascoe AM
PhD (Cambridge), MBA (Harvard), BE & BEc (Adelaide)
Creator, V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership®



Name
*will be displayed beside your comment
Email address
*won't be displayed
Comment
Conditions of posting: please feel free to post your views, but note that any post that is defamatory, contains bad language, or is spam will be blocked and deleted.
*
Email me when other comments are posted

Fields marked with * are required

This Potshot has no comments yet


Would you like to reproduce this Potshot?

We encourage people to republish this Potshot online, or in print. However, please take the time to read our License Terms and so that you can properly attribute the republished Potshot