(American author Chris Widener wrote these principles based on his sport and corporate experience. See www.madeforsuccess.com)
These principles come from comparing hundreds of teams and monitoring their success and failure rates.
1. Communication Leader
The leader needs to communicate the vision. If they are setting the pace, they need to let people know where they are going so that the team can follow. The leader communicates the vision frequently, so as to always be updating the team as to where they are at and what changes need to be made.
2. Team
A successful team should talk to each other all of the time. The team should be helping one another out, encouraging one another, praising one another, and telling each other how to make changes, so the same mistakes aren’t made again.
3. Excellence
The truly great teams are teams that are committed to excellence. In everything they do, their goal is to achieve at the highest level. And this commitment is held throughout the team and at every level. A successful team cannot have members who are not committed to excellence because in the end they will become the weak link.
4. Followership
The secret to getting things done lies not only in great leadership, but in how well the rest of the people, 99% of the team, follows the leadership. Good teams are filled with people who are committed to following and getting the job done
5. Understanding Roles
Every team works best when the members of the team have clearly defined and understood roles. Some do one thing, others do another. One isn’t better or more important than the other, just different
6. Strengths and Weaknesses
The successful teams are those who on a regular and consistent basis enable the members to operate out of their strengths and not out of their weaknesses. And what is one person’s strengths will cover another’s weakness.
7. Fun
Finding joy in teamwork is the factor that keeps people together and brings a sense of bonding
8. Common Goals and Vision
Common goals need to have three aspects. Short, simple and clear.
9. Acknowledgement
In a successful team, its leader gives recognition for the given performance. He communicates results to individual members and the team as a whole. Team members can appreciate the work of the team leader and other members
CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR TEAM’S GOALS TO SOMEONE ELSE IN 30 SECONDS? EVERYONE ON THE TEAM SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE COMMON GOALS.