"Managers who establish cultures of celebrating members going the extra mile end up with teams embracing higher standards."
— JSP
Managers are the initiators when it comes to team cohesiveness
Team building is an ongoing process, the responsibility of a good manager.
Effective team communication for better collaboration is the priority.
It's one thing to invest the responsibility in a team member for planning the weekly huddles or sending reminders for the monthly team meetings; it's quite another thing to allow that member to take the initiative to set the stage for the manager's talks by opening the conversations.
The best managers I know invest quality time in grooming gifted team members to share the responsibilities of the team-building process. These managers are keen on noticing and highlighting team members doing something right.
Peter Drucker wrote, "Conversely, there is no greater indictment of an organization than that the strength and ability of the outstanding man become a threat to the group and his performance a source of difficulty, frustration, and discouragement for the others.
And nothing destroys the spirit of an organization faster than focusing on people's weaknesses rather than on their strengths, building on disabilities rather than abilities. The focus must be on strengths." (1)
"Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week's value out of a year while another man gets a full year's value out of a week." — Charles Richards
Alicia Raeburn does an excellent job listing ten qualities of good managers,
"Management skills aren't taught in school. To be a successful manager, you need to hone and develop a new set of qualities. There's no blueprint to follow—your unique skillset and experiences will help you decide what manager style to develop.
1. Be Inclusive
To build a diverse team, you need to create an inclusive and positive organizational culture…
2. Establish Communication Norms
More often than not, project mistakes come down to a communication error rather than a performance issue.
3. Practice Active Listening
This key aspect of team management is often overlooked because it seems so simple. But listening is more than just hearing your team, it's a skill…
4. Empower Your Team
A key component to building a strong organizational culture is empowering and putting trust in your team…
5. Be Decisive
As a manager, you are responsible for making decisions that affect the entire team…
6. Hold Yourself Accountable
Your team isn't perfect, and neither is their work. But ultimately, the buck stops with you…
7. Be Confident
Being a confident manager sets the tone for the team and makes it more likely that they will follow suit…
8. Develop Adaptability
Your team relies on you to take control, no matter the situation…
9. Know When to Push (And When to Stop)
The best managers do two things: push their team to grow and support them in slowing down…
10. Be Honest
The last quality on the list might just be the most important: be honest. At the end of the day, your team relies on you… (2)
In Closing, Paul Hawken says, "Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them."
"Excellent managers are like artists; their team members are their brushes, together the outcomes can become an inspiring masterpiece."
— JSP
End Notes
(1) The Practice of Management - Peter Drucker p.145
(2) What makes a good manager? 10 qualities to lead successful teams - Alicia Raeburn bit.ly/3MMUMFp
*** This article was authored by John Picarello, Chief Leadership Officer at Lions Pride Leadership Co.***