It Takes a Great Team To Make A Leader Great
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”– Jim Rohn
I remember reading somewhere that over time an organization becomes a reflection of its leadership. Looking back, I can tell you from experience that statement is true. Whenever I didn’t like what I was seeing, I learned to look in the mirror before bringing any changes to my team.
It takes good leadership skills and gifted personnel to assemble a good team. Improving the quality of a team always begins with the leader. If the leader is a lifelong learner committed to personal growth they will certainly add much value to their team.
When it comes to assembling great leadership teams, I often think of the mythical medieval King Arthur of Camelot, and The Knights of the Round Table. The Knights of the Round Table who resided in the castle were the best in the kingdom.
Why a roundtable? Unlike an oval or rectangle which would have a seat at the head, the roundtable seats everyone equally. None of King Arthur’s Knights could then claim authority over the others. King Arthur’s Knights were men of honor, courage, and dignity, well-mannered men of noble character.
These Knights were King Arthur’s inner circle; he had to hand pick them because he had to trust them. The King would have to institute some laws to keep everyone on the same page. He knew that over time their advice, as well as their behavior, would become a reflection of the King’s leadership.
Your executive leadership team is no different. Your inner circle should be made up of your most trusted advisors. These are the people you’ll rely on to help you navigate the many options you have to consider before making the difficult decisions.
The Law of the inner circle states that “A Leader’s Potential Is Determined by Those Closest to Him.” We as leaders will rise or fall on the choices we make assembling our teams. So, having a team that embodies character traits such as honor, truthfulness, courage, and dignity will require teamwork.
“Teamwork is a strategic decision” – Patrick Lencioni
Since leadership is influence, it seemed only right for me to embrace and model the very rules I intended to use in guiding my team. I found self-discipline to be the most empowering thing I’ve ever done for my team.
The following are headings from John Maxwell’s Teamwork laws, I still teach them to my team. The laws and their headings alone speak volumes. I highly recommend this book. *
#1 – THE LAW OF SIGNIFICANCE – One Is Too Small a Number to Achieve Greatness
#2 – THE LAW OF THE BIG PICTURE – The Goal Is More Important Than the Role
#3 – THE LAW OF THE NICHE – All Players Have a Place Where They Add the Most Value
#4 – THE LAW OF MOUNT EVEREST – As the Challenge Escalates, the Need for Teamwork Elevates
#5 – THE LAW OF THE CHAIN – The Strength of the Team Is Impacted by Its Weakest Link
#6 – THE LAW OF THE CATALYST – Winning Teams Have Players Who Make Things Happen
#7 – THE LAW OF THE COMPASS – Vision Gives Team Members Direction and Confidence
#8 – THE LAW OF THE BAD APPLE – Rotten Attitudes Ruin a Team
#9 – THE LAW OF COUNTABILITY – Teammates Must Be Able to Count on Each Other When It Counts
#10 – THE LAW OF THE PRICE TAG – The Team Fails to Reach Its Potential When It Fails to Pay the Price
#11 – THE LAW OF THE SCOREBOARD – The Team Can Make Adjustments When It Knows Where It Stands
#12 – THE LAW OF THE BENCH – Great Teams Have Great Depth
#13 – THE LAW OF IDENTITY – Shared Values Define the Team
#14 – THE LAW OF COMMUNICATION – Interaction Fuels Action
#15 – THE LAW OF THE EDGE – The Difference Between Two Equally Talented Teams Is Leadership
#16 – THE LAW OF HIGH MORALE – When You’re Winning, Nothing Hurts
#17 – THE LAW OF DIVIDENDS – Investing in the Team Compounds Over Time
*The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork
*** This article was authored by John Picarello, Chief Leadership Officer at Lions Pride Leadership Co.***