Teams – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

No Small Roles

Posted May 2, 2022May 2, 2022
by admin

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. -St. Augustine

“There are no small roles, only small actors.” This famous line was spoken by Konstantin Stanislavski, “the father of modern acting”, who required actors who performed in his theatre productions to engage their roles with equal commitment, whether they were lead actors with large roles or supporting actors with few lines or no lines at all.

While seen as a sign of accomplishment to land a leading role in acting, one can’t overlook the smaller or supporting roles that can make a movie a success.

A list compiled at StudoBinder.com lists the Academy Award winners for best-supporting actors. Included on the notable list are Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood), Christian Bale (The Fighter), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), George Clooney (Syriana), Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting), Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive), Jack Nicholson ( Terms of Endearment), and Jack Lemmon (Mister Roberts), just to name a few.

When you look at the list of award winners for supporting actors, no one would look upon their respective acting careers in a lesser light due to winning best supporting actor. They are all distinguished in their own right for their contributions not only to those respective films but to the lead roles they’ve starred in since.

Embracing the mindset of no small roles is critical to the success of any business or organization that looks to make a difference. Nowhere is this more needed than in its approach to leadership. Inside many organizations is an unspoken competition to see who can get the leading roles, be the star of the show, and do whatever it takes to have the spotlight shine on them.

What’s needed is a casting call – a casting call for supporting leaders whose only motivation is what’s best for the team.

But how do you find such leaders with this mindset? Is it even possible? How do you build a culture where everyone embraces their respective roles for the good of the team? Here are a few ways to begin.

Cast the vision often and the importance of every role

A no small role mindset begins when everyone understands the significance of their role and why their contribution matters. When you make this a priority it builds a sense of pride that everyone is contributing to a cause and purpose that matters and without them, it wouldn’t happen.

Cast the expectations

Just as Stanislavsk demanded the best of every actor, regardless of the role, so too must you make expectations clear within your organization. A clear vision followed by clear expectations puts everyone on the same page and the possibility of success more attainable. Click To TweetThis can only work when egos are set aside and only what’s best for the team is embraced.

Play your best role

Not everyone will have the lead role, but everyone has a role to play. Attitudes matter, communication matters, trust matters, and commitment matters. These are the roles that when played with conviction will set your team apart from the rest.

Final Thoughts

Understanding that there are no small roles is essential in leadership. Every role is important and every role matters. As does every person. It’s when everyone knows it and gives it their all that teams can reach their full potential.

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When Leadership Gets Squirrely

Posted May 11, 2020May 11, 2020
by admin

Some people are like clouds. When they go away, it’s a brighter day. – Anonymous

I have to start this with a disclaimer. I am not a hateful person. I was raised better. So here goes my confession – I hate squirrels. I hate them with a passion. I have on occasions questioned God as to the reason for their miserable existence. But, I digress.

You see, one of my great joys is birding. I have somewhat of a bird sanctuary in my backyard at home. I love the beauty and majesty of the many birds that visit the feeders every day. They are beautiful creatures and it brings me a great deal of satisfaction to feed them and to create space for them in my yard.

But, I hate squirrels.

I hate having to chase them away from the feeders. I hate having the “experts” in the specialty stores recommend me to buy their guaranteed product that will keep them away. They don’t. Squirrels are a nuisance of the highest order.

Hang around in leadership long enough and you will run into squirrely characters. Over the years, I’ve come across plenty. Who are these squirely characters you have to contend with in leadership? In what ways are they like the menacing squirrel? Here are a few examples.

They are self-serving

At times in your organization, you will run across people who are self-serving. They make decisions based entirely on what’s good for them. Typically, these people have hidden agendas that over time become not so hidden. Then one day you have that aha moment and you realize that everything that they have been doing has only had one benefactor-themselves. Like the squirrel, they take what they want and leave the rest with no thought to the consequences.

They stick together and sow discord

Negative people tend to attract negative people in the same way positive people attract positive people. It’s one of the reasons why attitude is so important. Left unchecked, this pact of negative influencers can grow like cancer and pull everyone down. This is not to say every organization has this pact within it, but most have at least one. And so long as there is one sympathetic ear then there’s the potential for disruptions in the morale of your organization.

They are indecisive – until they aren’t

Have you ever seen a squirrel try and cross the road? They zig-zag back and forth in either direction until they finally dart across the road before they meet their demise. Sometimes in your organization, you will run across those squirrely and indecisive leaders who can’t seem to make up their mind. Their ability to lead is hindered by the obvious fact that they don’t know where they are going or why. This, of course, only frustrates the dynamic of the organization due to a lack of leadership skills which makes everyone else want to pull their hair out.

They destroy to get what they want

Over the years, I’ve had more than one bird feeder destroyed by squirrels. It’s just what they do to get to the seed. In every good, efficient, and profitable organization there are a group of dedicated and committed people who have the buy-in and determination to bring their vision to life and succeed. And then there are those squirrely people who are only in it for themselves and what’s good for them. And unfortunately, they will cause more harm than good until they are dealt with.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes when I see a group of squirrels in my yard, I call for my dog, Shakespeare. It’s a fun little activity as he anxiously waits for me to open the door while channeling his inner Mufassa with all of the energy his seven-pound Morkie body can muster. Then it happens – he charges through the door to defend his yard. The chase is on! It ends almost as quickly as it begins – the squirrels win again!

But in real life, it’s not as easy, and it’s certainly not amusing. Too much is at stake. As a leader, you will be surrounded by people who bring you joy and delight like the birds. They are pleasant to be around and are good team players.

And then you have a few squirrels.

Next week, I will devote this space to how we deal with those squirrely people and help you see your path forward.

Until next week, keep feeding the birds. It’s worth it.

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7 Things You Do As A Leader That Your Team Can’t Stand

Posted January 21, 2019January 21, 2019
by admin

Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. – Kurt Vonnegut

I read a report in Lighthouse of a survey of 1,000 American employees conducted by Michelle McQuaid, which revealed that 65% of respondents would take a new boss over a pay raise.

In the same article, they cited another survey that found that 75% of employees consider their direct manager to be the worst part of their job. Ouch!

Are you surprised by this?

Many factors contribute to the attitudes and behaviors that exist in the workplace. And while every workplace is unique unto itself, I believe there are some common characteristics of leaders, who for better or worse, contribute to the culture of the organizations that they lead.

If you are a leader on any level in your organization, then you need to pay attention to my list of seven things you do as a leader that your team can’t stand. It’s not an exhaustive list, but these are certainly the more common ones. And just to be fair, in next week’s space the script will be flipped so stay tuned.

You are out of touch with your people

Any leader who is worth his or her salt knows that it’s your people who are the stars of the show. Do you know their hopes, their dreams, their fears, their joys, their concerns, their needs? If your people do not believe you are connected to them on any level, then what do you think motivates them to be invested in you as their leader? Click To Tweet

Your team can’t stand being out of sight and out of mind.

You don’t communicate values and vision

The connection of your people to your organization’s values and vision is not transferred to them by a piece of paper framed on the wall in the break room. It’s communicated and transferred from your heart to theirs. Your people need to see the big picture and hear how their part plays a role in attaining it. Your people need a clear understanding of where they are going and why. Click To Tweet

Your team can’t stand being in the dark.

You don’t have their backs

Let’s be clear- loyalty is a two-way street. Your people need to know that you not only believe in them but when the chips are down and the stakes are high, you have their backs. They need to know that you are a leader who is willing to go to the mat for them. You can do this by taking a little bit more of the blame and little less of the credit.

Your team can’t stand being thrown under the bus.

You don’t call out bad behaviors

If you are turning a blind eye or a deaf ear to toxic behaviors and attitudes, then- simply put, you are demoralizing your team. And you can rest assured the good ones whom you can’t afford to lose are probably already looking to make their exit. And why not? If you are not calling out bad behaviors then why should your team place their confidence in you as a leader? What you tolerate you promote.

Your team can’t stand you not having a backbone.

You don’t empower your people

There’s a fine line between being engaged and overreach as a leader. Engaged involves knowing and contributing and then stepping back and unleashing the talents of your people. Overreach is meddling and micromanaging. Sometimes the greatest hindrance to progress isn’t team members not doing their jobs, it’s team members not allowed to do their jobs because they are not empowered by their leader. Click To Tweet

Your team can’t stand you holding them back.

You don’t easily embrace change

Your ability to adapt as a leader is what gives you a competitive edge professionally. The same is true personally. But if you are a leader who is stuck in your ways and you are not able to adapt to your changing environment you are taking away your competitive edge. Your team can’t move forward and remain relevant if you are the last one on board. Click To Tweet In other words, the train will leave with or without you. Don’t give away your competitive edge because you are stuck in a mindset and way of doing things that only served you well twenty years ago.

Your team can’t stand waiting for you.

You don’t realize that everything rises and falls on leadership

This point is attributed to John Maxwell who coined the phrase. But as you read through my list you will see that at the heart of every issue that gives your team grief, at the core, is a leadership deficiency that drives it. While this is problematic, there is a silver lining to be found. You can right the ship and make corrections. But you must put yourself on a leadership track that will help you. In order to lead your people, you must first know how to lead yourself.

Your team can’t stand you not being a strong leader.

You don’t have to be the boss or leader that your team can’t stand. Are you ready to rise to the leadership challenge?

Resources: If you are new on your leadership journey then I’d like to suggest two books for you:

Developing The Leader Within You 2.0 by John Maxwell. Order it here from Amazon

Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials For Everyday Leaders by Doug Dickerson. Order it here from Amazon

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What Bees Teach Us About Teams

Posted November 26, 2018November 26, 2018
by admin

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. – Henry Ford

It’s been said that bees can show you something about teamwork. On a warm day about half the bees in a hive stay inside beating their wings while the other half go out to gather pollen and nectar. Because of the beating wings, the temperature inside the hive is about 10 degrees cooler than outside. The bees rotate duties and the bees that cool the hive one day are honey gatherers the next.

Who knew that the bee could teach us about the power and function of teams.

Pardon the pun, but there’s been a lot of buzz in recent years about teams and teamwork and rightfully so. Anyone can throw a group of people together and call it a team. But is it, really?

Until the following four characteristics emerge within that group of individuals they will simply remain a group of people struggling for identity, struggling to make sense of what they are doing, where they are going, and what they are accomplishing. Here are the four things we must learn from the bees.

Trust

It stands to reason that if a group people can emerge and gel as a team it will be predicated on trust

The bees trust one another to carry out their duties. Whether those duties are in the hive beating their wings or out gathering pollen and nectar. They depend on each other to get the job done.

One recent survey I read said that 45% of employees say that a lack of trust in leadership is the biggest issue impacting their work performance. So until the issue of trust is settled then those in leadership will continue to struggle. And sadly, so will the team and its ability to perform.

Empathy

Due to the revolving nature of the bees’ duties, they have an understanding of what it takes to get the job done each day. Each knows and understands what the other is going through.

Within your organization, developing empathy goes a long way in building trust and moving the team forward. Everyone’s skills and talents are needed and all must be respected even though not all are the same. Team members need to see the big picture not just through the lens of what they do but in what others do as well. Click To Tweet

Accountability

Bees depend on each other to cool the hive and gather food. If they fail to do their job, someone might just get stung!

In his book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni says, “Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal.” And this is the secret sauce of how teams work. They hold each other accountable.

Without accountability, your team will flounder and miss the mark. It’s when you embrace it, as painful as it can be at times, that you will come to understand the power and potential of your team. Click To Tweet

Mutual respect

When team members begin to trust one another, develop empathy, hold one another accountable, then they can move forward with mutual respect.

When you look at your fellow team members not as competitors but as colleagues, you can then harness the power of teamwork. Don’t let petty office politics or gossip ruin what could otherwise be the making of a well-performing team. Click To Tweet

When you come together possessing these qualities you can move from being a group of people that look like a team to actually being one. If the bees can do so can you!

Coming in January 2019 – A brand new four-session workshop I facilitate with the purpose of bringing your team together, having intentional conversations in order to clarify values and get your team members off the sidelines. Watch for more details in the coming weeks!

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Six Reasons Why You Want Diversity On Your Team

Posted August 18, 2018October 4, 2018
by dougdickerson

Diversity: The art of thinking independently together. – Malcolm Forbes

That diversity is at the forefront of importance in the business community is an understatement. It’s as much a part of the conversation now as it’s ever been. Yet sadly, there are still some who are slow to understand the benefits of a diverse team.

Writing for Teamable, Melissa Suzuno highlights some impressive statistics as it relates to diversity and inclusion on your leadership team. Here are a few of her findings: 67% of candidates want to join a diverse team, 57% of employees want to prioritize diversity, inclusive companies enjoy 2.3 x higher cash flow, 35% of diverse companies outperform homogeneous ones, and 70% are more likely to capture new markets.

As impressive as these statistics are, it leads us to the questions- why are some organizations still slow in embracing diversity on their teams? We would like to offer six reasons why you should.

To create new margins for growth and opportunity.

Any organization seeking to expand its growth and opportunities should see diversity and inclusion as the starting point. Click To TweetDiversity on your team creates the margins you need to make that happen. With greater diversity and inclusion comes a larger net, greater reach, greater potential, and more success. It’s a leader’s secret sauce that’s really not a secret at all. It’s the lifeblood of your organization.

To eliminate stagnant thinking

Nothing will sink an organization faster than a group- think mentality and stagnant thinking. When creativity is waning or gone, and everyone is thinking alike you’ll soon discover no one is really thinking at all. Diversity allows you to challenge old assumptions and creates more options. Stagnant thinking says, “this is the way we’ve always done it”, while diversity says “we can and we will do better”. Diversity of thought and ideas gives you leverage that will elevate you to the next level. Embrace it!

To maximize our potential for success- the more voices at the table, the stronger we are.

Organizational leaders need to understand that the more voices you have at the table the stronger you will be. Click To TweetThose same few voices will continue to deliver those same predictable decisions. The expansion of creativity and diversity of ideas will only come to fruition with the inclusion of more people who can contribute to your organization’s success.

To take ego out of the equation

If you lack diversity on your team, chances are you have surrounded yourself with ‘yes’ men. This is great for your ego, but disastrous for your business. We all have blind spots, areas where we cannot see clearly. Diversity on your team gives you access to the resources that help bring your blind spots into focus.

To enhance buy-in

If you lack diversity on your team, you will struggle to get widespread buy-in for your ideas and solutions. We all want to feel like we have some control over our work environment. Diversity on your team allows input from a variety of perspectives and provides a sense of inclusion in the process. Buy-in eliminates the “us vs. them” mentality and fosters more of a “look at what we did” pride. Click To Tweet

To promote engagement

If you lack diversity on your team, you will promote an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality. We all want to feel like we are making meaningful contributions at work. An ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality is the enemy of engagement. Diversity on your team breaks down a perceived division and inspires employees to become engaged in making positive contributions to your organization.

Valuing and promoting a diverse team environment in your business benefits you as the leader, your employees, and the organization as a whole. This diversity creates new margins for growth and opportunity, eliminates stagnant thinking, maximizes the potential for success, takes ego out of the equation, enhances buy-in, and promotes engagement. As Malcolm Forbes stated in the above quote, the ultimate definition of diversity is “… thinking independently together.” No organization can stand on firm footings without it.

Liz Stincelli is an Employee Advocate, Leadership Consultant, Author, and Speaker. Learn more about Liz Stincelli at http://www.stincelliadvisors.com/

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Are You Really a Team Player?

Posted May 18, 2017
by dougdickerson

A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other. – Simon Sinek

For many of us, the idea of being part of a team is something we’ve identified with from an early age. Many of us were introduced to the concept of being on a team from our Little League days, or choosing teams with our neighborhood friends for an afternoon of backyard football, or whom we wanted to play with at recess.

While our current understanding of teams and teamwork may not mirror those early days, it’s not a concept that is lost on us now. We all want to be on the winning team and we all want teammates that will give us that competitive advantage. And we can still play favorites.

As leaders, how we model teamwork is important. Unlike the backyard football game, the stakes are higher and more is riding on the outcome. What kind of a team player are you? Here are a few questions to ponder. After some honest reflection, decide for yourself if you are really a team player or an imposter.

Does my attitude benefit my team or undermine it?

Teams that succeed do so with players who have a positive attitude. There’s just really no other way around it. Is your attitude one that lifts your team or tears it down? Is your attitude a reliable one that others can look to and emulate and from it gain the confidence and courage they need in a moment of doubt or uncertainty? Or on the other hand, do you entertain those with a bad attitude by lending them a sympathetic ear? Remember, what you tolerate you promote, and this is especially true as it relates to attitudes.

Am I looking out for my own interest, or what is best for the team?

This is an age-old problem for many teams. If you are only looking out for your own interests and your own agenda, and not that of the team, can you really say that you are a team player? Babe Ruth was right when he said, “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” If you are promoting your own interests over the team, it’s likely you really aren’t a team player.

Do I celebrate the successes and accomplishments of my teammates?

One of the hallmarks of a successful team is realized when fellow team members can celebrate the achievements and successes of one of its peers. At the end of the day they understand that when he or she wins, the team wins. If you are blinded by petty jealousy or insecurities you are really not a team player.

Am I open to new ideas and change or am I a hindrance to it?

Teams that succeed are growth-minded and are always looking for ways to improve. They realize that they can’t rest on yesterday’s win, and they must be open to new ideas. If you are always resisting change and your mantra is “we’ve never done it this way before,” then chances are you are really not a team player you’re simply standing in the way of those trying to move forward.

Am I intentional and consistent about adding value to my team?

A team player is not one out to protect his or her own agenda or playing politics, and not saying one thing in public while undermining and scheming behind the scenes in private. Are you looking for ways to add value and lift others? Are you willing to put others ahead of yourself for the good of the team? If so, chances are, you are a team player.

Are you really a team player?

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The ‘I’, ‘We’, and ‘You’ of Teamwork

Posted April 27, 2017
by dougdickerson

In order to have a winner, the team must have a feeling of unity; every player must put the team first-ahead of personal glory. – Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant

A team, business, or organization that desires to attain any degree of success must reconcile basic understandings of teamwork with practical application. There is an abundance of information available on the topic. But how do we make it applicable? What attitudes should a leader adopt that will cause people in your organization to buy-in to your leadership and commit themselves to its team environment?

One such approach I discovered is found in a statement attributed on the late Paul “Bear” Bryant, the legendary football coach at the University of Alabama. He said:

“I’m just a plowhand from Arkansas, but I have learned how to hold a team together. How to lift some men up, how to calm down others, until finally, they’ve got one heartbeat together, a team. There are just three things I’d ever say: If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes real good, then you did it. That’s all it takes to get people to win football games for you.”

This attitude is a reflection of his coaching and leadership style. Bear Bryant coached football teams for 38 years and in that time he had a 323-85-17 record including 29 bowl game wins. In the interest of full disclosure, I am not an Alabama football fan. I am a proud Tennessee Volunteer. But that aside, Coach Bryant’s insights into teamwork are worth serious consideration. Here are what I call the ‘I’, ‘we,’ and ‘you’ approach to his teamwork model.

I – “If things go bad, I did it.” This approach speaks to his accountability as a leader. Most leaders would prefer to throw themselves into the spotlight rather than under the bus. Leaders who have developed the teamwork mindset knows who deserves the spotlight when things go well and who deserves to catch the spears when they don’t.

Coach Bryant knew that in order for his teams to play at the level of his expectations he had to earn their trust. The same principle applies to you as a leader. You have to earn the trust of your people in order to build a cohesive teamwork environment. This takes a leader knows how to coach his or her people then get out of the way and let them perform.

We – “If anything goes semi-good, then we did it”. This speaks to a balanced approach of how he saw his role as a leader and what amount of credit he felt he ever deserved. If things went reasonably well then it was safe to say “we did it.” If not, then, of course, we know how felt.

Coach Bryant knew that “semi-good” successes were good for morale and are what led to the “one heartbeat” as he described it. The road to National Championships was paved one play, one-quarter, one-half, and one game at a time. It was in the grit and grind of the “semi-good” that his great teams came together. And it was in those moments for the players that the transition from “I” ( look at how great I am, etc.) to “we” transformed them into a team. Coach Bryant was the example the players needed to make that transition.

You – “If anything goes real good, then you did it”. This statement speaks volumes about the heart and character of a great leader. When a team has come together, when they’ve left it all on the field, and together they have won a victory – the leader does not say, “look at what I did”, the true leader says, “you did it”.

“A leader is best,” said Lao Tzu, “when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves”. This is at the core of the leader who sets out to build a team.

Are you developing the heartbeat of a team?

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Five Traits of Extra Mile Leaders

Posted November 20, 2015
by admin

mile

There are no shortcuts on the extra mile – Zig Ziglar

Bob Kuechenberg, the former Miami Dolphins great, once explained what motivated him to go to college. “My father and uncle were human cannonballs in carnivals. My father told me, “go to college or be a cannonball.” Then one day my uncle came out of the cannon, missed the net and hit the Ferris wheel, I decided to go to college.”

The way you tap into your motivation as a leader may not be as drastic for you as it was for Bob Kuechenberg, but tapping into it is necessary nonetheless. Going the extra mile as a leader is what will set you apart from the rest of the pack and will take you farther than you could have without it.

So what traits do “extra mile” leaders possess? Here is a sampling of a few that I believe are essential. It’s not an exhaustive list but is a good place to start.

Extra mile leaders are proactive

Extra mile leaders take the initiative in getting things done. They prefer to tackle issues head-on rather than assume a reactionary posture. Extra mile leaders are out front on understanding the culture of their organization and the needs of the people they serve. They don’t wait to be told or asked, they see what needs to be done and they do it.

Extra mile leaders possesses a contagious enthusiasm

What sets extra mile leaders apart from mediocre leaders-every time, is a passion and enthusiasm for what they do. Their attitudes are positive and their temperament is even-handed. An extra mile leader in your organization with enthusiasm and passion will be the benchmark for the rest of your team. Without extra mile leaders your work will be hard but with them your team can see extra-ordinary results. Extra mile leaders bring out the best in those they serve.

Extra mile leaders put the team first

Extra mile leaders by and large are selfless in that their motivation and their proactive ways are done with the intent of benefitting the team. Yes, there can be exceptions when what motivates an individual is selfish in nature. But by and large, extra mile leaders have a broad understanding of the mission and vision of the organization and their extra mile sacrifices are for the benefit of the group. Of course, it pays dividends in the long run as all hard work and effort does, but it’s not the prime motivation. Extra mile leaders put their colleagues first.

Extra mile leaders have an attitude of excellence

Extra mile leaders are not satisfied with the status quo nor do they settle for what is merely acceptable. Extra mile leaders have a compelling desire to be the best personally and professionally. At times it can be misinterpreted by those without the extra mile mentality as self-serving, grand-standing, or posturing, etc. but at their core, the extra mile leader cares deeply and truly wants to advance the team in the right direction.

Extra mile leaders have found their purpose

Extra mile leaders have not only tapped into their passion but have taken it a step further in discovering their purpose. Extra mile leaders intuitively understand that it’s not about what they “do” that defines them or motivates them to go the extra mile. Extra mile leaders are those who have embraced the blessing and gift of their Creator and have committed themselves to living their life in such a way that honors it.

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.”

What you are capable of becoming as an extra mile leader is realized when you worry less about what you do and care more for the life you have to live and the ways in which you can serve others. When you do, the results will speak for itself.

Are you an extra mile leader?

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Four Things to Know…About Being a Team Player

Posted November 18, 2014
by admin

Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. – Michael Jordan

How well you work together as a team matters. The consequences are real. The success you strive for are too important to leave it to those who are not team players and insist on having their own way.

What team characteristics do you think are needed for success? How do you turn personal leadership qualities into successful teamwork strategies? Let’s examine a few possibilities.

A team player has the right temperament.

A team player has a pleasant combination of what the dictionary defines as, “the combination of mental, physical and emotional traits of a person or disposition.” In other words, team members blend well with each other. The team member thinks in terms of what is best for the whole team, not just his or her own needs or wants.

A team player sets the right example.

A team player models behavior that inspires others to be their best. As Mark Twain once said, “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.” A strong team player inspires others by a good example of selfless behavior.

A team player has the right attitude.

The attitude of the leader at the top of the organization sets the tone for everyone else in it. John Maxwell said, “A leader’s attitude is caught by his or her followers more quickly than his or her actions.” A team player contributes to the team with a good attitude.

A team player has the right motivation.

A strong team player is motivated to perform at his or her very best. A team player is always thinking of ways to improve and move the team toward success, which requires a willingness to set aside personal agendas for the sake of the team.

When you are developing these four attributes in yourself and building them among your team you are well on your way to building an environment where teamwork can thrive and success can be achieved.

This was adapted from my book, Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essential for Everyday Leaders. Visit the “Order Doug’s Books” page for more information and to place your order.

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