Quotes from Pat MacMillan

In the world of teams and teamwork I often find the belief that to work and communicate effectively, team members must be close comrades. In fact, this is a common misperception. Although team members don't need to know one another very well personally to perform as a team, they do need to know one another's abilities and potential contributions.

Discipline. All is for naught if the organization, specifically leadership, doesn't enforce the values. It may be a subtle reminder, a rebuke, even a warning that includes clear consequences if behavior is not changed.

Five rather small dogs can be very powerful. If you can get a team pulling together in one direction, you can get enormous power out of them.1 What a great illustration about cooperation in the face of contrast and difference.

Jack Welch of GE introduced many to his description of four types of employees based on their contribution to organizational goals and their alignment to corporate values:12 Delivers on commitments/shares our values—upward and onward Misses commitments/shares our values—second chance Does not meet commitments/does not share our values—out Delivers on commitments/does not share our values—this call demands managerial courage and for Welch, that answer is out!

The Bible reminds us that a little leaven leavens the whole loaf of bread. If one insists on maintaining a competitive spirit in the face of the above behaviors, it may be a strong indicator of a lack of value alignment. Such individuals may need to find an organization that is more in tune with their approach to organizational life.

Effective team leaders work creatively with each team member to ensure they understand the following issues: Why this task is important to the organization. Why this team task is important to them personally. Why they (their role) are important to the team. Who the other team members are and why they are important to the mission of the team.

Alignment cannot be achieved with one good speech from the bridge of the ship—it is established one person at a time. Even though everyone is in the same boat, heading in the same direction, it's quite likely they are going there for different reasons. Yes, working through these issues one person at a time is time consuming, but not as time consuming and frustrating as dealing with lack of alignment when the boat is in the middle of a storm, part way to its destination.

Leadership in a team environment is all about serving, facilitating, and releasing rather than taking charge and being in control.

Trust is a measurement of my sense of safety with you.

Creating alignment is one of the most important roles of leadership. It often falls to the team leader to ensure the purpose of the team is defined, clear, and communicated. He or she must make sure the team mission meets five criteria:

Although we might place our trust in the team, that trust is invested one person at a time. I, as a team member, must build trust with every other member of the team on an individual basis and vice versa.

The lack of diversity is harmful to the vitality of a healthy team ecosystem—the climate needed to engender creativity and insight. For it is the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and skills that introduces increased quantities of creative solutions.