Beyond Leadership: The Importance of Efficient Teams

While we emphasize leadership quite a bit, most of us in the business world also recognize the importance of teamwork. Teams are made up of individual leaders who bring their own strengths and personality into the mix.

While some tasks can be handled by one individual, we all know that teams can create wonders.

>>> However, a dysfunctional team can derail performance and results quite rapidly.

Positive Team Dynamics

Team dynamics always fascinate me. I recently read Dr. Eric W. Stein’s book titled Designing Creative High Power Teams and Organizations: Beyond Leadership. It was a good read and I want to highlight some of the important aspects in this post.

Dr. Stein discusses poietic  organizations and their characteristics. He also demonstrates the muscle of high powered teams through various case studies such as LEGO and CERN. Although these companies deploy different processes within their teams that suit their businesses and products, the common theme is to have a well thought out model that works to build efficient teams.

Although sometimes processes are frowned upon in companies, having a well-defined process is essential for large corporations in order to build world-class products and do it efficiently.

The Role of Effective Teams

In his book, Dr. Stein demonstrates the role that team members play and how their personalities can complement or contrast with each other. I believe that most corporations set aside a certain budget for leadership training. At the same time, it is also a good idea to train employees to build highly efficient teams.

Of course, it is important to develop great leaders within organizations.

However, beyond individual leadership, what makes an organization excel is excellent teamwork.

Thinking Just Me, or We?

When individuals start thinking of team goals and organizational goals, the results are extraordinary. Therefore it is obvious that time spent in building high power teams will be certainly productive in the long run. Some teams may have to transform to become more efficient than before and it is well worth it.

Have you ever been in a situation where your team mate and you are at odds and you don’t see eye to eye? You are thinking about the team goals and they are thinking about their own goals! At some point, we have all been in a situation like this.

The crux of this matter is whether a person is driven by personal goal or a team goal.

When leaders are driven by personal goals, they achieve a lot and it makes them look good. However, sometimes it makes them look good at other people’s expense and sometimes it makes them look good at the team’s expense. They may fail to understand that in the bigger picture; team goals are more important.

To summarize, I would like to highlight the importance of teams and recognition of teamwork by the members. While we strive for individual leadership, we should never put that ahead of team’s goals.

So as a leader, how are you doing at building effective teams? How are demonstrating a “we-attitude” over a “me-attitude?” Do you have any tips or tricks that work to increase team performance and positive results? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Aditi Chopra is an experienced leader in the software industry
She is a consultant, writer and a leader
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