Why Firing Your Top Individual Is The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Team
“A team should never be confused with a group of people who simply happen to work together”. That gem of wisdom was given to me by friend and mentor Evan Renaerts, a renowned coach, facilitator and mediator who is an exceptional team builder.
When I was first starting out, an agency with a reputation as one of the hottest creative shops in the country recruited me. I had a fantastic interview with their creative director and was called back to meet their managing partner, a gruff old Brit who didn’t mince words.
“We would rather hire someone who fits in,” he growled, “rather than a creative superstar.”
I didn’t get the job.
His assessment stung, but he was right. And I’ve never forgotten what he said. Years later when I was building my own shop, it was the mandate we used when choosing employees, ensuring the people we hired fit our company culture.
You Are Accountable For The Success Of Your Team
Great teams are built on two things: Personal responsibility and respect. Do what you say you will do, on time, every time. And have genuine respect for your fellow team members.
Breakdowns occur when not everyone comprehends, nor appreciates the value each team member brings to the party. It is the responsibility of the team leader to clearly communicate how each individual team member is integral for the organization’s success. As an example, finance may not understand what creative does or how they do it, but they need to recognize the value they bring in achieving the goals and objectives the company has identified. And vice versa.
While a team member may not be responsible for a specific task or assignment, everyone, is accountable for the success of the team. Teams that work, have each other’s sixes. It’s that simple.
Great Teams Happen
I was recently called upon to pull a team of experts together, out of the blue, for a project. They included a veteran brand strategist; an established leader in PR engagement and communication; a cultural marketing guru; and a social media maven. Each one a rockstar in their own right. What made this team experience so incredible however, was the genuine respect everybody had for each other. Right from the start, egos were left at the door as everyone rolled up their sleeves and pitched in for the common good. No protecting of turf. No individual accomplishments. No hidden agendas. Despite their lofty credentials, no detail or job was deemed unimportant or beneath them. No one was above the work.
The true measure of our team’s success was evident in the results we achieved for our client as each individual “plused” everyone else’s contribution. And we all had a lot of fun doing it.
Top 5 Common Pitfalls
Life’s too short to work in a dysfunctional team. And by dysfunctional I mean anything less than audacious. Based on my own experience, here’s what to look out for.
There Is No “I” In Team
Yeah, it’s a hackneyed phrase, but it’s true. I did this. I received this. I got this contract. No matter what, in any team, you speak in terms of we, even if you did it all yourself. You are working for a company, within a team. Respect that.
Leaders Who Use The I Word
Sure, maybe you’re the founder or the boss, or have your name on the door, but your success, and the success of your business is dictated by the people you surround yourself with. Don’t be fooled into thinking you are the only one doing everything, even if it feels like that sometimes. If you use the I word a lot, your team will pick up on it and will start adopting it themselves.
Too Many Individual “Experts” Working In Silos
A great team will include specialists and generalists. But if the specialists are working in silos, too important, removed or costly to engage with the entire team, your return on investment is minimized. Yes, experts cost money. But experts who are integrated and engaged with their team on every level create value far beyond their price tag.
Identifying The Best Person On Your Team
There is no “best individual” on a team. There is only the best team in an organization. If you can identify the best person, then you don’t have a team.
Easy Praise For A Job, umm, Done
Done is not well done. You’re a team of professionals. High expectations are part of the game. While showing appreciation is good, too much easy praise lavished on people who are just doing their jobs, devalues the meaning and intention. It becomes cloudy to see when someone actually does an incredible one and that can deflate team motivation.
Anyone who has ever worked in a dysfunctional or toxic team environment knows how stomach turning it can be. Conversely, being part of a great team is euphoric. I can say from experience that entrepreneurs who understand the importance of fostering an audacious team environment, built upon a culture of personal responsibility and genuine respect, are the ones that are reaping the rewards.
Written by Rik Klingle-Watt.
Rik is the writer of Not Business As Usual, a hot doc being featured April 8 by the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Join institute B as we welcome W. Brett Wilson (Dragons’ Den), Joel Bakan (The Corporation), Mark Brand (Save on Meats) and Sandra Odendahl (RBC) for a lively panel discussion after the film. Click here for tickets and info.