Welcome to Wednesday's updated series "Be a Better Manager." In this 10 part series we will look at a bunch of things we can do to become the kind of manager who transcends the simple idea of "managing." (And become the manager others WISH they were or had!)
Ok, I'm not one for cutesy images of animals, unless they are from icanhascheezburger and saying snarky things. However, this picture is a great image for teamwork... the little guy would never be given the chance to reach the burgers if the big guy didn't give him a leg up. And now they both are contributing to getting burgers!
Teamwork is one of the most well-trod themes in management. You can find hundreds of books, web sites, videos and trainings on how to build a team that does amazing things. In fact, I've linked a few below because they've got good stuff and I don't need to re-invent the wheel. Something different will work for each leader, each team member, each organization... the variations are endless.
There are a few themes that run throughout these things, such as selecting the best people, developing a process or program to build your team, events or activities to get to know one another and ways to identify team players and promote them. All good tools to develop an amazing team.
I would suggest, however, that there is one thing that will develop an amazing team that works well and accomplishes more together than could be achieved alone.
That thing is Value.
1. Show them they are valued by listening.
I have spent innumerable hours enjoying a cup of coffee with volunteers, listening to them tell me how they came to be a volunteer, why the cause is important to them, what activities they like to do the most, when they feel most important and alive. Through those conversations, I learn how under-engaged my team members are, or how they are being mis-used because their task is ill-fitting. This allows me to fix problems and our team to achieve more. They also (according to what they tell me, anyway) walk away feeling like they are an important and integral part of the operation, of great value to the cause. And those volunteers understand I want the best for them and in return will do whatever they can to make our team successful.
2. Show them they are valued by saying it.
The ED of the nonprofit I'm working with right now is incredibly affirming and believes in my value. Much to my surprise, she tells me so frequently. How do I feel about that? After getting over the fear of having someone compliment me (lame!) I really want to live up to the value she has placed on my work. I will do whatever it takes to make this project a success because I know I am important to the team. I've experienced it from the other side too. When I managed the homeless shelter, most of my "staff" were actually residents in the drug and alcohol recovery program. These guys worked because the program was free to them, and good work is good for the soul, but they didn't exactly jump for joy to be on my team. I talked to them, listened to what their own dreams were for their life, what they felt their gifts were, what they were struggling with and we tried to re-frame the tasks at hand (thrilling things like washing dishes) in a way that tapped into their value. We talked about recovery, about their kids, about spirituality, all kinds of things. They told me by their words and their actions that to be valued by someone motivated them to do their jobs well, to show kindness when a mentally unstable guy lost it in the dining room, to empower others. And when I needed something done, they were more than willing to do it.
3. Show them they are valued by rewarding it.
If someone is a gifted sprinter, you don't put them on shotput. Even if you spend time listening to them, affirming their dream to be a world-class sprinter and telling them how much value they bring to the team, moving them to the shotput team says a lot about how you value them. Once you discover the inherent value in a team member, reward it by giving them opportunities to exercise their strengths. It may not mean that you immediately give them a whole new job perfectly aligned with their ideals, although that would be pretty awesome. Start wherever you can, though. Include them on a smaller project. Ask for their take on something relevant. Introduce them to someone who might need their strengths. When they do well, thank them in front of the team or mention the success to your manager or the ED.
Finding the value in someone can be hard. It requires getting our own baggage out of the way. It takes humility to shut up and listen. It means letting go when the best thing for someone lies in a direction other than on your team. If you're an introvert (or balanced 50/50 like me) then it can be physically and mentally draining to engage people on such a deep level. For all these reasons, I don't do it perfectly and (sorry) you won't either.
Even imperfectly, it is the thing that will fix you in your team's mind as a one-of-a-kind leader... a manager who believed in them and showed them that they could accomplish anything. The kind of manager they would go to the mat for because they know you'd go to the mat for them.
Simple, right? Good.
Now, go show someone they're valuable!
After that, come back and read some more traditional takes on team-building that I really liked:
How to Build a Great Team
8 Ways to Build a Great Team
About.com's Team Building Page
Make Your Good Team Great
Team Building, Collaboration and Communication
Join us next Wednesday as we learn more about "How to be a Better Manager" with tips on motivation!
