Tag: team

Does Your Corporate Team Look Like Urban Meyer’s?

Since the Buckeyes kicked-off their season last weekend, I wanted to re-post this again.

Urban-meyer.p1

I live on a planet where Urban Meyer is the head coach for the Ohio State University Buckeyes football team. To say that people around here are excited would be an understatement. They see him as a winner (2 national championships) and someone who will do many great things for the program. Reasonable thinking would say that's the right view. But this post isn't about collegiate football. It's about your company/organization.

Does your corporate team look like Urban's?

I'm amazed at how many senior leaders virtually worship coaches and sports teams like OSU, and yet structure their teams in way that is contrary to the winning principles of those people and organizations. And before you say the two are different, think of how many times a senior leader, marketing dept., HR uses the word "team." 

I know you can't duplicate exactly the model of a football team, but think about the following:

  • Every football team (pro included) has a coaching staff. They also have managers, but they're usually the ones responsible for making sure the Gatorade tanks are full.
  • Every football team practices. This doesn't happen at an event for two days or when a course shows up in their email inbox.
  • Every football team makes it a priority to be in game shape. This includes physical, mental and emotional.
  • Every football team makes it a priority to know their competition.
  • Every football team strives for a goal that is much bigger than the individuals who comprise the team.

Wouldn't it be cool to see an organization structure themselves like a real team? Where the fruit of a real team comes alive. Think of all the stakeholders who would benefit in this kind of structure. Think of how much more sense corporate life would make.

If there are any senior leaders or corporate boards out there who see this as complete nonsense, then how about getting rid of the the word team? A little honesty would go a long way here. 

Thoughts on The Synergist by Les McKeown

Very excited to share some thoughts on a new book titled, The Synergist: How to Lead Your Team to Predictable Success by Les McKeown. I must say the book is a must for anyone involved or interested in organizational development and teamwork. Mr. McKeown articulates a reliable way for groups to form and perform as a team. As someone who thinks the word team is as worn out as the word leadership, it's refreshing to read a thought leader who truly understands what the word means in the real world.

I am biased in my fondness for this book because he described me, personally, in one of the chapters. It was rather haunting, but in a good way.

Mr. McKeown has a vast background in working the land of organizational development. He applies this in a way that is understandable and relevant, regardless of your position/role. 

Here are some key take-aways I gained from the book:

  • Effective teams are made up of 4 different types (the visionary, the operator, the processor, and the synergist) of people.
  • Every group and team comes to the table with a natural bent. The bent is neither good or bad, it's the human being being who they are.
  • Evey organization is aligned for the outcomes it experiences.
  • There is a life cycle for every team and organization. I found it interesting how choices drive so much of this.
  • Many groups find themselves in a ditch due to their inability to see each player as a unique contributor.
  • The synergist role (the person who brings clarity in an unbiased manner) is a sort of lynch-pin in every high performing team. You'll understand more when you read the book.
  • Mr. McKeown uses real-world examples to drive his premise. 

This post is not long enough to give you all that the book delivers. But the book really is like guidebook. You owe it to yourself to check it out. 

You’re a Team, Like It or Not

If what you do requires a group of people to make it happen, then you're a team, like it or not. obviously, there are many implications in those words. Webster's defines team in the following way:

A number of persons associated together in work or activity

Not as romantic as we often hear today. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe the romantic should be left to those groups who are endeavoring in things bigger than themselves. Funny how the human heart longs for the romantic.

No such thing as perfection, but you've got to do all you can to find this.