General

High Functioning Team

Let’s be real honest.  Sometimes we know we have a strong team.  Other times, we know we have a weak team.

 

Regardless, the team has a job to do and the quality still has to hit its mark.  Ultimately, it’s the leader’s responsibility to ensure that quality assurance is intact, regardless of the team’s current synergy.   

 

I must say, there are few things sweeter in business than having a team that performs at a world class level!  I have been part of these teams several times in my career.  The power of a well-trained and disciplined team is intoxicating.  With optimum performance comes the responsibility as a leader to maintain and improve upon that level of performance.  That is not an easy task!  It’s certainly one of the few conditions in business where complacency doesn’t sound all that bad.  The other side of that coin is the concern of how we can prevent that momentum or quality from slipping.  

 

I contemplate how much credit is due to the leader and how much to the team for a period of exceptional performance.  I do believe that the leader is ultimately responsible for failures.  But, if that’s the case, should the leader receive the credit for success?  

 

In my self-effacing/altruistic ways, I believe that the leader is responsible for the failures, but the team is responsible for success.  After all, I think the leader can single-handedly screw up an otherwise excellent team’s potential.  But, I don’t know that the leader can single-handedly make a team amazing.   

 

I am thankful to be fortunate enough to be working with such a talented team and am excited about what successes are to come!

“You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.”

― Donald Rumsfeld