Productivity is a Team Sport

Time Management Isn’t Just Personal

Everyone wrestles with time management challenges at one time or another. I have a library full of resources with “surefire” solutions to this ubiquitous problem. But what works great for some doesn’t work for others. We’re not all the same and personal time management starts with knowing ourselves. But that’s a topic for another time.Productivity impact

Where most of these resources fall short is that they’re all about “me”. How do I become more productive? Seems logical, but… Continue reading Productivity is a Team Sport

When I Can’t Choose My Own Team…

Working with the Hand We’re Dealt

Choose Team

In a perfect world, I would get to select all the people I work with.  Alas, the world is often far from perfect.  We don’t always have the option to cut the deadwood and replace them with rock stars.  You’ve seen the sports flicks where the underdog coach comes in and turns a bunch of “losers” into championship athletes.  Some of these are true stories – take away the Hollywood touch and replace it with hard work, leadership skills, and grit. Continue reading When I Can’t Choose My Own Team…

Unity vs. Unanimity

Do We Have To Agree?

Seven of us were gathered from around the globe for three long days of meetings. We were a diverse group: Millennial, retired, male, female, and with a wide range of pet topics. Our choices would set the course of our organization for years to come.

Unity Group meetingIt was a unique experience that I wish was common: In the face of diversity and considerable disagreement, there was an overwhelming sense of unity.

Continue reading Unity vs. Unanimity

Building Teams That Succeed

Teams of People, Not Robots

I want to give you a straight-forward, cookie cutter approach to building successful teams. I want to, but I can’t.

TeamThe problem is the number of variables that come into play. Building team skills into an Executive Team that has worked together for years (but perhaps not well) is different than pulling together a set of people who barely know each other – if at all – for a short-term project. A large organization with many players to choose from to form their team has different issues than the small organization that doesn’t really have options for who will be on the team. And the variables go much deeper than that since the organization’s culture impacts everything. Continue reading Building Teams That Succeed

Four Foundations of a Team

…Success Starts Here

”Team” is one of those words we use too loosely. Or maybe we’re just hopeful that calling a group of people a “team” will magically make them act like one. But becoming an effective team takes intentionality, skill, and hard work.

Whether it’s a project team, a management team, or an operational team, here are four foundations to build a team on: Continue reading Four Foundations of a Team