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July 10, 2008 The 2008 Summer Olympics are quickly approaching, and soon millions of people world-wide will be cheering from their respective corner of the world. Part of the success of each team will depend on individual athletes and on their determination and hard work. The other part will depend on the support and coaching provided to the team as a whole. There are many lessons to be learned from the achievements of the Olympic participants; these can be incorporated in your daily work successes and management of projects. Here are six steps to consider in championing your players and leading a winning team. 1. Set the RulesPeople need guidelines to keep things flowing smoothly. As coach, it is your job to set the ground rules, including how decisions will be made. Will it be up to the leader or will the majority rule? What are the project's objectives and what are the boundaries? How will you measure the project's success? What are the assignments and who will be handling each task? Brainstorming the rules together with the team can produce great results because it will:
2. Gather the Team for a HuddleBrainstorming and implementing the rules can be more effective if they are communicated through a well-run meeting. Of course, the meeting itself needs some guidelines to keep agenda items on track and streamline the discussion. Here are a few points to consider when leading a meeting.
Here are examples of a meeting check list and a meeting agenda for you to consider: Meeting ChecklistLocation: Conference Room #1 Date: May 7th Start - End Time: 4-5p
Meeting Agenda
3. Make a Game PlanThe time keeper needs to alert a two minute warning prior to each item wrapping up. The person responsible for the agenda item should use the remaining two minutes to create action items if a decision for action has not been reached. Example of an Action Plan
Once the action plan is written and distributed, have the team initial it. 4. Coach Your PlayersEmpower individuals to work effectively with one another. Guiding the team with rules and a common understanding of what needs to get done and when will lead to fewer delays and conflicts. Provide a safe platform to share thoughts, communicate constructive feedback, and ask questions. This will encourage the team to meet their goals together and enjoy a shared sense of accomplishment. 5. Surprise the TeamSometimes, it pays to shake things up and add some energy to a tired meeting. An executive in a company I used to know would occasionally have meetings with no chairs to encourage the team leader to keep the meeting short and sweet. Other times, you may want to spend a little more time and do some team building exercises. This is a good idea when you have new people on the team. You can spend five or ten minutes giving everyone a chance to laugh and learn a little bit more about each other. |
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