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Team dread vs. Team win

How many of you have experienced being on a truly winning team?  What were the factors that contributed to your teams success?

Here are a few winning factors that have contributed to my former youth ministry team a few years back:

1. We knew how to win:  Our youth team and volunteers knew what the wins were in our youth department.  These wins were defined and made clear.  We created an organizational strategy that helped us align our energy/efforts that resulted in creating great focus, and ultimately giving us wins and success.

    2.   We worked on attitude: Our youth ministry valued the power of a good attitude. 

    3.   Personal growth: Personal growth was another value we advocated in our youth ministry.

    4.  Team Growth and Innovation:  New creative ways to do ministry as a team was highly valued.

Inability sucks!

I've served in the ministry for over 13 years now.  I have also been apart of two multi-generational church staff teams, and I've learned the importance of a few things: (1). Staff of all ages need to learn truly how to understand one other (2). Spend the time learning how to VIBE with the other generations on the staff and figure out what makes THAT particular generation tick. 

I've noticed this in many church staff's: this inability for older and younger people on the team to really connect outside of the professional relationship.  Meaning older and younger staff rarely connect in the other generation's world.  The inability to connect in "their" world creates large amounts of team dysfunction (inspired by "Leading Young Staff" by Dan Reiland).

What happens as a result? 

1. Stereo-typing - because each of the generations rarely connects with each other they don't get to know each other's hearts (what each other really cry about, sing about, and dream about...stereo-typing is the end result).
2. Lack of Trust and Honesty - Being honest about the church, ministry, programs, etc. rarely gets honestly discussed.
3. Lack of Protection - Have each other's back?  Not really.
4. Lack of Empowerment
   Empowerment is loosely talked about and discussed as if it really happens in most organizations. It doesn't.At its core it's about trust and the giving of meaningful responsibility. Empowerment isn't a license for someone to do what they want. Empowerment is about releasing someone to do what is needed. Empowerment isn't about following one's own agenda; it's about doing the right thing for the organization. But in that right thing, there must be true freedom, not micro-management. Give staff the room they need to lead.
5. Lack of Development -  Development is the vital process of investment for the good of the staff person more than the good of the organization.

Hiring New Staff

In his book Axiom, Powerful Leadership Proverbs, Bill Hybels shares his convictions about building successful teams, Hybel's says, "I tried all sorts of mental grids for prioritizing people qualities along the way, but the only one that stuck was made up of three simple C's: 

CHARACTER - Good character is tough to discern in a fifteen minute interview.  You have got to do your due diligence to be sure the person you're about to invite on the team has a proven track record of being a truth-teller, a covenant-keeper, someone who manages relationships well, and credits victory to others.

COMPETENCE- Never apologize for looking for maximum competence in your new teammates, gifts and talents and capabilities that will take your ministry to the next level of effectiveness.

CHEMISTRY -I used to be a doubter when it came to the emphasis "fit" when hiring a new staff person...I learned to trust my gut on this: if I get negative vibes the first two or three times I'm in someone's presence, it's likely I'm not going to enjoy working with that person day in and day out.

Great Team!

I have a question, What's most essential in building a great team? I was listening to a CD from Nancy Beach, it was entitled, Building Great Teams. Nancy points out some great insights in the art of building teams, she said, "One of the truths about the great teams that last, is that they are assembled with great care by the leader." 

HIRING 101:  Leaders can sometimes hire people quickly and start building their teams without taking the necessary research, time, and care beforehand (aka Minnesota Timberwolves).  A good leader will understand that greatness starts with choosing superb people, and great leaders are also consuers of talent.

Helpful hints for assembling a great team (Nancy Beach):

• Hire only the best!
• Never hire someone you don't like.
• How you select is more important than how you manage.
• Don't fill your positions on your team out of desperation.
• Hire people who are more talented than you are.

3 Essentials of hiring a good team player:

• Hire people with character.
• Hire people with a high skill level.
• Hire people who have great people skills and has the ability to get along with others.

Nancy Beach's Building Great Teamstalk outline  - 3 fundamental values of leadership in building great teams:

1. Great teams are driven by mission.
2. Great teams are assembled with care.
3. Great teams are led with love.

Quote:  "The first method in estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the people he has around them."  -Niccolo Machiavelli

Question:  Describe the best team experience you have ever had.  What made it so special? 

How do you spell teamwork?

T      e     A    m    W    O    R    K

I found this little project in some notes I had buried away...What did you notice?

Everything is capitalized except the m and the e.

The point?...whenever the m and the e (the ME) gets capitalized it's no longer teamwork.  Teamwork basically means putting the TEAM before yourself (THE ME).

ONE THING...that can make a team better

Throughout my life I've been on many teams.  As a kid, I was on: football teams, T-Ball teams, and baseball teams.  As an adult, I have joined and worked on many teams as well: custodial team, Kohl's department store team, block-layer construction team, after-school kid's program team, high school security team, and 2 different church ministry staff teams. 

However, out of all the teams I have been on, I've wondered, how many of those teams were truly effective teams.  Do you know what I mean?  So, I've been thinking lately about the question, "What makes a great (healthy and productive) team?"  I know there is many things that make up a healthy and productive team, however, I want to deal with just one.

The ONE THING that helps build a healthy and productive team; is a diligent effort to enhance the effectiveness of team communication.  John Maxwell says, "show me a healthy team, and I'll show you a team that talks to one another."

Since I am now on a church ministry staff team, this is an example of effective team communication:

Lead Pastor to Staff Communication

1. CONSISTENCY - communicate the vision, mission, values, and direction of the organization on a consistent basis to your staff (the staff does not need to be on a roller coaster ride).
2. CLARITY - The Lead pastor should always strive for clarity in communication.
3. COURTESY - Lead pastors should always be KIND in your direction with your team (Never use your position wrongly).

Staff to Lead Pastor Communication

1. RESPECT- show respect to the person leading.
2. LOYALTY- This is hard for many Gen X'ers, however, show loyalty to the one leading.
3. DIRECTNESS/HONESTY - Are you telling the leader what he wants to here? or Are you telling her what she needs to here?

Staff to Staff Communication

1. BE SUPPORTIVE - Learn to help each other out (try not to be so departmental).
2. BE CURRENT- be current in your communication with each other (your working on a project with each other...make sure your talking regularly).
3. BE VULNERABLE - To gain trust you have to be real! 
4. DESIGNATE A COMMUNICATIONS CENTER(for some it is the ADMIN. ASST. where everyone can check in).

  Staff to Congregation Communication

1. HAVE ONE VOICE - have unity together as a team (especially when it comes to key decisions, or tough calls).

Congregation to Staff Communication

1. RECEPTIVITY- Staff should be responsive and listen to people (some church leaders are horrible at truly listening) -
2. CALL PEOPLE BACK - church staff leaders can be really bad at calling people in their congregation back (yes, me too!)
3. REALISM- when people in your congregation comes with ideas or criticism, just be realistic with their ideas or complaints (don't take things personally, or think you have to act on every idea).

       

Blinded me with science...

 Do you remember Thomas Dolby's, She Blinded me with Science?   Anyhow, in high school I was horrible at science, especially chemistry.  However, as I've matured (I think) I have come to understand and appreciate chemistry in a different sort of way.  My understandings of chemistry has moved away from the science lab(Hallelujah) to the people business.  I believe that all leader's would benefit from understanding the chemistry that makes up good teams (synergy).  Good teams don't come together by accident.

All teams have a certain kind of chemistry that makes them either good teams or bad teams.

Chemistry 101: (Chemistry factors that leaders should pay attention to).

Relational Chemistry- - How do the people on your team connect?  Do they like each other?  Do they respect each other?  Do you laugh together?  Do you communicate well with each other?  Do you like being on the team with each other? Do you have trust with each other?  Do the people on your team spend time with each other?

 Production Chemistry - - How productive is your team?  Do the people on your team add value to each other?  Is there a multiplication of productivity when the team comes together?

Cultural Chemistry - - Cultural chemistry is the values, norms, and bias that set all in the environment and context.  Does your team have cultural distinctives (a cultural chemistry) where people feel comfortable.  For example, one my former youth ministries cultural chemistry was the high value we placed on personal growth, racial reconciliation, and leadership. 

How is the chemistry with your team?

Is your teammate committed?

No, I don't mean committed to the FUNNY FARM...although we all worked with a few looney tunes before.  It is been said that, "commitment is the cornerstone of teamwork."  Have you ever wondered where the commitment level was at with those you work with on your team?  Commitment is a word that gets tossed around loosely by many of us in leadership.  However, I wonder how many leaders really contemplate where the commitment level is at with those on our team.  The questions to ask then is, What are the indicators of commitment?

Here are 3 indicators that commitment is there...

1. Investment - Does the individual have buy-in to you as a leader, and the vision you possess?  Are they investing there life into the process of living out the mission of the organization.
2. Consistency - Does the individual possess a "let's get after it"type of attitude?  Do they possess a sense of urgency of what we are trying to accomplish?
3. Passion - Do they have a passion in their life for this thing we are trying to accomplish?

The Parking Lot Principle.

Dave Ferguson, (Lead Pastor and Spiritual Entrepreneur with Community Christian Church and the NewThing Network), wrote a great article about team-chemistry, it was entitled, "Four Secrets of Great Team Based Leadership"  Ferguson says, "It sounds trivial, but being a part of the leadership team at CCC is just plain fun! Working and playing feel the same! When we are looking for new staff, my teammates have been coached to consider the three C’s of character, competency, and chemistry. For us, chemistry is always the first priority, because that’s what draws someone into our church culture and draws us to them. We have a chemistry test that a prospective hire must pass. We call if the “parking lot test.” The “parking lot test” is comprised of one question we ask ourselves before we put someone on our staff team: “When we drive up, are we glad to see their car in the parking lot?” If we are excited about seeing their car and knowing we will find them inside, they pass—there is chemistry! If we feel our stomach sink knowing they are inside, they fail—no chemistry! All this is to say that there is a great chemistry."

Team-chemistry questions:

• Does your staff have good team chemistry?

• Can your team have healthy conflict? or

  does your team have extensive unproductive interpersonal conflict?

• Does your team trust each other?

• Is your team committed to the vision and the team?

• Does your team avoid or pursue accountability with each other?

• Does your team work together to pursue excellence within the organization?

• Is your team living up to its full potential?

• Is your team meeting the expectations of your organization?

• Do you feel like it is impossible to make any substantial progress towards your strategic organizational goals?

• Is de-motivating factors on your team causing low employee morale throughout your organization?

• Have you tried everything conceivable to get your team to work together as a cohesive unit with little or no success?

• Is your team experiencing anger, frustration, fear, and uncertainty about the team and organization?

• Do your work on a dysfunctional team that is keeping the organization from realizing its full potential?