Creating Team

Supervisors; et al, want to create their groups as a team.  But what does that mean?  What are the characteristics of a team?  This is what I see:

1- Everyone knows their job and knows their role.  They are willing and able to do it.

2- Everyone knows that the success of the team is more important than their own.

3-When someone on the team makes a mistake or is incapable of functioning, another member is willing and able to step in, either in the moment (unasked) or as requested.

4- There’s alignment on the vision and goals of the team.  Members do not have to like one another and they need a way to discharge their differences.

5- There are clear lines of communication.

6- The members have the confidence and ability to cause and sustain rallies.

7- There is one leader (for communication and decisions) and there are many leaders.

Creating team requires an understanding of appreciation and reward for the members and a way of dealing with inadequacy, disagreement and dissension.

Remembering

This is me in case you wondered.  I think it was just taken at my youngest daughter’s wedding.

Here’s the thing – we often know what to do – right after we don’t do it…and vice versa, like remembering we gave up smoking today right after we light up, or saying ‘whoops’ right after eating that piece of cake.

So how can we remember in time?  Ultimately, we can’t – until what we want becomes a habit.  And it takes (most experts say) about a month to lock in a new habit.  So let’s look at what happens when we ‘forget.’.

Consider these responses: “Darn, I just had a piece of cake – I’ll never get this right.”

“I just had a piece of cake, when will I ever learn?”

“I just had a piece of cake, what can I do instead of eating cake?”

There are many different responses – many.  But let’s look at the Law of Attraction.  The first two responses above are fixing your old habit in the universe.  You are attracting never getting it right or never learning.  The third response will actually attract alternative behavior (it also implies forgiveness and that’s critical).  Soon you will be doing something else.

When I set a goal, I immediately turn it into 1) something I visualize as having happened ands 2) an affirmation having the goal manifested in the present (I love ooking great by eating healthy foods, for example.)  And I say that affirmation twice a day (with emotion:  I LOVE looking GREAT by eating healthy foods.)

After a while, you’ll get it – It may no show up according to your plan, but who cares?  It will show up.  Incidentally, I went to my doctor last night and I weighed my lowest since seeing him (went from 245 to 178) I have no sense of dieting.  None!

Giant Steps

When I was maybe 7 or 8 we used to play a street game called “Giant Steps.”  The leader would tell a player he or she could come closer and when they touched, the leader would chase them back to the start line.  If they got there first, they became the leader, otherwise the leader stayed the same. 

The leader would say, “You may take 3 giant steps,” or “you may take 5 baby steps,” or you may take 4 umbrella steps,” etc.  My point is that you were not allowed to actually take the steps until you said, “May I?” and the leader said, “yes.”

The key element in being able to move forward was permission.

It is still that way.  You cannot engage effectively with another person without permission.  It is another one of the key tips about coaching.  First permission, then whatever else.

And people are enormously generous in giving permission.  The simple request, “is it all right if I tell you something?” shifts the context of the conversation, actually changing the ears of the other person.  Now, if what you want to say feels especially awkward or sensitive to you, go for more permission.  “This may be sensitive; is it still okay?”  Or “I don’t want you to hear this the wrong way, is it still okay?”

Again, people are generous.  It shifts the interaction from intrusiveness to partnership. 

Once you have permission, you can say anything – without fear of reprisal.  After all, you have been invited in.There is another aspect of permission that also has tremendous value.  When you are nervous or feel silly or stupid or inappropriate, give yourself permission – “I feel really stupid saying this, but ….,” or “I’m awfully nervous about this, …”

The coaching model I use goes as follows:  First permission, then ask a question, then clarify the answer… This frequently leads to the client having an insight.  This, in turn, results in a possible action, which, when repeated, leads to new habits and, ultimately to desired results.

My website is www.michaellipp.com