If you’re just joining our Book Club series, you’ll want to start here.
Welcome back.
Let’s get into Chapter 7.
Building your team is one of the most critical things you’ll do. While the book claims this is something you can complete in 90 days, I don’t see the rush.
If you're in a situation that demands it (turnaround), it makes sense. But for many of you, 6 months may be a better timeline. Or longer. CEOs of large multi-nationals can take a year to get this right.
The book offers some good insights this week. But I prefer other sources for managing people and building teams. I link those below.
Here’s what stood out for me in Chapter 7:
Traps
“Keep existing teams too long” (p. 137) . I’ve seen leaders reluctant to “give up” on someone. If you’re working harder than the employee, you can't make this work. They need to meet you halfway.
“Uncertainty…..can lead your best people to move elsewhere” (p. 137). Those first few months are hectic. But make the time to let these team members know you value their contribution and see a future for them.
Assess team members
Observe, ask, listen. Take your time. With some people you'll need longer to appreciate their full contribution. Others appear to be killing it, but over time you realize it’s all flash, no substance.
When you meet with each team member, use a template for consistency. P. 142 has some great questions. And think about how they fit in the current situation (STARS model - p. 142).
Consider a second meeting with each team member to learn about their strengths, skills, experience, etc. Senior leaders often skip this. That's a mistake IMHO.
If you'd like a template for this meeting, there's a great one in First Break All the Rules. It's a classic I love. And Facebook uses too. The questions are on p. 225 (1999 edition).
And if you'd like to use the 5 Conversations from back in Chapter 4, have a look at p. 96 to get started.
Don’t forget to set clear goals, metrics and check out incentives.... (p. 147).
Not sure how it fits here, but thought the decision-making/STARS assessment (p. 154) was valuable.
Some people will need to go.
Whether they move on within the organization or leave it, some people are not a good fit (p. 145).
But….. as the kids say “It’s complicated”. There are legal issues and corporate policies to navigate. Emotional fallout to consider. And possibly cultural implications.
Take your time. Get help from HR. And if you have a mentor within the company, ask them to help you sidestep any cultural landmines.
Start Building the Team
Now you know your team members a little better, you can work on the team dynamics. I didn’t love the book’s take on this, although that STARS model is useful yet again. (p.146)
Observe, ask, listen of course. Assess. Then pull out your team-building toolkit and start making improvements. If you’d like a great resource, the classic “Five Dysfunctions of a Team” has lots to love. Short & sweet too. With additional resources on the author’s website.
The section on Virtual Teams makes 2 great points. (p. 155). In person meetings early. And establish clear communication norms.
Vision:
I shared my thoughts last chapter, but wanted to share a resource …… ‘cause that seems to be my MO this chapter. The Leadership Challenge discusses this topic at length. There’s an entire section called “Inspire a Shared Vision”. It's the shared part that makes all the difference.
Liam
Short and sweet case study this week. A great example of figuring out which employees stay and which go. Liam gathers data (performance reviews), observes and takes action. He also works with HR to start a search very early - clever boy.
What were your takeaways?
Conclusion
Some good points this week, but as you can see - there are other sources I prefer.
So pull out your toolkit, use what’s worked for you in the past, incorporate anything that popped up in this chapter...... And you’re off to a great start.
That’s it for Chapter 7…… next week Chapter 8
