A few years ago I had the opportunity to facilitate an international team whose motivation and progress was particularly outstanding. As a member of the team, I even noticed a higher energy level and commitment in myself.This was remarkable, especially since I’ve spent years leading, facilitating and being a member of countless teams and observed my fair share of team dynamics (good, average…and bad).
As I sat in the airplane leaving the location of our last meeting, I remember feeling the thrust of the engine pushing us down the runway and thinking about what had pushed this team to be so extraordinarily energized and motivated.What made it stand apart from the many others I had worked with? Were there specific “thrusters” I could identify that would help other leaders get their teams to “take-off?”
As I reflected on this experience five success-factors began to crystalize in my mind. I’d like to take the opportunity of the next few blog posts to share them with you:
1. A Worthy & Inspiring Cause/Vision
In this particular case the team was working on a subject that was difficult but had the potential to radically transform the company. As we became more familiar with the subject matter, imagined how it could make an impact and used benchmarks to visualize a possible result, the “energy thermometer” of the team members climbed….one could literally feel it in the room.
Admittedly, not all teams are asked to change the course of a company, but they should be inspired by the importance of the task at hand. Steve Jobs captured the spirit with his challenge with his famous statement: “Let’s make a dent in the universe.”
To this end, invest time to see the “universe” (vision), visualizing possible outcomes and “building desire” for the end result i.e. the “dent” you want to make. After all a team spends a significant portion of their time, and even lives, working on a subject – find ways to make sure it comes alive and is worth it to them!
Picture: www.theaviationist.com
Good point on a clear and inspiring vision. In fact, I need to ensure that the vision on one of my current initiatives is clearer for my colleague and me. Also, I really like the fact that you’re breaking up this one across several weeks. It makes it a little more digestible!