Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Team Players - Who Are They? What Skills Do They Need?

"Teamplayer: One who unites others toward a shared destiny through sharing information and ideas, empowering others and developing trust."
- Dennis Kinlaw

Ask yourself:
What are you doing to foster a team player mindset?
Who are your team players? What skills to they bring? What value does it add to your team?
What information and ideas are being shared readily? What is being held back?
How is the team "feeling" empowered?
What is the state of trust within the team? What needs to be shored up?

Overall, what's the one focus area that will move your team forward this week?

Have a great week!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC
Potentials Realized
Team Coaching Services

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

High Performing Teams: What Will Move You?


A few weeks ago I spoke to HR Professionals in Halifax regarding High Performing Teams. I often get asked what's the difference between a team and a high performing team?

Here are some of the characteristics which Kazenbach and Smith identified the following as differentiators:
1. A Deeper sense of purpose
2. More ambitious performance goals
3. More "complete" approaches to work (better work approaches)
4. Mutual Accountability - the recognition and importance of all being jointly accountable to team goals, in addition to their own responsibilities
5. Complimentary, and often interchangeable, skills

As you look at this list, consider what it would take to move your team towards high performance:

1. How many of these characteristics does your team exhibit?
2. In which area would your team's growth really make an impact?
3. What would it take to develop in this one area?

As we move into late spring and summer, it is always a popular time for Team Retreats/Offsites, Workshops, Group Coaching as well as Team Coaching Engagements. If you are interested in learning more about our services in these areas, please feel free to contact me directly or visit our Team Services page. A few dates for June and July are available for bookings and we are starting to develop fall programs with clients.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) - Also avaialble at Amazon, Wiley & Chapters
Email: info{at}potentialsrealized{dot}com
Phone: 416.996.TEAM (416.996.8326)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Leadership - Harnessing the Diverse Styles of Your Team


A great leader is in touch with the different needs and preferences of the group they lead. What are the unique styles that exist within your team?

I often undertake work with teams to explore the styles that exist, how these styles are complimentary and where they are not. We also look at how styles impact communication, leadership, conflict, teamwork, for better or worse.

What do you know about the unique working styles of your team? How are they contributing to your team success? How are they creating blindspots?

Some wonderful style tools you may wish to bring into your team work/building/conversations are the DiSc or even the PSI tool.

"Do you want a collection of brilliant minds or a brilliant collection of minds?" - R. Meredith Belbin


Have a great week!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Phone: 416.996.TEAM (8326)