How not to kill a successful Team.

On my way to Work one morning, listening to an audio book, a statement pops at me "Success is achieving Set goals"

Pondering on this, I realise teams are destroyed because we do not know how to manage success of teams when we achieve set goals.

 

A team is considered successful when set targets are met.

A team would have gone through this cycle to become a performing team.

Going back to the story, you know I am a salesperson, so I am constantly ploughing resources into Self-Motivation, being a Team Lead can be draining as you have to constantly motivate your team. I had learnt from a previous job that you can lead effectively by having;

1. 
   Experiential Knowledge: In my opinion, I believe the best leaders are created from the team, Management has expectations, the Team also has expectations, the ability of a person to balance the expectations of both parties increases productivity. A great example is recently my sales team expanded. From my experience I have learnt that Sales people do not know how to manage success, unfortunately each time Sales increase, the Strategy team always look for more tasks for the sales team to implement believing that more strategies will increase revenue, each time I have witnessed that the Sales team becomes disgruntled hence volumes begin to dip. Most times the situation is salvaged by a person within the ranks whom has the courage to say "this is the balance." Old Players make fantastic Coaches.
   
2. Superior Knowledge: Not matter how rich the team is, nobody enjoys being smarter than the boss. It drains the creative energy in you. I pity the generation behind me, because 8 out of 10 are more brilliant than their Managers. It takes courage to lead a team that has more expertise than you, but by constantly upgrading your knowledge base will keep you in the game. Skills can be learnt. Knowledge is dynamic, it keeps evolving. You owe it to yourself to be the best version of you. You would have robbed the World of a huge treasure if you do not share of your knowledge. If you have concerns that your job will be taken from you if you share your knowledge, I can guarantee you that something better will always show up.
   
3. You are Self Employed: As a team Lead , constantly see yourself as your own employer. You are working for yourself, accountable to yourself. You have Stakeholders, Shareholders and even a Directors board. This ensures you of success.
   
4. Ying-Yang: You have to play dual roles of good and bad. You cannot be too friendly. Too many apologies are seen as a sign of weakness. Do what you have to do, when you need to do it. Put your emotions in your pocket.
   
5. Acknowledge Success: If your team has done well, mention it. The Team has done well because they have achieved set goals, in reviewing the goals, you need to sell the new set goal to the team, Managers are in the belief that acknowledgement makes the team complacent, the reviewed goal does bring renewed vigour.
   
6. Lagging and leading Indicators: As Team Lead, you should know the path you want to take, however make the team believe that they showed you the way.
   
7. Take Time to celebrate Success:
   Everyone needs to have a Bank deposit of Victories; we can withdraw from this account when times get tough.
   
8. Strengthen your Weakest Link: Do not assume the Link will become strong on its own. Train, Motivate, inspire, if these do not work, weed the garden and throw the link away.
   
9. Empower the Head of the Pack
   
10. Never take all the credit: Acknowledge that it is team effort, your Bank credit alert should be satisfying. If not renegotiate your fees.
    

    The more you achieve in life, your ability to manage teams to success is your best asset. Overworking your team does not ensure success, this only satisfies your inadequacies as a person. A team having tasted success, wants to succeed again, again and again. Why not focus on how to make your team to continue to succeed, the team will surely figure out for you the strategies. If you can trust a Taxi driver to take you to the destination, then trust your team.

As a business Owner, you need to sell your dreams to your employees. Never let your business be a pay check to people, ensure that they love what they do.

 

Life is worth living happy.

 

Oyinda