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Individual department or functional managers need to embrace ownership and responsibility for
success and accomplishing defined strategic initiatives. However, to maximize the effectiveness
of the organization, managers must be able to work with one another to achieve common goals.

To be effective the following six principles apply:

1. Accountability must be at the forefront of every initiative. Employees do want to be held

accountable and they willing accept responsibility given the necessary training, information and
the organization encourages empowerment.

2. Minimize oversight through confidence and empowerment. Do not micro manage. Workers
will accept more responsibility if management isn't constantly looking over their shoulder. This
encourages innovation and creativity but it requires effective communication.

3. Managers need to function more as facilitators and leaders. Coaching is a skill set that should
be required training for all managers to improve team management. Regular performance
discussions should be scheduled and strictly held to.

4. Performance management & performance measurement are key contributors to improved team
management. Goals should be measurable and specific. Creating score cards is an effective tool
to improve team performance.

5. Information sharing and effective communication are critical. Teams must have unrestricted
access to all relevant information. If you can't trust someone on the team then they shouldn't be
on the team.

6. Manager skill sets must be continuously reviewed and upgraded to allow them the opportunity
to adopt new skills specifically related to coaching and mentoring. The manager's role must be
redefined for the team environment and an emphasis on the servant style of leadership ("The
Lead Wolf" model) is essential. (E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for a copy of the Lead Wolf
model of leadership)

Organizations that maximize success embrace the concept of "Team Leadership" and their
managers are skilled at leading group problem-solving sessions maximizing collaboration across
all functional units. A forum exists to educate and train managers on the problems and concerns
of other functional departments. Communication is kept at the "Adult" level and an explicit
understanding of respect exists throughout the culture of the organization. This feeling of mutual
respect, trust and maturity becomes the foundation for teamwork and problem solving.


  
        
 
A team culture is necessary for success. Working together effectively is not automatic. It takes a
specific effort and the development of a culture that is supported by executive management.
Shared experiences create unity and value. Knowledge transfer is essential for an organization to
grow. Without knowledge transfer and the sharing of success it is difficult for the group to share
any vision and work toward common goals.

1. Create an intentional communication strategy. Your Management team must understand and
support a common vision. This requires clarity. Clarity begins with effective communication.
Make sure communication from your Management team reaches all employees.

2. Do not set up intentional competition in the workplace. Try to insure that individual skill sets
compliment one another rather than compete with one another. Spread the responsibility and
authority around by alternating leaders for various tasks. Look for star potential and introduce
coaching & mentoring as a skill set.

3. Create team ownership in the decision making process but it's not management by committee.
Avoid group think by making sure that individuals express opinions openly without intimidation.
Responsibility must be accompanied by authority and accountability.

4. Build trust and respect by giving trust and respect. Act as a coach or mentor and not a boss.

5. Create off site team building activities quarterly. Social gatherings, athletic activities, laser tag
or other activities that build unification and trust in each other.

6. Don't just talk about empowerment and delegation, believe in it and demonstrate that belief by
allowing the team members to make decisions and take independent action.

7. Take complex plans and strategies and assign accountability and ownership. This creates more
efficiency and leverages creativity. Assign responsibility according to individual passions.

8. Brainstorming must be encouraged to release team innovation. Bouncing ideas off one another
stimulates creative thinking which leads to creative solutions. This in itself bonds individuals
into a common purpose.

9. Ask for solutions assigning both responsibility and empowerment. Ownership of ideas and
initiatives builds commitment. Involving the team in creating direction and solutions through
empowerment generates commitment to the tasks necessary to meet objectives.

10. Challenge your management team. Reliance on team effectiveness minimizes risk by being
more flexible and adaptive than relying on a single individual. No one individual alone can
jeopardize success. The loss of one team member can be overcome without losing sight of the
objectives