Building Winning Teams

Step 1: Assess Capabilities

• Puppies – keen, low skill, need reigning in and managing without damaging enthusiasm
• Dolphins – movers and shakers
• Bear – slow to sign up but powerful, easy to become unaligned

Step 2: Define Goals: What are we trying to accomplish?

• Do we agree on our core purpose and mission?
• Are the goals decided by the team?
• Are our goals clear and do we agree on the priorities?
• Are the goals SMART?
• Are we having regular reviews?
• Do team members have conflicting goals?

Step 3: Roles: Who does what?

• Do we have a clear understanding of role and responsibilities?
• Do individuals know how their personal efforts contribute?
• Do we openly discuss what we need from each other?
• Are authority and control well defined?
• Is there conflict? E.g. do roles overlap

Step 4: Processes

• Do we have clear ground rules and procedures?
• Do we have agreed standards and expectations?
• Do we recognise of team and individual effort?
• Do we review our processes and procedures regularly?
• Do we encourage constructive feedback?
• Have we agreed how we do communicate? (e.g. email, face to face etc)
• Do we have efficient meetings?

Step 5: Relationships

• Are our relationships open and co-operative?
• Do we have agreed values?

(Richard Beckhard and David Gleicher)

Conversely Lencioni details the 5 dysfunctions of a team…