Whether you lead a church, business, non-profit, or athletic organization, we all want to build a more highly-functioning team. The question becomes how do you do so? Are there best practices you and I can implement?
The answer is YES!
This year, the NFL’s top-ranked offensive and defensive units are the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings respectively. In this article from The Athletic, Ravens beat reporter Jeff Zrebiec and Vikings Beat reporter Alec Lewis discuss how the two squads were built. The lessons learned have significant meaning to all leaders.
7 Things You Need More Of To Build A Great Team (And 1 Thing You Need Less Of)
The following are seven things you need more of to build a great team and one thing you need less of we learn from the Vikings defense and Ravens offense:
To Build A Great Team You Need Better Personnel
The Vikings simply improved their defensive personnel. Lewis made note of a stronger pass rush and more talented cornerbacks, specifically Stephon Gilmore. If you want to build a great team, you must get better people which leads to the following point….
To Build A Great Team You Need More Skill
Oftentimes, what constitutes improved personnel is an increase in their skill. Skill can best be described as “the ability to…”. The Vikings brought in people with more ability than they previously had.
To Build A Great Team You Need More Versatility
One of the things Zrebiec pointed out was the versatility of the Ravens offensive line. For instance, Patrick Mekari can play all five positions. The more skilled personnel your organization has who can function in multiple areas, the better your team will perform.
To Build A Great Team You Need More Intelligence
Bringing in talented people with ability is not enough. These individuals must also be smart. Smart people understand the complexities of your organization and continually learn.
To Build A Great Team You Need More Motivation
Great teams do not have passive and entitled cultures. Their leaders proactively identify these behaviors and eradicate them. Motivated personnel own the results of your organization. They simply find a way to get the job done.
To Build A Great Team You Need More Energy
Energetic teams have a sense of urgency. People are excited and just seem to walk everywhere fast. Meetings are collaborative and ideas seem to flow freely. Slothfulness does not exist in great teams.
To Build A Great Team You Need More Continuity
Great teams are often made up of people who have spent an extended period of time together. This continuity speeds up decision-making, builds team chemistry, helps people know their roles, and builds lasting relationships with clients.
Constant turnover is a sign you are not a great team.
To Build A Great Team You Need Less Careless Mistakes
Part of building a great team is learning how to first not beat yourself. A natural outflow of having more intelligent, motivated, and energetic team members is a reduction of careless mistakes.
Mistakes happen when people are trying hard or attempting new ideas. Those should be celebrated and used as data points for growth. It is the careless mistakes you want to eliminate.
Conclusion
To build a great team, do the following:
- Get better personnel.
- Improve your overall skill.
- Get more versatile personnel.
- Hire smarter people.
- Increase your motivation.
- Generate more energy.
- Build continuity.
- Eliminate careless mistakes.
Which one of these eight items can you do to help you build a better team?
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