Do you have a target for what you are trying to accomplish? Today’s post by Mark Miller is a reminder that the target is the place to start.
I saw a cartoon years ago in which Charlie Brown shot an arrow at a fence and then proceeded to draw a circle around the arrow. At some level, he found this satisfying. This is not how great leaders think.
Having just returned from our annual meeting with over 5,000 chicken people present, I am thankful we took the time to draw the target before we shot the arrow. We will see what the attendees have to say, but preliminary reports are positive. I think the event hit the mark.
Here’s the leadership lesson that comes to mind as I reflect on the event. One of the reasons it was a success—not the only reason, but one of them–is that we decided what we were trying to accomplish before we created the event. We drew the target BEFORE we shot the arrow.
I’m wondering how often, as leaders, we fail to clearly define the target. I think about all the times my leadership efforts have fallen short … how many of those failures can be attributed, directly or indirectly, to an unclear target or goal?
There are many things leaders CANNOT do for their people. However, clarity regarding intent should never be in short supply. People must always know what they are trying to accomplish.
[Tweet “”The greatest gift leaders can give their people is clarity.” #Vision “]
The power of clarity transcends targets, goals, and objectives – it includes vision, values, and strategic intent, as well as other tactical issues. But what we are trying to accomplish cannot get lost in the process.
When you identify the target with crystal clarity, I think you may be amazed at how often your team will hit the mark.
[Tweet “”Clarity enables alignment, and alignment is a prerequisite for performance.” #ActAsOne “]
To learn the 4 essentials of building a high performance team pick up a copy of Mark’s book, The Secret of Teams, for those you lead.
Category: Teams
Categories
We is Better Than Me
Teams outperform individuals in virtually every situation. This fact has not escaped the attention of most leaders. What has been more elusive is the winning formula for creating great teams. The good news, there is a repeatable and predictable formula for building High Performance Teams.
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The Invisible Force Behind Amazing Teams
For years, I attempted to learn what separated great teams from the not-so-good ones. All good teams have talented people, their goals are clear and they are well lead. But some teams transcend all the others. They are not simply good – they are great. So, what’s the difference? Here’s what we discovered: The invisible force behind all high performance teams is their sense of community.
Most meetings are useless. I’m guessing the more meetings you attend the more you’ll agree with that statement. Think about the REAL value of the last five meetings you attended. How much action was initiated or change realized as a result? That’s the topic of Today’s Challenge: How can we generate more action as a result of our meetings?
Today’s question comes from a leader who is familiar with some of my past work, specifically, The Secret of Teams and Chess Not Checkers. If you are not, here’s a really quick overview: one is about the power of teams and the other is about the largely untapped potential resident in our organizations at large. The question from this leader: “How are the two ideas connected?”
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A Simple Idea With Huge Potential
I have a new team at the chicken. We were chartered about six months ago. All of the players are extremely talented, and each is gifted in his or her own way. Each member also understands and embraces the power of the team.
Categories
New Video Resource: The Secret of Teams!
Why do some teams flourish while others flounder? That simple question has driven much of my professional work for more than 25 years. Now, The Secret of Teams Video Series unpacks the insights from these decades of work. Take a look at the highlight video (2:00) below and consider joining your host, Randy Gravitt to discover The Secret of Teams!
Should all our team meetings follow the same structure? I began my response to this question last week. The short answer is “no.” The structure of the meeting should be determined by what you are trying to accomplish in the meeting. Based on this premise, I began to outline different types of meetings: Performance Management, Problem-solving, etc. Today, the rest of the list.
Teams outperform individuals in virtually any setting. This phenomena is driven by the fact we are certainly smarter together than we are independently. I’m sure these statements don’t surprise you if you have ever been part of a high performance team. What may surprise you is this: I’ve never seen a high performance team who did not have great meetings. Today’s Challenge: Should all our team meetings follow the same structure?
Who should lead your team? The answer may not be as clear as you think. But it may be one of the most important decisions you’ll make if you are trying to build a high performance team.