TEAMS

This week I've been thinking a lot about what makes teams effective since I just came out of a couple of work related events in which there was brainstorming, listening, collaborating, reflecting, and more.

Yes, I've read articles, blogs, and some video clips over time, but most importantly to me, I have experienced effective teamwork.  

When I think of the teams I've worked in, they have been pretty diverse. 

Here are some teams I've worked with throughout my career:
- grade teams
- magnet leadership team
- school leadership team
- EdDesign team
- conference session planning teams
- mentorship planning team
- consultant teams

You can relate, right?

Now... were all these teams as effective and efficient as the previous or next listed? Of course... but they all offered me some sort of learning experience. 

Here are 5 things I learned working on teams:
1. More people does not equal a better team.
2. Diverse perspectives matter a lot.
3. It is possible that the process or action steps will shift but the goal remains the same.
4. It is hard to maneuver personalities and styles. 
5. Teamwork is necessary and a lot of ... fun.

Here are 5 things that I know make teams effective and efficient:
1. Having a shared vision, purpose, idea, and/or goal AND routinely check in to ensure you are on track.
2. Finding the right people. People that can feel like a natural fit make it easy to follow the path to meet your goal, but make sure you include people with different views. Think outside the box and zero in on people's natural strengths.
3. Delegating. This is why we have teams! We are not meant to do everything ourselves. Delegating means shorter to-do lists for each member of the team.
4. Trusting each other. Active listening and reflecting together build trust in the process and each other.
5. Keeping things simple and clear. It's easy to get muddled in tasks and creation, but if you keep your goal or purpose aligned with your top priorities, you can stay focused. Simple doesn't mean easy or less thoughtful, it means the opposite. It means you've spent the time to think through your needs and purpose, and the best path to achieve your goal. 

If you are struggling in a team, think about the above points to see what stands out and ask yourself what it is that doesn't seem right. From there, make a plan to check in with your team. This list is not exhaustive, but it can get you started and help with getting your team on the right track.