5 Questions that Everyone on Your Team Should Be Able to Answer

Every year, organizations invest millions, if not billions, of dollars to generate sales, launch new products, improve customer service, increase employee effectiveness, and reduce inefficiencies, all to ultimately deliver on strategic priorities.

Process improvement initiatives, computer systems sporting acronym-laden names, and continual reorganization efforts often lead the pack. At times, desired results are achieved, and the investment is validated. However, initiatives die on the vine all too often due to leadership changes and lack of continued funding, or the muffled conversation that the effort should have never started in the first place eventually wins the day.

“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”

– John Wooden

The answer to achieving excellent results often lies not in grand strategies or sweeping programs but in developing leaders and teams that drive accountability, commitment, and engagement. Unlike significant changes to policies, processes, or procedures that can be expensive, time-consuming, and gum the works, causing employees to dig deeper into their anti-change fighting positions, organizations that focus on developing leaders and teams benefit from an immediate and positive impact on business performance.

Since successful strategy execution occurs when individual employees and their leaders interact and make decisions on how to employ resources daily, the most significant opportunity to enhance change is at the team level.

What to Listen For...

If you want to increase your chance of driving strategic success, work to get as many team members to say these things about each other:

1. "I know our customers and how our work helps them achieve their goals."

Team members need to be crystal clear about whom they serve, what matters to those they serve, and how the team's actions can positively impact what matters to their clients. This is true whether your team serves the company's ultimate customers or another team within the organization.

2. "I am clear on the purpose of our team and the value we add to the organization."

Team members must understand what the organization has 'hired' the team to do. This is more than explaining their work or pointing to their place on the organizational chart. It involves knowing the results the team delivers and how those results add value to the organization.

3. "I am clear on our team priorities and how they drive organizational success."

Losing focus costs time, money, and energy. Successful team members aren't working from personal agendas, performing activities simply because they have grown accustomed to doing them, or confusing activities with results. Instead, they are crystal clear on the goals they are working to achieve. They know where they are, where they need to be, and when they will get there.

4. "I know how we will accomplish our priorities and the role I play in making things happen."

Knowing the goal is important, but you must also understand how you will make things happen. Great teams are clear on who will do what to what standard and by when. If every team member can't explain the plan, you have a problem.

5. "I understand how we will hold each other accountable and achieve our efforts."

Great teams don't perform simply because the boss is watching them. They perform because they hold each other accountable. They get together regularly, commit to one another, celebrate successes, learn from struggles, and move forward. Is it time to help an excellent performer to leave your team?

Key Questions to Answer

I encourage you to spend time with each of your team members and ask them these five questions?

1. Perspective:?Whom do we serve, and what matters most to them?
2. Purpose:?What is our team's purpose?
3. Priorities:?What are our top priorities, and how do they align with our strategy?
4. Plan:?What is our plan to make our priorities a reality?
5. Performance:?How does our team work together to accomplish our priorities?

If you're struggling to team performance to the next level, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

We'd Love to Help, But Space is Limited

We've worked with thousands of leaders and teams to help them execute their top priorities through The Five Practices of Team Success Process. Leaders and teams benefit from clarity, accountability, and ongoing learning.

You owe it to yourself to learn more. Schedule 20 minutes to talk to my team about available dates and book your team planning and execution session. Space is limited. Don't miss the chance. ?https://calendly.com/jamie-leddin/30min

Make it a great day! - Patrick

#leadership #success #teamwork