Commitment to the team above themselves
The factors that made up a successful team leader included both commitment to people and a
desire to support and serve. Great team members are also servant minded : seeking to
serve others before their own needs. Positive
contribution to Team Process and Goals.
Some team members may be willing to take a back seat - saying "it's the leader's role
to tell us what to do!" This is symptomatic of a work group rather than a team.
Great team members will support the team leadership with suggestions for improving
the effectiveness of the team process or new ideas for delivering the team goals. This can
lead to the leadership being shared around, as different team members drive the process at
different times.
Enthusiasm, Energy, Inspiration and
Expertise
Team members don't only want their leaders to inspire and motivate them, having other team
members who are also able to play this role is seen as very positive by most team members.
Having a team structure which allows individual expertise and gifts to be understood and
productively used by the team is very affirming to team members, and in turn, encourages
their contribution. It's not only the team leader who has responsibility for developing
that kind of team structure.
Willingness to take responsibility
for elements of the teams work.
Arising out of the previous element, team members should be willing to run with elements
of the team's work - taking away tasks from the main group to work on. These might not
only be tasks, but could also include elements of team development.
Delivering on commitments.
If an individual is to be fully valued by the team, they must be committed to the success
of the team. If they agree to carry out action steps at team meetings, there is an
expectation that these will be carried out, unless that expectation is changed. If
at the following team meeting, the team is surprised by an individual not delivering on
what they agreed, there is a danger that they will lose trust in the individual. Further
occurrences of this will almost certainly move the group process backwards. It is
better to resist the pressure to deliver initially and set appropriate expectations, than
to say yes, and then spend the next weeks finding ways of apologising. |
commitment to
the team above themselves.