Great Teams - Strength in Depth

It is only when the occasion arises that we really get to appreciate what strength we have in the depth of our teams.

Three examples in the space of 24 hours demonstrate the importance of being part of a team with diverse strengths and abilities.

At a Board meeting yesterday the Directors were faced with some challenges that they were concerned about how solutions would be provided. Over the years the Directors have invested significantly in the capability and personal attributes of the team. This investment paid off when one of the non-Directors in attendance stepped up and volunteered to achieve the result. We all thought this was beyond their capability and after some reassuring answers to our questions it was clear they would be successful.

Closer to home, my train was late this morning meaning that a client meeting needed to be facilitated by a colleague. Again capability was unknown, but the outcome was a huge success for everyone. Indeed, functionally I did not need to be at the meeting.

Finally that day, another colleague came to the fore when a possible client sprung a conference call on us at the last minute which the nominated team members could not attend.

Some lessons worth remembering:
1. Recruit, hire and train your team to be talented, capable and confident
2. Create opportunities for others to flourish. We do not have to do it all: all of the time.
3. Freely grant your trust to others and it will be willingly accepted.

Well done Corina and Mark, you make me proud to be part of your team.

David Pickering
Business Consultant and Trainer