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The Difference Between Two Equally Talented Teams Is Leadership

What is the key to success? Is it talent? Hard work? Technology? Efficiency? TO be successful a team will need all of these things. But it still needs something else to succeed. LEADERSHIP!

• The personnel on your team will determine the success of the team
• Vision determines the direction of your team
• Work Ethic determines the preparation of the team
• Leadership determines the success of the team!

Everything rises and falls on leadership. If it has leadership then a team can gain everything it needs to go to the highest level. Look at any team that has achieved success and you will find that it has a strong leader.

With good leaders, everything improves. Leaders are lifters. They push the thinking of their teammates beyond boundaries of creativity. They elevate the performance of others, making them better than ever before.

While managers are able to maintain a team at a certain level, leaders are able to lift it to a higher level than it has reached previously. You have to bring out the best in others around you in order for this to happen.

• Leaders transfer ownership for work to those who execute the work. For a team to succeed, responsibility must go down deep into the organization, down to the roots. Leaders must delegate responsibility and authority to the team. Stephen Covey stated once, “People and organizations don’t grow much without delegation and completed staff work, because they are confined to the capacities of the boss and reflect both personal strengths and weaknesses.” Good leaders seldom restrict their teams, they release them.
• Leaders create an environment where each team member wants to be responsible. Good leaders know ho to read their team members to know what it takes to motivate each of them. Leaders remember that they are responsible to their team members, not responsible for them.
• Leaders coach the development of personal capabilities. The team can reach its potential only if each member reaches their potential. Effective leaders help each team member accomplish this.
• Leaders encourage other team members to learn rapidly. Leaders lift themselves to a higher level first, then they lift the others around them. Modeling comes first, then leadership! If everyone is improving, then the team is improving!!

If you want to give your team a lift, then provide it with better leadership. The Law of the Edge works every time.

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Great Teams Have Great Depth!

A great starter is not enough if a team desires to go to the next level of excellence. You have to great depth on the bench in order to win. John Wooden of UCLA fame stated, “Unselfishness is a trait I always insisted upon. I believe that every basketball team is a unit and I do not separate my players into starters and subs. I tried to make it clear that every man has a role to play.”

Today’s Players May Be Tomorrow’s Stars

Rare are the people who begin their career as stars. Most successful people go through an apprenticeship or period of seasoning. Joe Montana for example spent two years on the bench as a backup. He now has been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Every human being has value and every player on the team adds value to the team in some way.

The Success of A Starting Player Can Multiply The Success of A Starter

The achievement of the whole team makes the starters flourish and the team flourishes as a result. John Wooden stated once that the main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

There Are More Bench Players Than Starters

When you look at the rosters of teams you will see more on the bench than on the field of play. Think about other industries such as theater, politics, corporations, etc. There are huge numbers of people behind the scenes working to assist a few. Nobody can neglect the majority of the team and hope to be successful.

A Bench Player Placed Correctly Will At Times Be More Valuable Than A Starter

Supporting personnel can be as valuable as starters. Do not underestimate the value of great Admins!

A Strong Bench Gives the Leader More Options

When a team has a great bench, the options are almost endless. When a team has a weak bench, the leader has a few options that are usually not that good.

The Bench Is Usually Called Upon at Critical Times For The Team

Reserves are called for in war times. Injured players need a substitute. That substitute often determines the team’s success. If your ministry or Para church ministry is experiencing tough times then you know the importance of a strong bench with depth. If you are experiencing smooth times, then this is perfect time to strengthen the depth of the bench even further. You assure your success tomorrow by your preparation today.

Consider the following:

Recruitment – Who is joining your team? Adlai Stevenson once stated there are only three rules of sound administration – Pick good men, tell them to not cut corners, and support them to the limit. Picking good men is the most important he added.

Training – Are you developing the Team? You cannot solve tomorrows problems with today solutions. If you have the responsibility for your team, then take the initiative to make sure everyone on the team is growing and improving.

Losses – Who is leaving the team? The only place that never losses people is the cemetery. Losing team member is inevitable. If you keep nonproductive team members, you frustrate the productive members of your team.

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The Team can make adjustments when it knows where it stands!

Every game has its rules and its own definition of what it means to win. Some teams measure their success by points and others by profits. Others view success by the number of people they serve. No matter where you are in the game you have to know where you are in order to understand the score.

You need to know the score in order to make the correct adjustments to improve your performance and to make the correct adjustments. No team can ignore the reality of its situation and expect to win.

For any kind of team, the scoreboard is essential in the following 5 ways:

The Scoreboard Is Essential To Understanding

Have you ever wondered why the scoreboard is so huge and visible? It is a snapshot at any moment of the reality of the game. Even if you arrive late, you can catch up on the story simply by looking at scoreboard.

The Scoreboard Is Essential to Evaluating

I believe that personal growth is the key to success, GROWTH = CHANGE. Coach Lou Holtz once stated; “We aren’t where we want to be, we aren’t where we ought to be; but thank goodness we aren’t where we used to be!”

The Scoreboard Is Essential To Decision Making

Once you have evaluated your situation you are ready to make good decisions. Do you have the right people in the right places. Do you have a grasp of the overall position of your ministry? Have you evaluated key areas for effectiveness? Only after evaluating these key areas will you be able to make sound judgment.

The Scoreboard Is Essential to Adjusting

The higher the level on which you and your team are competing, the smaller the adjustments needed to achieve your best. However, making key adjustments is the secret to winning big. Knowing the scoreboard is vital to making these key adjustments.

The Scoreboard Is Essential to Winning

In the end of the matter no one can win without the scoreboard. How do you know when the game is on the line without the scoreboard. How do you know that time is running out without the scoreboard? Does your ministry view the scoreboard as a necessary evil? You can ignore the scoreboard, but not for long and still expect to do well in your profession.

LINKS

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The Team fails to reach its potential when the team fails to pay the price!

If a team does not reach its potential, seldom is ability the issue. It’s rarely a matter of resources either. Its almost always a payment issue. Consider the story of Montgomery Ward and Company of the Chicago area. This chain of stores was a precursor to Sears and Roebuck stores. Montgomery Ward had plenty of resources, and it had the talent it needed – including a leader that could move them forward. The problem was the company’s owners were unwilling to get out of their comfort zone, take a risk, and try to break new ground.

One of the reasons a team fails to pay the price to reach their potential is that they misunderstand the Law of the Price Tag. Many times they honestly do not know how it works. Take note of the following four truths about this law that will help clarify this law in your mind.

The Price Must paid by everyone!

People who have never had the experience of being on a winning team often fail to realize that every team member must pay a price. If everyone on the team doesn’t pay the price to win, then everyone will pay the price by losing.

The price must be paid all of the time!

People mistakenly believe that if they accomplish a particular goal, they no longer have to grow….Effective leaders cannot afford to think this way. The day they stop growing is the day they forfeit their potential as well as the potential of the organization. Earl Blaik, former football coach of the United States Military Academy stated; There is no substitute for work. It is the price of success. President Eisenhower would state, There are no victories at bargain prices!

The price increases if the team wants to improve, change, or keep winning!

Becoming a champion carries a high price. Remaining on top costs even more. The higher you are the more you pay for even for small improvements. No one can move closer to their potential without paying in some way to get there. To change, improve, or keep winning, as a group the team must pay a price and so must every team member on it.

The price never decreases!

Most people never quit at the bottom of the mountain; they quit halfway up. Nobody sets out to become a loser. The problem most often comes when you believe that at some point it will get easier and the price of success will get cheaper.

So what is the price of Teamwork?

SACRIFICE – There cannot ever be success without sacrifice. James Allen stated; “He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much. When you become part of a team, you may be aware of some things you will give up. But you can be sure that no matter how much you expect to give for the team, at some point you will be required to give more.

TIME COMMITMENT – Teamwork does not come cheaply. It will cost you time and that means that you pay with your life! It takes time to get to know people and to build relationships to see how people work and work together. Teamwork cannot be developed in a microwave time. Teams grow stronger in a Crock-Pot environment.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT – Your team will reach their potential only you reach your potential. That mean’s today’s ability is not enough. Said another way from Max DePree; “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” The desire to keep getting better is the key to reaching your potential.

UNSELFISHNESS – People naturally look out for themselves. The question, “What is in it for me” is never far from their thinking. But if a team is to reach its potential, you must put the team’s agenda ahead of your personal agenda. H Jackson Brown’s “Boomerang Theory” is true; When you give your best to the world, the world returns the favor!

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Significance Begins HERE

Your teammates must be able to count on each other when it counts!

The Law of Countability is clearest when the stakes are at their highest. The mantra of every team should be, “We do not work for each other, we work with each other!” This statement embodies the ability and desire for your team – church – pastoral staff – church board to work toward common goals.

The formula for countability is not rocket science but it is impactful and powerful. Here it is: Character + Competence = Commitment = Consistency = Cohesion = Countability.

Lou Holtz’s 12 Covenants

1.We will accomplish what we do together. We share our success and we never let anyone fail alone.

2.We are all fully grown adults. We will act as such and expect the same from the people around us.

3.We will not keep secrets. Information that affects us all will be shared by all, we will quickly separate fact from fiction

4.We will not lie to ourselves or to each other. We will depend on each other for the truth.

5.We will keep our word. We will say what we mean, and do what we say. We trust the word of others to be good as well.

6.We will keep our head. We will not panic in the face of tough times. We will always choose to roll up our sleeves instead of ringing our hands.

7.We will develop our abilities and take pride in them. We will set our standards higher than the most challenging opponent.

8.We will treat our locker room like home and our teammates like friends.

9.We will be unselfish and expect the same from everyone around us on our team. We will care for each without expectations.

10.We will look our for each other. We truly believe that we are our brothers keeper.

11.We are students of life first and we will complete what we set out to do and expect that others will do the same.

12.Losing cannot and will not be tolerated in anything we do – there is no excuse for losing!

How are you personally doing in each of these areas that we have discussed in this podcast today?

• Is your integrity unquestioned?
• Do you perform your work with excellence?
• Are you dedicated to the team’s success?
• Can you be depended on every time?
• Do your actions bring the team together?

LINKS

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Rotten Attitudes Ruin A Team!

Attitude……

It is the “advance man” of our true selves.

Its roots are inward but its fruit is outward.

It is our best friend and our worst enemy.

It is more honest and consistent than our words.

It is an outward look based on past experiences.

It is the thing which draws people to us or repels them.

It is never content until it is expressed.

It is the librarian of our past.

It is the speaker of our present.

It is the prophet of our future

Consider the following five truths about attitudes and how they clarify the effect on the team and teamwork

Attitudes have the power to lift up or tear down a team

An attitude compounds when exposed to others

Bad attitudes compound faster than good attitude

Attitudes are subjective, so identifying a wrong one can be difficult

Rotten attitudes left alone, ruin everything

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Vision gives team members direction and confidence

Great Vision precedes great achievement!

Author Ezra Jones states, “Leaders do not have to be the greatest visionaries themselves. The vision may come from anyone. The leaders do not have to state the vision, however, Leaders also have to keep the vision before the people and remind them of the progress that is being made to achieve the vision. Otherwise, the people might assume that they are failing and give up.”

How do you measure vision? How do you know whether it is worthy and compelling? You need to check your compass to see if you are going in the correct direction or not. There are six checks that need to be made by every great team.

Check your moral compass (Look Above) – Andrew Carnegie states that a great business is seldom if ever built up except on lines of strictest integrity. It is the moral compass that brings integrity to the vision. It is what causes every team member to check their motives to see if they are laboring for the right reasons. It brings credibility to the leaders who cast the vision.

Check you intuitive compass (Look Within) – Where integrity brings fuel to the vision, passion brings fire. The true fire of passion and conviction comes only from within. Authors Kouzes and Posner write in Leadership Challenge, Visions spring forth from our intuition. If necessity is the mother of invention, then intuition is the mother of vision. Experience feeds our intuition and enhances our insight. The vision must resonate deep within the heart of the leader

Check your historical compass (Look Behind) – There is an old Indiana saying, “Do not remove the fence until you why it was there!” A compelling vision should be built on the past, not diminish it. It should make positive use of everything that has been contributed by previous teams. Anytime you cast vision, you must create a connection between the past, the present, and the future. People will not reach for the future until they have touched the past! This does two things. First is shows respect to those who have been around the organization a long time – they feel valued. Secondly, it give security to the newcomer because they sense that a future is being based upon solid decisions from history.

Check you directional compass (Look Ahead) – David Thoreau wrote, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” A goal motivates the team

Check your strategic compass (Look Around) – Vision without venture goes nowhere. The value of a strategy is that it brings process to the vision. It identifies resources and mobilizes the members of the team. Beyond information and inspiration people need instruction. They need instruction in how to make the dream a reality.

Check you visionary compass (Look Beyond) – The vision of the team must look beyond the current circumstances and shortcomings of teammates to see the potential of the team as a unit. Your vision should stretch your team. A far reaching vision will help you to stay focused on the long view and not to focus on the short range failures.

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Winning Teams have players who make things happen! Catalysts are get-it-done-and-then-some people

Every team has one of three types of people:

• People who don’t want the ball – Some people do not have the ability to come through for the team in a high-pressure moment. As a result these people do not want the responsibility of carrying the team to moments of victory. You should not give the ball to these people
• People who want the ball but shouldn’t – This is the group who cannot carry the team to victory but who believe they can! This is a case of inflated ego that is greater than talent!
• People who want the ball and should – This is by far the smallest group of team members. These are the people who want the ball in crunch situations and they can deliver under pressure. These are the catalysts.

What are the characteristics of a catalyst?

1.INTUITIVE – They tend to sense things that other people miss. They recognize weaknesses and strengths in the teams plans and can often make an intuitive leap into what appears a disadvantage and turn it into an advantage. They can also spot talent and have the ability to recruit

2.COMMUNICATIVE – A Catalyst will say things that other team members will not say to get the team moving off dead-center. These conversations become the turn around moments.

3.PASSIONATE – A Catalyst feels what others miss. They are passionate and desire to share that passion with the team. When passion leaves it does matter how much skill you have, you are done!

4.TALENTED – A Catalyst is able to do what others cannot do because their talent is as strong and their passion. Rarely will you become a catalyst outside your gifts and talents. Also to be a catalyst is to be an influencer and that is something that you cannot do if your performance is poor. You must have credibility.

5.CREATIVE – A catalyst will think things before others. They are constantly looking for new and innovative ways of doing and thinking. Carl Mays asserts that “creativity involves taking what you have, where you are, and getting the most out of it.” Other times it is rewriting the rules of the game all together on how business will be accomplished

6.INITIATING – A Catalyst will do what others cannot do. Not only are they creative in their thinking, but they are disciplined in their actions. They take joy in making things happen.

7.RESPONSIBLE – A catalyst will carry things that others will not carry. Dan Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A had a saying; “If it is meant to be be, it’s up to me!” A catalyst is not a consultant – they actually do what they recommend, they make things happen.

8.GENEROUS – A catalyst will give what others will not give. They are prepared to use their resources to better the team whether that means they give of their time, spending money, or sacrificing personal gain. New York businessman Eugene Lang on June 25 1981 challenged 61 students at Public School 121 (75% drop-out rate) and became a catalyst by telling them if they stayed in school he would offer them a cash scholarship for college. Today this program is called “I Have A Dream” and sponsors over 10,000 kids. All because one person decided to become a catalyst

9.INFLUENTIAL – Catalysts are able to lead teams in a way that no one else can do. These are the individuals who have influence far beyond their team. Influence is the corner stone of leadership.

Victory is achieved by get-it-done-and-then-some people. How are you when it comes to crunch time on your team? Are you a person that steps up and asks for the ball or would you rather that someone else take the final shot for victory? Begin today implementing these three things:

1.Find a mentor – A catalyst looks for people that are better than they are.

2.Begin a growth plan – You will never reach your full potential if you are not growing. Remember you cannot lead anyone past your own thinking.

3.Get out of your comfort zone – you will never learn what you are capable of if you do not stretch yourself in new ways.

LINKS

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The strength of the Team is impacted by its weakest link!

On March 24, 1989, the news broke that an environmental disaster had occurred in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. The oil tanker Exxon Valdez had ran aground on the Bligh Reef, damaging 8 or the 11 cargo tanks. As a result 10.8 million of the ships 83 million gallons of oil poured into the sea.

The economic damage shut down tourism and fishing in the area. The environment lost approximately 250,000 seabirds, 2800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, 22 killer whales, and an immeasurable loss of food in the ocean chain of life.

Exxon lost $2.2 billion in cleanup costs, $300 million in claims paid, and $1 billion in state and federal settlements

When it comes to teamwork….

Not everyone will take the journey – the reason vary from rootedness to attitude to status quo.

Not everyone should take the journey – your team should not be someone’s agenda for their life at a given point in time to accomplish their goals. Wish them well and show them the pathway off of your team

Not everyone can take the journey – not everyone is capable of being on your team. They may not be able to keep pace with other team mates to accomplish the larger goals of the team

If you cannot help a weak link in the chain of your team find another place, here are some things that might happen when they are allowed to remain.

The stronger members will identify the weaker one – Strong people on your team will always know who is not holding up their end of the deal. Weak individuals cannot hide around strong team members.

The stronger members will have to help the weaker ones – If you people must work together as a team in order to get anything accomplished, then you only have two choices. Ignore the weaker members or help them so the team can be more successful.

The stronger members will come to resent the weaker member – Regardless of whether the stronger members help or not the outcome is usually the same – RESENTMENT!

The stronger members will become less effective – Anytime you have to carry your work and someone else’s work as well, you run the risk of compromising performance. Over time the whole team will suffer

The stronger members of a team will begin to question the leaders ability – Anytime a leader allows a weaker team member to remain part of the team, others are forced to compensate for the weak member. As a leader you risk loosing respect from your team and performance will suffer.

The bottom line is that a team cannot cover up its weaknesses!

LINKS

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Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!