The Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal-what do the great structures in history have in common?
All of them are built by a team that works towards one goal. Behind all of these majestic places are an excellent architect, a top-of-class engineer, a respected king, hundreds or thousands of hardworking people, and most importantly, a reason for building.
Throughout history, people had been motivated by different things but most likely the same feelings and self world view
But what about in the modern times? What force unites the modern world?
The answer can be very difficult. Perhaps, non-existent.
In the age of individualism, where people value uniqueness above culture. This world offers so many distractions, so the purpose of existence is no longer pondered upon.
So in this day and age, how do you start a crusade? How can you bring together different personalities and shepherd them towards one direction? How do you communicate a goal and realize a vision?
The modern team thrives on diversity, maximizing individual strengths to create synergy.
“What’s in it for me?” is an indispensable question from individuals courted to contribute to a project.
The challenge for millennial visionaries is to craft a business idea that is win-win for all parties involved. It has to be profitable while allowing individual contributors to showcase their talents. It has to have a positive impact on the society.
Like a boat, a vision needs a headstrong captain to sail it through a sea of internal and external factors.
Team members and stakeholders have to be well-compensated while government and the people need to be assured that the venture will have a positive impact on the environment and society.
Despite all the obstacles, building a modern day dream team is possible by attracting the right people and instilling the right values: Trust, Co-ownership, Transparency, Goal-Orientedness, and Diversity.
Trust
Trust is a timeless virtue. It is the most important criteria for selecting allies. Never work with anyone you can’t trust.
Finally, when you hire the people you trust, show them that they have your confidence. Give them the stage. Let them fight their dragons. Set directions but limit your intervention. You hired them for their knowledge and skills so let them do their job.
When you hire intelligent people, let them do the thinking.
2. Co-ownership
The most excellent and praiseworthy employees think of the company as their own.
They don’t just work to get the salary. They want to see the organization thrive. Thus, they align their actions with the company’s strategies and they give their best in all their task. They represent the company well to clients and they go beyond the call of duty.
3. Transparency
A transparent leader leads without deception or hidden agenda. He genuinely dedicates his effort and competence to the growth of each team member and to the goal of the organization.
He is a picture of encouragement. His hard work and unbeatable energy fuels the team.
When members of the team are honest towards one another, they become more excited to work together.
4. Goal-Oriented Team
A goal-oriented team is where members collaborate instead of competing. The members trust the leader and the rest of the group so they believe that the success of the team will also alleviate them. Thus, instead of trying to get ahead of each other, they share strategies and connections and work to empower one another.
5. Diversity
A successful organization needs an exemplary planner, a driven leader, savvy technical people, dynamic marketers, organized administration, sincere customer care staff, talented artists and so on.
The right mix of people who believe in the same vision makes an indestructible team.