Working in a team environment is a challenging, but very rewarding experience. It takes time to establish a solid team and develop the necessary relationships to enable it to function at its capacity. When working with or leading a team Northouse (2019) describes two critical functions of team effectiveness that need to be addressed. The first is performance, which includes ensuring that a given task is completed efficiently and correctly. The second one is team development. Leaders must look past the task and nurture the relationships on a team, bringing cohesiveness and a thoughtful approach to valuing and meeting the needs of all (Northouse, 2019, pg. 375).
To accomplish these two functions, there are several things leaders can do. To ensure quality performance, leaders need to describe and envision others with a compelling purpose (Hackman, 2012). Larson & LaFasto (1989) describe this as having a clear, elevating goal and a results-driven structure. Truly this means that a team must have a common vision, and be empowered to see their vision come to fruition. Within this vision, there must also be set norms of conduct (Hackman, 2012) and standards of excellence (Larson & LaFAsto, 1989). Team members must know what the overall purpose of their team is, and standards of quality achievement. Expectations must be made clear and adhered to. To assist team members be successful with this goal, team leaders need to provide enough organizational support (Hackman, 2012). Time, money, expertise, and equipment must be available and leaders must indicate how and when to access these during the task completion process.
While a team is working towards a goal, it must always be a continual priority for a leader to focus on team development. A team should be comprised of the right people who complement one another. Both Hackman (2012) and Larson (1989) describe the importance of having people on the team who are not only technically skilled and competent, but ones who also have the interpersonal characteristics that enable them to get along well with others, solve problems, are positive, and support one another (Northouse, 2019, pg. 377). It is good to include on a team people who have differing skill sets so that they can complement and support one another to make a unified whole. A sense of team (Hackman, 2012)is developed when people engage in authentic collaboration where not only are team members completing their assigned tasks and contributions, but they are listening to each others ideas, building on them, reconsidering their own positions, and taking suggestions to make their work better. It is from this vantage point that a team leader can become a coach (Hackman, 2012). The leader can step back to allow the team to work, providing assistance as necessary, asking questions, sourcing resources, and helping them solve problems. They become an empowered team, working toward a common goal.
I have worked in a team environment for many years in church leadership and our team exemplifies almost all of these qualities. There are four of us on our team and we all bring a different perspective to the table. We also have very different skill sets, which we respect and value. Therefore, when working on projects, we ensure that tasks are assigned according to skill sets. We always set a priority and goal and return to our vision. For instance, as part of our church we run an event centre. There is one on our team who is the most administrative, so she takes care of all the bookings and money. Other member provides all the IT support by building the website, forms, and goes to events to ensure the technology is working appropriately. The lead pastor is very good with people, so he goes to events to make connections with people, deals with difficult circumstances, and is the idea generator, providing vision for how to move the business forward. Another member provides practical support, and will open and close events, clean the facility and anything else that may need to be done. Together we are passionate about our vision to have a presence in our community and work hard towards that goal. Through this process, we have developed strong friendships and collaborate well. This goes a long way when we feel we need to “have each other’s backs”. We know we can depend on our team.
Principled leadership describes a leader who has a strong vision and adheres to a clear goal. Such a leader continually reminds members of this goal, helping them work towards it through collaboration, setting priorities, managing performance, and encouraging them to have confidence in their skills and abilities (Northouse, 2019, pg. 379). There are four processes at play to accomplish this. These include a cognitive function whereby the leader enables team members to understand a problem and come up with solutions. There is also a motivational function, through which the leader sets standards for performance and encourages team members to meet them. The leader uses an affective function when helping members handle stressful situations by breaking down a task into manageable and clear strategies. Finally, the leader coordinates the team by ensuring each member is working within his/her skill set, providing feedback, setting strategies, and adapting to environmental change (Northouse, 2019, pg. 379).
My church leadership team, again, engages all of these functions well. However, one process I will highlight is the affective. There are many instances in a church that create stress and uncertainty. Often this comes up when developing other leaders. It has occurred in the past, where we have chosen to invest in a leader by providing opportunities and training, support, and mentorship to grow in a given area. However, after some time, the new leader has pushed up against elements of their discipleship and growth and has created conflict, even leading to leaving the church. Our pastor, who leads our team, then leads us through dealing with such stressful circumstances. We are all able to share our feelings on how we are effected by such actions, and offer our different perspectives on how to deal with it. After some discussion and collaboration we come up with a plan on how to move forward.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice. Eighth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications.