Question:
I am leading a team of 8 people. They are exceedingly talented and competent. Their productivity is beyond question. Yet, as a leader, I notice a lot of scope to improve their attitude and overall approach toward work and people. There have been plenty of ideas which have been implemented in the team for the same end. But I feel, people do not get inspired enough to become accountable for these activities and sustaining the changes on their own. Gradually, it all fizzles out. People are back to their ways ` which are not empowering for them as well. When I speak to them individually, they express guilt and concern, yet, as a team do not live up to them. I am concerned about what holds them back. How do I step forward as their leader, and truly inspire them so that everyone lives and works with their fullest ability`
Advice: As a leader, there are two things you can do, either create a heightened sense of desperation in the team, so they realize that the very survival is at stake, or inspire them and make them realize that together they will achieve more. The movie Chak de, starring Shah Rukh Khan is great movie to see, where Shah Rukh as a coach comes down very hard on them by cracking a whip to put individual egos in place. American movie Coach Carter, starring Samuel l. Jackson as coach Ken Carter is a great movie, based on a true story, a must watch for any leader. A softer approach, and more engaging will be to inspire the individuals, so they realize the power of interdependence. It will be great to take the team for an outbound experience, where they do activities in which interdependence is crucial. The activities can be so designed to put colleagues with some ego issues to do the interdependence task together, and very often the experience builds bonds which they will carry to the work place. As a leader, coaching the team members to be more sensitive, so they do the right things, and at the same time be more sensible to handle the occasional mistakes their colleagues may commit will go a long way in bringing about a lot of vibrancy. When individuals and teams perform badly, they will feel bad, when they perform well, they feel good, and when they perform great, they feel great. Winning teams get along well with each other. When teams perform poorly, to overcome the feeling of feeling bad, members indulge in `vicarious pleasures` like back biting, gossiping, politics, one upmanship, commenting. Regular meetings which focus the individuals on target lines, and how to achieve the performance metrics is also very essential, for teams that perform well, and get along well.