How team leadership and membership impact on team dynamics

A proven method of building a successful business team is to accumulate a group with a stellar melange of knowledge as well as expertise. Get to know the benefits and qualities of existing team members in order to be able to create an effective dynamic. If necessary, look for new team members to strengthen your line-up.

Team dynamics are those psychological forces which influence the direction of your team’s performance and behaviour. Those dynamics are established by the personalities which are involved and how they interact. Understanding a team’s dynamics can alert you to how successful it could be.

What is a team leader?

A leader could be a manager however a manager is not necessarily a leader. The leader of the work team may arise informally as the choice of the group. If a manager can influence individuals to achieve the goals of the organisation, without using his or her formal mandate to do so, then the manager is demonstrating leadership.

According to John P. Kotter in his book, A Force for Change: How Leadership Differs From Management (The Free Press, 1990), managers must know how to lead as well as manage. Without leading as well as managing, today’s organisations face the threat of extinction.

What is team membership?

Through synergy, a great team is able to create an end result which far outweighs what each individual could produce by themselves. However, in order to create a fantastic team, it’s vital that you pick the correct members.

Some skillsets and personalities types easily gel well with one another however other combinations will result in a truly catastrophic atmosphere in any workplace. Sadly, no amount of technical proficiency can compensate for a failed team dynamic.

While you’ll want to screen for particular traits based on your industry and company culture, if you are able to find a team member who has a handful (or preferably all) of the following traits, never let them go!

Self-Aware

In order to be an excellent team player, it’s vital to have an unbiased understanding of what you’re good at and what you’re not so good at. As a famous entrepreneur and YouTube star, Gary Vaynerchuk, says: “Self-awareness is being able to accept your weaknesses while concentrating all of your attention on your strengths.”

Committed to Mastery

If you’re happy to let your skills stagnate, then you will never meet your potential as a team member in any company. This is particularly important in the Information Age, where industries are changing quickly and particular skill sets are becoming obsolete overnight.

As Robert Greene, author of Mastery, says: “The time that leads to mastery depends on the intensity of our focus.” Phenomenal team members make time in their weekly schedules for refining their talents as well as adding new ticks to their bows.

Intrinsically Motivated

Most employees are very motivated by financial gain. This isn’t good or bad – it’s merely an economic reality. This elephant in the room is obvious to both employers and new candidates when that standard interview question is asked: “So, what drew you to this role?”

There is nothing wrong with performing a job role for money however if you’re doing it only for money then you’ll never be a great team member.

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