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Harness The Power of a Start-up… Even if You Aren’t in Start-up Mode

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Creative Thinking, Culture, Development. No Comments on Harness The Power of a Start-up… Even if You Aren’t in Start-up Mode

Have you ever been part of a start-up? Do you know people who have? What can we learn from the pioneers who are willing to start something new? Here are a few observations I believe are transferable – even if you are not in start-up mode.

  1. The vision is white-hot. In the early phases of a company, the founder or senior leader has already seen the preferred future he or she is trying to create. It seems as though they invest disproportionate time and energy helping others see it, too. These leaders know vision leaks and they constantly replenish it in word and deed.
  2. Collaboration is not a slogan. When the work really matters, and survival is not guaranteed, people WANT to work together.
  3. Buzz is contagious. Where’s the buzz? Is there any excitement in your work environment? Can outsiders feel it? If you don’t understand the question, you are not experiencing it. The good news: You can create it. When you do, it will stimulate more energy and excitement. Start-ups shouldn’t be the only ones who enjoy this benefit.
  4. “New” brings energy. I’m convinced part of the energy, excitement, passion, and engagement of a start-up comes from doing something new. Even better if it is something no one has ever done before. How does this apply to you and your team? Why not challenge your team to do something new and different? What new strategy or tactic have you always wanted to try? Do it!
  5. Leadership is hands-on. There may be successful start-ups in which senior leadership is disengaged, but I doubt it. In my limited experience, the leaders in these organizations are involved on a daily basis. They don’t get their data from a spreadsheet; they get it from talking to customers and working with the teams closet to the work. Start-up or not, I want to be an engaged leader.
  6. The work ethic is palpable. Now, I want work-life balance as much as the next guy; but I also want a team so sold on the work, they are willing to do what it takes to get the job done. If you find yourself needing an all-nighter every week, you’re not doing it right. If your people aren’t willing to pull one from time to time, you’re not doing it right either.
  7. There is focus. One of the big issues many teams and organizations suffer from is scope creep, or product line creep, or service offerings creep. Start-ups are not immune, but the best ones fight it – and win. Focus may be the defining characteristic of successful organizations, young and old. Yes, there are always outliers who can do many things well. However, my money is on focused teams and organizations.

I can learn a lot from those who are leading successful start-ups. How about you?

What can you do to breathe some of the energy of a start-up into your team/organization?

 

a group of people silhouetted against a pink sky, one man leading in front of the others a group of people silhouetted against a pink sky, one man leading in front of the others

Has Your Team Been Hijacked?

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Performance, Teams, Vision. No Comments on Has Your Team Been Hijacked?

Who should lead your team? The answer may not be as clear as you think. But it may be one of the most important decisions you’ll make if you are trying to build a high performance team.

You may be thinking, “I’ll lead the team.” Well, that might be the right answer and it might not. If your goal is to create a high performance team, the point leader, or supervisor, is often not involved in the day-to-day work of the team. Let me clarify…

A high performance team should be equipped and empowered to manage their day-to-day work without the direct, hands-on involvement of their supervisor. Only then does this approach create maximum capacity for the leader who chartered the team in the beginning. If your physical presence is required for your team to do great work, you have become a hostage of the team.

So, who leads the team if the point leader is not directly involved?

First, in a high performance team, leadership should be viewed as a role to be filled more than a position to be pursued. And based on the work at hand, leadership should be provided by different people. Leadership in a high performance team should always be fluid. As an example, if the topic is marketing oriented, your marketing leader needs to step up; or if it’s a human resources issue, the HR person should lead.

Next, regarding who leads the team meetings, you can certainly have a designated facilitator, team captain, even a general manager. You can call them whatever you like as long as he or she clearly understands the role they are to fill.

The person in this role must:

  • Believe in the power of the team
  • Believe in shared leadership
  • Believe in the power of collaboration
  • Believe in the process of building a team

If your designated captain is a high-control individual, autocratic, dictatorial, domineering, prefers a ‘command and control’ style, or if you’ve ever heard them say “My way or the highway!”, he or she should not be in charge. To do so will guarantee the team will never reach its full potential.

The power of the team resides in the team – not in the mandates and edicts of a single leader. No matter how talented a leader is, a high performance team is more talented. Together, we will always be smarter than any one of us alone. The aspiration of high performance demands this truth be celebrated, not suppressed.

If you want to build a high performance team, be sure you don’t undermine your efforts by allowing anyone to hijack the process.