Leading Teams

Mentor’s Message: Juggling Managing and Leading

You’ve sat through many a team event grinding your teeth, thinking, “It’s time to move on” or “I wish he’d just make a decision.” Now it’s finally your turn to lead the team, your opportunity to have a significant impact on the organization. How are you going to shape this group of individuals into the high-performing team you always dreamed of? What are you going to do? Suddenly, leading the team doesn’t seem so easy.

In exercises, when I ask people to write down words that reflect their experiences on teams, among the first few are usually “frustration,” “conflict,” and “hidden agendas.” But these are typically followed by “accomplishment,” “shared victory,” “fun,” and even “exhilaration.” The ...