Ten Characteristics of Winning Teams
Lyle Sussman Ph.D.
I don't start the five best players; I start the five players who play together best…Red Auerbach
1. A clear vision of the goal: How do we define winning?
2. Leaders who are coaches, not just referees: Do we have leaders who teach and counsel, or do we have leaders who simply "blow the whistle?"
3. A core set of values shared by team members: Do we suppress our egos for the good of the team?
4. Clear, timely, candid communication: Do we get the information we need to perform at maximum effectiveness/efficiency?
5. Resources to support teamwork: Do we receive training, and other resources necessary to achieve our goals?
6. The corporate culture supports teamwork: Do they tell us to fly in formation when they really want individuals to soar like eagles?
7. We value the diversity of demographics, talents, and abilities of the people on this team: Do we truly understand that we are strong because of our differences, not because of our similarities?
8. We resolve conflicts with civility and two-way communication: Our conflicts get resolved; they don't get old.
9. We learn from our losses and our victories: We constantly seek to improve by learning how to replicate success and how to never repeat mistakes.
10.
We reward teamwork: Our incentives and reward system support teams,
not just stars.
