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Last evening I shared a few thoughts with an exciting group of leaders – all serving at their own time and expense for a wonderful Vancouver charity.

I suggested that they can really take this organization to a higher level of contribution and fulfillment.  What can keep these professionals from making the most of this opportunity to serve?  There are seven rules for the internal strengthening and success of their team.

And whatever team you are a part of – you want it to be a high performing team. No one wants to give heart and soul to a mediocre team – in fact no one will.  This is why so many organizations fail to live up to their mission, fail to accomplish their unique reason for existence.

According to performance guru Blair Singer there are certain “rules” for playing and winning on a championship team.

Here are 7 of Singer’s rules for the internal strengthening and success of their team:

1. Be willing to support our purpose, our goals, our rules. You’d think this was obvious, but no – not everyone on your team is really on board with the purpose and goals – they are acting for themselves not the team and they need to find another team.

2. Speak supportively to one another and always speak with good purpose. Words are tools, and can build or tear apart.  Watch the tone when speaking to your team – no one signed on to be disrespected by you! No ethnic jokes, no gender jokes, no swearing – always speak health, life and abundance, not blame, lack and excuses.

3. Acknowledge that what is being said is true for the speaker at that moment. Take a deep breath.  Stay engaged – don’t dismiss others’ comments in your mind as “the dumbest thing I ever heard.” You may discover that some points of view are equally valid to your own!

4. Complete my agreements – 100%. You are on time. You are ready to go with your commitments met.  This builds trust and raises everyone’s commitment to the team.

5. Clean up a mess at the earliest possible moment. Sure sometimes things happen – you book two meetings at one time, or you just plain forget something.  Don’t sweep this under the rug as if it didn’t happen – take responsibility and apologize.  Explain what you’ve done to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

6. Commit to win, as a group.  Allow others to win on the team too. It’s a team – the whole team either wins or loses – there is no half-win – no win for me and a loss for the team.  So commit to play ALL IN.  And ensure others on the team feel they are winning too.

7. Agree to agree. This does not mean giving up your position to keep the peace – no it is the opposite of that!  It means committing to talk things through and discuss until everyone can agree, without anyone “losing” the discussion, or their ground. Compromise is not always a good thing.  There must be a commitment to agree, so everyone can win together.

The potential they have in their hands is incredible.  The potential you have on your team is awesome.

Make these rules the rules for engagement and see what can be done!

Jamie MacDonald

Principal / Facilitator

Maximum Impact Training & Development

604.839.8051