Six Keys to a Winning Team! Key #1 – Strong Leadership

By Action Coach Dave Beam

As a business coach, I often get asked by business owners and management staffs how they can get their employees to work together, quit blaming each other for problems, and take more ownership for their job. My response is often a bit abrasive. I ask the owner if he or she meets regularly one-on-one with their employees, if they blame their employees for problems, and if they truly take full ownership and accountability for what is going on in the business. It is interesting that the employees are a reflection of the owner.

In a single word, the first key to a winning team is leadership. A strong leader is one that demonstrates integrity and competence. He or she is someone that people trust. Strong leaders also have developed the communication skills to enroll and inspire others to understand and embrace their vision. It is apparent that for a team to win, they need strong leadership. For your business or department to win, it needs a strong leader. As I coach business owners and management teams, I feel that this is the number one issue that we address.

Let's begin with the definition of a leader. A leader is a person that other people follow. A strong leader enrolls and inspires a full team to follow him or her. So why do people choose or refuse to follow another person? I think it can be summarized in one word; trust. People will follow people they trust.

So why would others trust and follow you? It is because they believe you have their best interest as a priority, and they also believe that you have the competence to achieve results. I call it heart and spirit. You have Heart; integrity, ability, a proven track record, strength of character, reputation, and you have Spirit; clear communication, confidence, drive, and passion. You possess the desire and the ability.

A strong leader not only has the Spirit and the Heart, he or she also has the ability to inspire ownership in the team. This happens when the team trusts and respects the leader. I think the number one way to engender respect is listening. It is respecting your team by demonstrating a willingness to listen and fully understand their perspective. If you want someone to fully trust you, they must know that you know them, and that you care. They must believe that your decisions are based on what you believe is best for the team, and that those decisions include input from all of those affected by that decision. Some would perceive this approach as weak leadership. I think it takes a strong leader to be willing to fully appreciate and listen to all perspectives, and then bring the team together on a common goal that is best for the whole group.