The Key
January 9, 2006

Entelechy's Newsletter for Trainers, Managers, 
HR Professionals and Others Responsible 
for the Performance of Others.

Letter from the Editor 

2006. Boy, we’ve got a lot to look forward to in 2006!!! This year will mark the 25th year that my wife has put up with me (I think that qualifies her for sainthood or a medal)! This year also will mark a couple of other milestones: our older daughter is graduating from college and our younger daughter is turning 21 – the age of adulthood. We believe that it will be a perfect time to return to Germany where both girls were born and where we garnered so many memories.

We’ve been toying with this idea for a long time and every time something got in the way – timing, money, work, etc. THIS time, it’s going to happen. Why? Because for the first time, it’s a family commitment, not simply the dream of one or two of us:

Katie – the senior – is planning on staying on after the Traut Trip (see, it even has a name!) and join up with some friends for some Eurail travel throughout the continent.

Peggy – who’s always balked at trips over the summer because they interfere with getting together with friends, especially when such trips interfere with her birthday bashes – said what a cool thing it would be to celebrate her 21st birthday in Nurnberg where she was born.

In short, “the team” is committed this year. And with four people all pulling in the same direction, I’m confident the trip will happen.

The same is true of any team goal: the more committed your team members are to the goal, the more they see the connection between the team goal and personal goals, the more likely the team is going to accomplish the goal.

Whether you’re planning a vacation or simply aligning your 100-person training and development organization towards the achievement of 2006 goals, gaining commitment from each and every team member is an important first step.

We’ve provided some tips and hints to help you gain that commitment and to help your teams set and achieve the goals you’ve set for 2006. Here’s to a GREAT New Year!

Terry

Team Building for the New Year

With the New Year upon us most of us are making New Year’s resolutions. We do this on a personal level and a professional level, too. As team leaders and team members we are looking at our company goals for 2006 and we turn to and depend on our team to achieve those new goals. 

The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome, was placed at the head of the calendar. With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions. 

As part of leading your team towards achieving your new company goals, look at your team and consider what makes it work. Brainstorm ideas on how you can work more effectively and set team goals. Listen to the feedback the team gives you. Use team building exercises to enhance the positives and to harbor good feelings among team members. Consider yourself as a team leader- are you an effective team member, too? 

We have included several assessments in this issue to assist you in this process. And as you begin to enhance your team for 2006, be like Janus with two faces, looking at 2005 for the wisdom of what worked, and apply what worked to 2006. Happy New Year!

Characteristics of Effective Team Leaders

Before you look at your team for 2006, it’s important to identify what kind of leader you are today. What kind of leader do you want to be? Determining your strengths is a very important part of being an effective leader. Use the following characteristics to see how you’re doing. 

Effective leaders: 

• Communicate.
• Are open, honest, and fair.
• Make decisions with input from others.
• Act consistently.
• Give the team members the information they need to do their jobs.
• Set goals and emphasize them.
• Keep focused through follow-up.
• Listen to feedback and ask questions.
• Show loyalty to the company and to the team members.
• Create an atmosphere of growth.
• Have wide visibility.
• Give praise and recognition.
• Criticize constructively and address problems.
• Develop plans.
• Share their mission and goals.
• Display tolerance and flexibility.
• Demonstrate assertiveness.
• Exhibit a willingness to change.
• Treat team members with respect.
• Make themselves available and accessible.
• Want to take charge.
• Accept ownership for team decisions.
• Set guidelines for how team members are to treat one another.
• Represent the team and fight a “good fight” when appropriate.

Characteristics of High Performance Teams 

Entelechy reviewed over 50 studies on high performance teams and compiled a list of high performance team characteristics. We grouped characteristics into eight categories as indicated on the graphic below.

See if your team shares characteristics of High Performance Teams. Circle the characteristics that describe your team; cross off those that don't describe your team.

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Terence Traut, President of Entelechy "unlocking potential"
ttraut@unlockit.com   
phone: 603-424-1237
fax: 603-424-6361
http://www.unlockit.com