Developing Team Capability

At the end of the new Mission Impossible movie, one of the characters decides to join Ethan Hunt on his next mission because 'it can't be worse than this one'. The only thing that's gone right in this one, according to Ethan, is the team he has.

With the right team you can do anything - including, apparently saving the world from nuclear disaster. But that's what teams do every day. A team somewhere right now is inventing the next iPad, the next microwave, everything we won't be able to live without in 5 years time. Teams are saving lives. Teams are making people's days better.

It's easy to think of a team as a team. But really, any team is made up of individuals. Each of the Mission Impossible team has their own strengths. None of them are Ethan Hunt clones. None of your team are the same - each of them has their own attributes. Managers need to relate to their team as individuals.

Get to know their strengths and abilities as individuals. How? Well, you can start by asking them. Not everyone knows though, so you might have to test them a little. Not by dropping them in the deep end, but by giving them a task slightly out of their comfort zone. If they don't think they can do it, then ask them to try. Perhaps both of you will be surprised.

If after several tries, your direct really isn't getting it, move on to something else. No need to flog a dead horse. This is the essence of growth - consistently trying something new and seeing if you can get good at it.

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