Last month I gave you five steps for successful planning and step one was to "identify your participants."  This month, pay attention to the people who surround you and ask yourself if they move you closer to your goals or distract you from your goals.  You get projects done with people, and although you don't always have the luxury of choosing your team members, you can identify the characteristics that are important.  Obvious qualities you are looking for include: "knowledgeable, honest, reliable, and communicative."  Here's a list of six other qualities to get you started.  Identify who possesses the following characteristics to explore who may be a good team member.

1)     Available.  Yes, this must be first on your list.  If you overuse the same people on your teams they may get overextended and burned out.  It won't matter if they have all the other characteristics that you desire if they are aren't available to help you.

2)     Initiatior.  If you want a self-directed team that isn't always coming to you before acting, then choose team members who are comfortable making decisions and are confident in executing work within their areas of responsiblity.  Otherwise, you could be the bottleneck to progress.

3)     Problem-solver.  Similiarly, look for team members who have the leadership to solve problems instead of waiting for the answer from you or even worse, ignoring the problem or blaming others.

4)     Creative. Business environments tend to overvalue analytical skills and undervalue creativity.  Critical thinking requires open-mindedness to look for options, which means creativity is key when considering alternatives.  Seek and encourage creativity in your team members.

5)     Motivator. Even the best laid plans can go awry with unforeseen circumstances.  Team members may get overwhelmed, discouraged or upset.  Find someone on your team who is good at acknowledging reality and encouraging the team to rise above adversity.

6)     Accountable. Being part of a team still means each person is accountable for his/her own actions.  You want team members who admit their mistakes and faults, and are committed to resolving issues.  Seek team members who tell the truth - a precursor to accountability.

Of course, one person may not have all these qualities; focus on building a diverse team that exhibits these attributes as a whole. 

We wish you a high performing team and Happy New Year!

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