Long Term Executive Leadership

In this episode of Charity Executive TV, David Hutchinson discusses the benefits of healthy long term executive leadership in the non-profit sector.

Synopsis:
The next 10 years are going to be a challenge for many Canadian charities from a talent perspective. Many organizations have not taken the time they've needed to determine what their talent needs are going to be over the next few years. The statistics don't lie: 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 per day over the next 19 years.

The other piece is that charities - especially if established - have long-term leadership who have become the executive leadership but haven't practiced mentorship or leadership development with the next generation of leaders. Most organizations with a CEO or executive director don't have a number two and from a risk management perspective, this leads to unhealthy executive leadership. For a charity to have longevity, this needs to be carefully considered.

How Millennials Can Excel as Leaders

In this episode of Charity Executive TV, David Hutchinson talks about the value of millennials and how they can excel as leaders in non-profit sector.

Synopsis:

Today, the significant opportunities in charities and charitable organizations are in fundraising. So, if somebody has the mindset for resource development, sales, marketing and communications - the ability to tell a story and develop relationship with donors - they have an incredible opportunity to excel. This is a huge area of growth where millennials and young adults can easily excel in the non-profit sector. Another area is in wisely provided leadership roles with responsibilities that will grow their management skills and capacity. Many millennials are great leaders and we're going to need a significant number of great leaders in the charitable space.

The Importance of Giving Younger Talent Leadership Opportunities

In this video, David Hutchinson discusses the importance of giving leadership opportunities earlier to younger talent in the non-profit sectors.

Synposis:
Many talented young Baby Boomers and Gen X's are not given the authority to lead or the chance to engage in leadership in the non-profit sector. It is certainly seen in the corporate and private sector, many younger people assume quite responsible roles in those areas. The non-profit sector should carefully consider using this technique for longevity in the charitable space?

Watch our Newest "Talking with Charities" Video!

Meet Bradley Bartsch in Part 1 of our newest "Talking with Charities" video. He is the Executive Director, Development for a Relief, Development, and Advocacy organization.

Seven tips to help you facilitate an effective meeting

You’re fretting about that upcoming meeting you’re facilitating. You’re scared you’ll lose control, that you’ll go overtime, or that no decisions will be made. Bad meetings are unfortunately very common in the nonprofit and charity sector. This is despite the fact that many nonprofits and charities strive to be accountable, collaborative, and inclusive, which are hallmarks of a good meeting culture. But your meetings don’t have to be bad. Here are seven tips that can help you lead an effective meeting.

1. Know your role and own it.

A facilitator’s job is to help the group reach the best outcome possible. You get to decide when and for how long the group will talk about each agenda topic, as well as who talks. You also decide how the group will discuss each topic. Do you want to have a debate? Do you want the group to talk in small groups or one large group? Do you think it’s time to vote?

Own that power. If you let the group discuss and decide how to proceed on process, then you could lose control of the meeting. People generally don’t want to make decisions about how to make decisions. They want you to lead that process so they can get on with the important stuff - making the decision.

That said, you can still ask for advice on how to proceed. For instance, you can say something like “are we ready to do a vote on this?” If you need extra help then call a five minute break and ask one skilled person to help you decide on next steps. Good facilitators constantly read the group to ensure the team feels good with their process-decisions. But ultimately, the decision on how to proceed is yours.

Despite all this talk of power, you’re not a dictator. A facilitator does not make decisions for the group, and usually facilitators don’t even share their own opinion. In other words, the facilitator does not respond directly to a meeting participant with a comment like “I disagree with your proposal to host a workshop next week.” If you have a vested interest in the outcome, it's probably best not to take on the role of facilitator.

2. The agenda is key.

A lack of preparation into agenda setting is a key reason why meetings go sour.

Set the agenda in advance. Ask members for agenda items at least a week before the so they have time to think of some topics and develop a thoughtful proposal to present to people prior to the meeting.

Collate the agenda items, add your own, and send your proposed agenda to members prior to the meeting so they can give feedback.

Prepare people to speak to their topic. Ask them to do their research, prepare their presentation, bring handouts and be ready to answer questions. It is surprisingly common to have folks suggest agenda items yet not be prepared to speak to the matter. Don’t waste people’s time.

Don’t overload the agenda. Topics usually take longer than allocated, and people love a facilitator who concludes the meeting early.

Put the most important agenda items near the start of the meeting. This ensures the topic is discussed and you debate the matter while energy is still high.

3. Logistics matter.

Eliminating logistical problems requires attention to detail. Don’t be the facilitator who has everyone waiting half an hour because someone has to buy that Mac connector cord that your presenter forgot to bring.

Make sure the room is appropriate and as comfortable as possible. If using an off-site meeting room, it should be located near public transit and/or parking that is easy to find. It’s distracting when people frequently leave to fill their meter. Meetings should take place in a quiet room, meaning cafes and restaurants are not good choices. Do the chairs move or are they nailed to the floor in classroom format? Is there air conditioning? I once organized an 80-person event in a government building and found out just before the event through a casual conversation with a receptionist that the building’s air conditioning was off on weekends and it cost $2,000 to have it turned on for that day. Don’t repeat my mistake.

If you are showing a PowerPoint presentation, have it saved in three formats (PC, Mac, and PDF). Collect, order and/or confirm all AV equipment, laptops, and connector cords. Bring a USB stick and an extension cord. Check that markers work and that you have flip chart paper and/or whiteboards are available in the room.

Arrive 30 minutes early to set up.

4. Respect the rules.

Know and abide by the group’s formal decision-making structure. Some common decision-making structures include:

• Consensus. Everyone agrees, or everyone agrees not to oppose a decision.
• 80% voting majority. The decision is approved if 80% of people vote for it.
• 51% majority. The decision is approved if 51% of people vote for it.
• One or two people hold the power. This is fairly typical in hierarchical decision-making environments, such as many large nonprofit organizations.

Make sure everyone else in the group understands the decision-making process as well. Don’t pretend that everyone has the authority to make a decision.

You can also identify the individuals who have special authority or influence over specific agenda topics. For instance, if you’re talking about implementing a communications plan for a fundraising event, both the fundraising director and communications director should be comfortable with the proposal.

At the start of the meeting it’s useful to be clear about expectations: “We’re making decisions using consensus today” or “This is an advisory meeting; Bob and Farah over here will be listening to your feedback and finalizing their decision in the next few days.”

5. Respect the culture and the code.

There’s more to decision making than just knowing a group’s official decision-making process. Each group has their own unique way of dealing with meetings. Observe the meeting culture and match it.

Here’s some examples of how meeting culture can vary.

Some groups LOVE creative exercises, such as theatre of the oppressed tools and fun introductions. This could be answering questions like “what’s something that no else in this room knows about you?” At more formal meetings, this often does not work. Some professionals won't want to talk about their personal lives or do anything more innovative than small group work.

Some groups like to make decisions in advance. For instance, many community and labour groups have staff interview representatives from key groups and craft proposals based upon these interviews. The proposal is usually developed, adapted, and informally agreed upon prior to the meeting. Approval of the decision at the meeting is often just a formality. Controversial decisions that wouldn't get approval have already been discarded. Other groups might see this process as undemocratic.

Some groups have a culture of loose facilitation, where the facilitator rarely intervenes and allows for members to stray a little. Other groups have a culture of tight facilitation, where the facilitator might keep rigid track of who is speaking and how long they can speak for. For instance, Robert’s Rules of Order is a very formal decision-making code that is often used by legislative bodies and some groups that abide by a 51% majority decision making system. Robert’s Rules of Order would be inappropriate in an activist group that makes all decisions using consensus.

The variations on meeting culture are endless. The best way to find out a group’s culture is to ask questions and observe their other meetings. Then abide by the code.

6. A three-part process to getting through any agenda item.

For each agenda time follow this simple, three-step process: get the information out, track solutions, then make decisions. Let’s explore these three points.

First, ensure everyone has the information they need to make a good decision. You could encourage the sharing of information by having a participant offer a one-page proposal or deliver a PowerPoint. It’s also useful to allow other participants to share any additional information they know about the topic. Finally, allow participants to ask clarifying questions. If there are some gaping holes or unanswered questions then consider postponing the item so the needed information can be collected.

Second, allow for debate and discussion. The most common way to do this is for everyone to stay in one group and discuss and critique possible solutions. This stage is messy. Sometimes people will suggest new ideas, while others will critique current proposals.

During this discussion you should be doing a few key things:

• Track for solutions. That means you should be writing down any solutions that people are proposing.
• Gauge where people are at on the solutions that are being identified. For instance, if a proposal is suggested do people nod in agreement or cross their arms and look stony-faced? Do people keep talking about one proposal in a positive way?
• Make sure people stay on topic. It’s your job to keep everyone on track. Let one person go off topic and soon others will stray. If someone goes off topic I let them finish and then say “let’s deal with that later. Right now let’s focus on this topic.”

Third, when you sense the group is ready to start moving toward an actual decision.

How do you know when the group is ready to decide? Some signs include:

• more than a few people are talking about implementing an idea.
• there’s lots of nodding when someone talks about a proposal.
• a clear proposal or series of proposals have surfaced.
• people are repeating themselves.

Once you’re reached this point, state the proposals out loud and, ideally, write them down so people know what the options are. If necessary, you can amalgamate common proposals.

Then vote. If there are multiple proposals, it can help to ask everyone to vote once for their favorite proposal. If there’s a clear winner then you’re home free.

If you don’t have the votes to approve a proposal then it can help to ask the people who are opposing the most popular proposal to suggest ways this proposal could be improved so that they would support it. You could either make alterations at this point or send it to a designated team to come up with a better proposal to present at a future meeting. Delaying a decision is aways better than implementing a bad decision.

It’s wise to gauge whether the proposal has the support needed for successful implementation. Important decisions - such as deciding the group’s priority political campaign - should get the group’s near unanimous support, even if 51% is all that’s needed for formal approval.

7. Deal with the difficult people.

Difficult people might speak out of turn, get unnecessarily angry, talk too much, take over the meeting, or sabotage decisions.

As the facilitator, it is your job to deal with them and keep the rest of the group on track.

Here are some tips:

Know in advance if there are people attending who can be resistant to new ideas or the decision-making process. This gives you time to mentally prepare.

Use the power of the group. You could ask a few of the more influential participants to back you up if you need to ask the disrupter to change their behavior. For instance, I once was in a situation where one participant kept trying to take over the agenda and change the topic. Instead of trying to engage in a power struggle over the agenda I asked the group if they wanted to stay on the current topic or move to the topic this person was suggesting. The group said they wanted to stay on the current topic.

Refer to the ground rules. For instance, if someone is constantly interrupting others, it is helpful to go back to the ground rules that were presented at the beginning of the meeting. Two of those ground rules could be 1) no interrupting others and 2) make sure everyone has a chance to voice their opinion. If they break the rules then you can remind them that the group agreed that these were the rules of the meeting.

You - or someone in the group - could even have a one-on-one conversation with the problem person so that you are aware of their concerns and they know that disruptive behavior is detrimental to the productivity of the meeting. Sometimes people simply don't understand how effective meetings work.

Sometimes difficult people have genuine concerns and the group’s failure to act on their ideas has prompted this person to be difficult because they feel ignored. These larger issues should be addressed by the group.

Source: Jessica Bell

7 Secrets to Making Recruiters Find You

Losing Talent? Here's Why... [Infographic]

Here they are!The Top 5 Reasons Why Top Talent Leave Their Jobs:

Unfortunately, many of these concerns are management or avoidable with intentional care to employees and workplace culture. What are you doing to protect your top talent from these disappointing factors?

Talking Succession with Trinity Western University

By Ashley Freedman, Trinity Western University

TWU and Hutchinson Group have a shared common goal: raising leaders for the marketplaces of the world. The Alumni Office is proud to have Hutchinson Group as the title sponsor of the Alumni Weekend 2013’s community stage.

We connected with David Hutchinson, President and CEO of Hutchinson Group, to discuss a hot topic in today’s non-profit sector: succession.

Succession is anticipated to be one of the greatest challenges faced by charities in the next ten years as the majority of Canada’s 86,600 charitable organizations struggle to find new capable leaders.
 

TWU business alumnus David Hutchinson (’88), is ready to take on this challenge. He has a vision for helping build strong non-profits in Canada that are led by capable and passionate leaders.

 
David’s executive search firm has a strong understanding of the needs and challenges faced by non-profits. They specialize in finding skilled professionals who can lead and build non-profit organizations.

David sees succession as the biggest, most important issue facing the charitable sector. In Canada, there is a need for more qualified candidates to fill the leadership positions at non-profits, particularly in fundraising. The reason for this is a generational gap in talent. The charitable sector has not always been considered a desirable career choice.

Current leadership is made up of baby boomers who didn’t study non-profit business, but are qualified through years of experience. Non-profit leadership specialization in higher education is a growing area of study.

As a result, though the next generation desires a profession in the charitable sphere and seeks formal training, it lacks any practical experience. Therein lies the gap between the two generational groups—one is ready to retire, the next isn’t prepared to take over, or is waiting for the opportunity.

While succession is a major issue, David recognizes that there is a solution. “The key to succession,” he says, “is succession planning—identifying and developing leadership potential internally. Organizations need to ask themselves who will be their next leader. Recognizing potential internal talent and nurturing it is essential for the longevity of a non-profit.” Proactively developing a talent pool of both internal and external candidates is key in order to identify the most qualified individual.

“At Hutchinson Group, we want to identify the best talent for our clients’ needs while being realistic and embracing the charitable sector’s evolving nature, compared to the corporate and private sectors,” says David. “We look for people with a heart for the cause.”

David encourages current students and new alumni of TWU’s School of Business to not underestimate the potential within the charitable sector. There is a growing convergence within business practice: money is no longer the bottom line—some investors value social impact as well as they do financial return. This is seen through organizations giving, creating, and partnering with charities. Consequently, there is room in all areas of business for strong Christian-value-based leadership and an understanding of charitable business practices. “An understanding of how to make an impact with hearts and souls is invaluable in today’s marketplace,” says David, “and that is not limited to charities.”

Currently, Hutchinson Group has partnered with the University to assist in the search for TWU’s next president—a big job, but one that it is very qualified to take on.

The Dollars & $ense of Employee Engagement (infographic)

4 Ways to Show You’re Ready for Management

You’ve got several years of experience under your belt, you’ve put in your fair share of time, sweat, and tears, and by your calculations, it’s your turn to move up into a leadership position.

But, a job well done in the business world isn’t like a standardized test—your past performance doesn’t necessarily predict a successful future in management. And if your last official leadership role was coaching your intramural softball team, it might be time to start thinking a little more seriously about your plan to move up.

My advice? Start with the person who has the power to actually promote you: your manager. To prove to your boss that you’re management material, it’s all about your attitude and willingness to do more than just fulfill your basic job description.

To make sure you’re putting yourself in the right light, here are a few tips to impress your manager and prove you’re ready to climb that corporate ladder.

1. Be a Problem Solver

Leaders don’t just wait to be told what to do—they think strategically about what needs to be done, and then they do it. So, next time you’re faced with a challenge, don’t just tell your boss about the problem and wait for a solution. Instead, tell him or her how you’re going to fix it.

For example, let’s say your website’s traffic is down. It may be tempting to fall into the same routine of reporting it to your boss and simply waiting for direction—but to prove you’re fit to be a leader, kick your creativity into gear and start thinking of new solutions. Maybe you could develop a strategy to attract new audiences by hosting a contest on your Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn sites to attract more followers and further engage current ones to help you spread your message. When you present the problem along with its possible solutions, your manager will recognize your initiative and dedication to the company’s success.

And look at internal issues, too: If you think there are ways to do your job more efficiently, test those solutions and present them. You won’t only make your life easier—you’ll prove to your boss that you’re ready to improve the entire department’s operations.

2. Take on (Small) Management Opportunities

One of the best ways to show that you’re ready for a leadership role is to find small ways to manage people or projects. You’ll build your management skills, of course—but more importantly, you’ll start being viewed as a team leader.

To snag some of these opportunities, you first have to make it known that you’re ready for more responsibility. So, try asking your boss if there are any managerial tasks you can take off his or her plate, like training new hires, taking on a summer intern, leading meetings, or overseeing small project teams. Is your manager going on vacation before the summer ends? Check in before he or she leaves to see how you can step in during that time.

You can prove your leadership skills through more casual means, too: Offer to help plan the company picnic or volunteer with co-workers at a community event. As you take on more responsibility (and follow through with successful results), you’ll prove that you’re committed to your team and will do what it takes to get things done.

3. Understand the Whole Company—Not Just Your Role

To be an effective manager, you’ll need a 360-degree view of the company. With the right information, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and develop the right strategies to push your department forward. So, spend some time learning as much as you can about your business as a whole.

First, nail the basics: Act as if you’re an outsider researching the company for an interview and (if you’re not 100% familiar with them already) read up on the business’ current vision and goals. Then, move on to the most recent annual report and press releases to delve into company operations, strategies, and challenges. And don’t forget to research your competitors, too, to see exactly where you rank in your industry.

Then, consider your personal knowledge of the internal workings of your company. If there’s an area you don’t know too much about—like finance, human resources, or supply chain management—introduce yourself to people in that department and ask if you can shadow them for an afternoon to learn a little about what they do on a daily basis. You’ll impress your boss by proving that you’re interested in more than own responsibilities—but you’ll also understand how other departments work together to contribute to the company’s overall success.



4. Be Professional

Finally, as you’re thinking about how to get to the next level, remember to make sure that you’re exemplary in what you do now. Would you want a manager who misses deadlines, forgets to answer emails, and gossips about other employees? Of course not—and even though you’re not a supervisor yet, you shouldn’t be displaying those behaviors, either.

Instead, demonstrate a good work ethic by being on time and courteous to other co-workers. Avoid office gossip, aim to have the reputation of someone who everyone can trust, and approach your everyday tasks with a positive attitude.

I know—it seems simple. But sometimes, it’s all about the basics. At the end of the day, if you’re the go-to person your boss and co-workers can always count on, you’ll be on the right track to move up.
Once you perfect the intangible qualities of a leader—like responsibility, initiative, problem solving, vision, and follow-through—you’ll prove that you can add value to your company in a management position. It might take time, but that’s OK: It’ll put you in the perfect light when the opportunity for a promotion comes up.

Source: The Daily Muse by Heather Schlichting,

VIDEO: Young Donors Give Advice for Online Fundraising

Young donors want to know where their money is going

and what their gifts will accomplish. 

Those are two of the key lessons from young donors interviewed in videos produced by Achieve, a fundraising consulting firm that in July released its annual Millennial Impact Report.

"I guess I'm not sure where the money is going, which would be what I want to know," said one young donor viewing the donation page for the American Pianists Association.

Another donor viewing the Nature Conservancy's mobile home page didn't feel compelled to click the prominent "donate now" button because she didn't know anything about the group other than that it "did good."

Some proof of what the money would do can go a long way.

One donor, viewing the online donation form for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, was impressed that the organization gave examples of what small gifts could accomplish.

"For $50 a month having a coming-off-of-chemo party is just the cutest idea I've ever heard," she said.

In the video below, see young donors provide their critiques of nonprofit Web sites, and watch for more videos like this in the coming weeks.  

WATCH VIDEO HERE

 By Cody Switzer, Chronicle of Philanthropy

More on Employee Engagement [INFOGRAPHIC]

The Power of Everyday Leadership

Most of us think that in order to be leaders, we have to make some huge, obvious difference in the lives of others. Maybe it’s putting in hours and hours of time to motivate your team. Or maybe it involves starting a company that inspires millions of people around the world. When you look at it like this, leadership can seem unattainable, and many people are wary to call themselves leaders.

In this video, leadership coach Drew Dudley challenges us to think about leadership on a smaller scale. With a short story about how he changed a woman’s life with only a lollipop, Dudley shows how we may all be leaders every day—without even knowing it.

Source: The Daily Muse

How To Keep Your Best Employees

By: Kirill Kedrinski

You have a red hot performer, she is excelling at all the key performance indicators, loved by your clients – WOW!

So, what is the problem?

The problem, as often articulated to me is, that you are afraid of losing her. You cannot pay anymore, you are afraid your competitors are buttering her up. So, what do you do?

The reality is we have all been there. We have hired well, the candidate has proven to be successful and has delivered in bucket loads. She is at the maximum earning power and we get terrified that she will start looking elsewhere.

You are desperate to hold on to her. She is everything you want – bright, successful, dynamic and clients love her!

The mistake I have seen many make is to leave her to her own devices – “she is doing great, she doesn’t need any coaching, she is a free spirit (etc)”. That attitude normally has one outcome – she leaves!
 
So, how do you motivate your star performers to stay with you?

Firstly, you don’t avoid the obvious and not address it with her. Spend time with her, let her know how important she is to you. Tell her why you want her to stay and how important she is to the business. And, above all, acknowledge to her that other opportunities with your competitors will arise for her. Don’t be silly and pretend it is not the case – you know it and so does she!

Spend time coaching her to develop new skills, learn new techniques, expand her knowledge, and share the experiences you have had.

However, do not make promises you cannot fulfill. Don’t fall into the trap of promising more money at some time in the future because:
you are making it all come down to money, which is dangerous, but, even worse:
you have made yourself a hostage to fortune and if you cannot deliver, you have left the door wide open as now you are someone who does not keep their promises.

Keep in mind – people don’t leave organizations, they leave managers. That, fellow employers, is not one of those cute one-liners – it is an absolute fact and there is a load of research to back it up.

The managers who do not accept this, I am convinced, do so because to believe otherwise would demand of them to completely fulfill all aspects of their role as managers.
 
Support the development of their career:

Another area to really commit to is supporting her in the development of her own career. You should make it clear that you are not expecting her to sign up to the organization for the rest of her life – after all, have you? Demonstrate that part of your commitment to her is to help her achieve her goals – irrespective of whether those goals include staying where she is or not.

Show her that you care and are interested in her. Demonstrate how valuable you are as a mentor in her career. Work with her to map out the next couple of years – what she needs to do, to learn, to study, to experience, everything she needs to do to achieve her overall career goals.

I have seen managers stand off doing this on the basis of “I’m helping her to leave”. That is nonsense. You are demonstrating real care, fulfilling your duty as a manager and being the mentor that you promised when you took her on. The managers that stand out in all our memories are the ones that you learned most from, and if you fulfill that role, you will be a true mentor. 

Coach your star performers: 

By: Rob Orthen

The other area I mentioned earlier is coaching. Far too often I have seen managers spend an inordinate amount of time on poor performers to the detriment of the top performers – and then rationalize it on the basis that “they are doing fine” - big mistake! So often the high achievers will never, ever say they want coaching, but in reality, they do! They get irritated that the “boss gives all his time to those producing nothing, and ignores me who is producing so much” (maybe not in those words, but the sense of it will be). Don’t get caught out – continuously coach your high performers!
 
Conclusions:

So, the challenge is to all us managers – be outstanding! Be a brilliant and committed manager and spend time dedicated to improving the skills and the growth of your best people. They need you too!

Look for opportunities where she can shine. Coach her to support and help her to map out some long-term career goals and then do everything you can to create the environment that will help her achieve them.

Remember, this is one smart lady and she will recognize she is growing and developing, and she will also recognize that you are committed to her growth.

Will this guarantee that she stays with you forever? No, but you have certainly increased the odds in your favor. I know that I was once in that situation, and because of the manager I had, and how he coached me, I stayed a lot longer than I would have without him!

So, what are you going to do today for your star performer? 

Source: John Murphy on http://theundercoverrecruiter.com

New Hire vs. Retraining - INFOGRAPHIC

How Would You Score Yourself as a Manager of People?

By John Murphy on theundercoverrecruiter.com

So, how would you score yourself as a manager and a leader? Don’t know, or not so sure? Well, if you’re not sure, let me tell you that your people are – they are constantly scoring you! So, if you have not evaluated your own performance in a while, now is a good time to start!

I met recently with the CEO of a large company who wanted to discuss some issues that he was having with his team. He gave me a pretty good briefing about the team – their strengths and weakness, success, disappointments, how they performed individually, how they get on together etc – all great information and really important when working with the team.

However, there was one piece missing – feedback on himself as a manager a leader.

I asked him to rate himself as he would any other member of the team in terms of team management skills and leadership. Rather taken aback at such a question, he began to reflect upon this unexpected query.

Truthfully, he was pretty challenged to do this straightforward exercise – like many others I ask the same of, I have to say.

To give him a helping hand, I put a series of questions to him, which would give a fair indicator, and since he found the questions and the ensuing conversation so helpful I thought I would share the questions with you here so that you can do your own evaluation:
 
Question 1: How open are your people with you?

What I mean by that is, is the information flow from them on a “need to know” basis or is it free flowing? Do they admit mistakes even if the likelihood of you finding out are slim? Are they open, and I mean, without prompting,about any worries and concerns they have? Do you know what their personal, non work related goals are? What are they ambitious about? Do you know what goes on in their personal lives?
 
Question 2: Are they fully supportive, in a real sense, on team goals or are they only concerned about their individual ones?
When you talk to them, do they discuss how they can support other team members goals? Can you see them contributing to other team members, not just in words but in actions? Or are they only ever bothered when it impacts upon their own goals? Do they contribute to the achievement and success of others? 

Question 3: How supportive are they of each other?
Is it “I’m alright, Jack!” or will you see them supporting someone who may be struggling? Do you witness them helping each other out or does it only happen when asked?

At your meetings do you just go around the table to get individual reports about performance or do you spend more time discussing how everyone can leverage what is available to achieve the overall goal? Is everyone protective about their own resources or is there a real willingness to share? 

By: Idaliz Escalante

Question 4: Can you say that open and honest debate happens among your team members, or does the office politics prevail?
Is it safe, as a team, to have “that” discussion about the hot topics that need to be aired? Are the sensitive issues debated openly? ? Or is the atmosphere that an “attack” is happening and the truth does not get aired? Have you clear guidelines agreed for such conversations to take place?

Really take your time to reflect because the answers to those questions will give you a good picture of your team management skills.

I know that my client now has a much better picture of his skills and where he needs to focus to improve his own performance – and, as a consequence, his team’s too!

What would your answers be? Go on, and ask yourself these same questions – and then do something about it!