Builing the Ideal Team

Teams don't just happen.  Teams are the sum total of a decision someone somewhere in an organisation has made.  The ideal team is one where you can start with a clean slate.  No rules, no history and no axes to grind.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to work as a part of a team of highly talented and motivated people.  So how does a team like that come about and what makes the team great?  Here are a few key points.

1. Variation of skills and abilities.  Great teams have people who are skilled in different ways.  On our team we have key players in their various organisations who have the ability to create significant change within their local organisation.
2. The ability to get along.  The team only comes together quarterly.  That means the team members never see each other at any other time or stage.  So when the team gets together there is limited time to spend mucking around.  Having people who get along on the team is vital.
3. People who know people know people.  The team we have was formed through friendships first, shoulder taps second and recommendation of others third.  Getting the right mix of personalities and skills can be hard.  My recommendation is that rather then adding someone to the team just so they can do work can be more harmful than helpful in the long run for the overall health of the team.

One team that I always think was formed well and operated with excellence was the administration team put together by John F Kennedy.  That team dealt with The Bay of Pigs affair, the Cuban Missile Crisis as well as Cold War political pressures.  JFK's team was pulled together with people of various backgrounds and with different talents to deal with the biggest issues in the world at that time.

So - what do you need a team for?  And who will you pick?

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chestertonfootball/4912484622/)