Eight Principles for Purposeful Alignment
Effective teamwork requires individual members of the team to be connected by, and aligned to a common purpose, values and sense of identity. Sometimes individuals can drift away from the team as a result of the mental limitations they create about their work and role.
The following eight principles can be considered as a guide to the type of thinking and action that will serve you well in your interactions with your colleagues:
1. Success starts with clarity of purpose
Successful people, in whatever way you want to think about success, have a very strong sense of purpose. This applies as much to their life as it does to each endeavour they engage in. When thinking and acting become detached from purpose, decision-making may suffer, and this will impact on you and the people you associate with.
2. Alignment transforms energy into effectiveness
Alignment here means the connection between Purpose, Identity, Values & Beliefs, Capability and Action. If you put energy into actions that violate your values or your sense of identity, then you are unlikely to be effective. When all these things are aligned your energy will flow naturally and be transformed into effective results for you.
3. Respect is the beginning of understanding
At school and university we consolidate learning into understanding through debate and discussion; supporting our ideas, often vehemently. To truly begin understanding, it is more useful to let go of our strongly held views, and develop a respect for other people and their ideas. In this way we not only understand better, we also lay the foundation for improved learning, sharing and influencing.
4. Curiosity is the beginning of all difference
Having developed respect, we can now start to become curious. Having a thirst for knowledge is one thing, but if that thirst contains prejudice or is seeking certain answers, it is unlikely to lead to behavioural change. Pure curiosity wants to discover things that are outside of our current ways of thinking about the world, and in this way we can create difference for ourselves and life becomes richer as a result.
5. Flexibility is the beginning of freedom
When we come across other people who have ways of thinking and acting that are different from our own, we have a choice; we can ignore the difference and keep well within our own tried and tested grooves; we can pretend to go along with it on the surface; or we can work with it and find ways in which it can make us a richer person. The more flexible we are to accept the world as it is and develop respectful and subtle ways of influencing, the less we will be tied to the chains of our personal, small, perfect world.
6. Education is the key to releasing potential
To 'educe' is to evolve or develop potential. This implies that answers lie within. When you approach others with this principle in mind you will be recognized as someone who has conquered their ego, rather than someone who wants to tell people how they have tamed the world. By developing the skills of coaching it is possible to draw the best from people whilst respecting their needs. The opposite of this is to 'pour in' your own ideas and attitudes like a petrol pump, but when the tank is full it can hold no more; and when the tank is empty it must return to be re-filled.
7. None of us is as smart as all of us
To push your own ideas as 'the best solution' even when you are the most experienced, is to ignore the creativity and insight that comes from collective input. An idea or solution in isolation may remain an island where few people want to visit.
8. Be thorough and unrelenting with issues
To notice something that is incongruent with the environment and ignore it is like finding a mine and leaving it covered up. Sooner or later it will explode and there will be casualties. A dangerous action or a violated value has power to maim physically, mentally and emotionally. Are you going to let it pass, or deal with it?
Quadrant 1 International help individuals excel at their work and with their personal ambitions.
We are business people with many years experience in senior management and entrepreneurial positions. We have trained, coached and developed hundreds of managers and directors to greater success. We are authors of several international best selling books on personal development, and often present at major events around the world.
Sign-up for our free newsletters at http://www.quadrant1.com
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareTeam Building Question:I'm a manager of a team of 20... Read More
Did you know your work environment can actually make you... Read More
If asked to look at your work calendar for the... Read More
As the world of manufacturing has become increasingly competitive, managers... Read More
Who keeps the wheels turning in your organisation? Who holds... Read More
12 Tips and Reminders for Team Members To Enjoy Their... Read More
One of the most memorable quotes that I heard from... Read More
Recently, while developing a customer service program, I asked my... Read More
When was your last team celebration? Have you been way... Read More
We all know someone who just drives us batty. Perhaps... Read More
There is a WHOLE lot of talk these days about... Read More
The effects of conflict in the workplace are widespread and... Read More
Feedback is such an important communication tool. Openness, honesty, candor,... Read More
You're at a meeting with key staff. You want some... Read More
A follow-up companion reader to The 17 Indisputable Laws of... Read More
Eight Principles for Purposeful AlignmentEffective teamwork requires individual members of... Read More
Teams, teams, teams. They're all the rage these days. Whether... Read More
Have you seen the tee-shirt with the slogan, "Talk to... Read More
Proactive High Performance Teamwork is made up of nine proactive... Read More
Ever lost for ideas while working in a group? One... Read More
As I work with clients to strengthen their teams and... Read More
The grand purpose of coaching is to help your managers,... Read More
Multiculturalism is a reality in North America and for those... Read More
Have you noticed that some people seem to stop listening... Read More
No figure in history is like General Patton. He was... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Team Building Question:A team is full of animosity, pretended interpersonal... Read More
In days past, loyalty was a given. The worker in... Read More
The key to life is to be around the people... Read More
So much has been written on this subject; Team Work,... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
As a business owner, I've had staff come and go... Read More
With over 25 years of research and experience, we have... Read More
Young minds are quite easy to shape. International Terrorist recruiters... Read More
"Tak kenak! Tak kenak!" "Adak Orang sanak!????"The quiet jungle has... Read More
According to the Oxford Dictionary of Current English, to speak... Read More
TEAM LEADERS WORKSHOPAlice asked Cheshire cat "which road should I... Read More
The ability to build effective teams is a must for... Read More
Turbulent TwistersYou've read about it in the headlines and experienced... Read More
When was the last time you spent excessive time and... Read More
Once you've set a goal for yourself as a leader... Read More
If you own a franchise you would be wise to... Read More
It's all about focusing on where the best value in... Read More
For a brief time, I tried to sell life insurance.... Read More
Having experienced more than my fair share of conflict over... Read More
Consensus is the appropriate decision strategy for the most important... Read More
In the constantly changing world of Call Centers, asking agents... Read More
Trainers, please picture this... You are presenting in a new... Read More
From the moment he putted with Bob Hope on the... Read More
The other day I got a call from a friend... Read More
For companies to be competitive, decisions have to be made... Read More
Team Building |