one-minute-manager-teams

Another entry in the <a href="https://www.kenblanchardbooks.com/books/" target="_blank"></b>The One Minute Manager</b></a> library series by Ken Blanchard. Another valuable contribution to the body of knowledge for anyone aspiring to become an effective manager, and therefore, an effective team leader.

Today's leader must be an enabler of people and a facilitator of teams. "We need managers who can focus the group's attention and enthusiasm on continuous improvement."

One management concept often overlooked is the team's stage of development. The process of developing a high performing team involves three skills: 

~ Diagnosis
~ Adaptablility
~ Empowerment

Teams progress through four stages:

1. Orientation
2. Dissatisfaction
3. Integration
4. Production

As a leader, you must change your leadership style depending on the current stage of group development. Changing your leadership style requires becoming a Situational Leader. Most leaders have one style: delegator or micromanager, for example. These styles serve a particular need, depending on the situation. Effective managers implement one of four styles to meet the needs of individuals and teams.

What drags this material down, compared to other books in the series, is the lack of simplicity. Various situations can be difficult to diagnose. Shifting leadership styles can be even more challenging without continual practice. Each leadership style varies in terms of amount of direction, support and the involvement of the group in making decisions.  

In conclusion, the primary job of a leader is to continue to change styles, whenever possible, to help the group move through the four stages of development. Once they reach Stage 4, they will become a high-performing team. Think of this process as striving to reach the Super Bowl. Most teams never reach this summit. And once there, they may regress and never reach the summit again.