Having progressed through more than 30 years in professional life, there is one resounding hallmark of accomplishment that I am proud of: I have always been a member of a uniquely cohesive and productive team. These are teams that are frequently recognized by competitors as a threat, by customers as “great organizations,” and internally as a great place to work. These teams have always enjoyed results above expectation, and have been free of office politics and internal strife. I am not saying that I am singly responsible for these results but I will admit to being a careful and dedicated student of the team model. I observe and note things that work and those that do not. I am very aware of leaders throughout my career that were effective and those that struggled to gain following. It occurred to me that there might be some interest in these observations and the particular characteristics that I exhibit in my own successful team building. It is important to remember that everyone has a boss; and to be a good leader and team member you must be able to follow as well as lead. Further, it must be understood that professional life in a corporation is no different than professional life as an athlete… you have to give it your all. Bring your best and leave it all on the playing field. That is the only way you can sleep at night knowing that you deserve the respect of those who follow you.
PROFESSIONAL LIFE IS FULL OF BAD NEWS: GET USED TO IT
One mandatory trait that must be honed is the ability to receive news.