The E in TEAM.

 
In some teams only the leader/s are important. What they do gets mentioned and acknowledged. The successes and victories are normally theirs. The failures and mishaps are always somebody else’s.
 
For a team to function as a team e v e r y b o d y on that team should be seen as equally important and needs to know it.  For the team to be successful and obtain wins, every team member needs to function according to his/ her strengths and be given responsibility and authority to fulfil their task.
 
I just recently visited a medium sized organization where I experienced the incapacitating and demoralizing effect on individuals and a team as a whole, of having responsibility, but not the authority to make any decisions!
 
The most important aspect of an effective and winning team is not the hierarchy or pecking order, (that is so last century!) but a clear knowledge and articulation of the function and role of each team member.
 
Empowerment of every team member to fulfil their particular function is equally important.

Empowerment includes, but is much more than just the transference and accumulation of knowledge and best practice.

I believe that God has a picture, or dream for each one of us to fully and uniquely become who He imagined us to be, when He created us.

Empowerment should be that of the whole person and should enable us to transform and move towards the realization of that unique picture and plan that God has for each one of us.

When everybody on a team are empowered according to their strengths to fulfil their function and purpose and if they cooperate on the basis of trust, (see last week's post) a real team will be established and flourish!

For me the E in team stands for EMPOWERING EVERYBODY!