Team Building

Sometimes it is better to have multiple perspectives than just one or two. A team should share values and should be able to trust each other.

Positive teams come from establishing interpersonal relationships, member satisfaction, and a strong group identity. In order for a team to be effective, it has to have a common goal.

Good team leaders should be able to recognize the skills and resources they need to carry out their goals and responsibilities. Being the best team leader you can be requires you to foster a positive environment where members will want to participate and feel comfortable.

You must also be able to delegate and give each member a role to play in the team. As the leader, you will need to devote time specifically to making sure everything gets done, but that it is not just by you.

Before you can have a great team, know and admit your strengths and weaknesses. Use the people and personalities in your group to complement one another. Team building activities are a good way to feel out your team.

The executive board I serve on for my sorority after some team building exercises!

A List for an Effective Leader

Leadership isn't just an end result- it's a process that can be learned, practiced, and improved. This process is marked by the relationship between the group leader and his or her group. Success is achieved when a team or organization has a shared vision that all the members helped to create, plan, and complete.

I think an effective leader must do all of these things:
1. Be willing to take risks.
2. Be able to inspire and guide your group.
3. Be able to get others to want to participate.
4. Make sure all members are collaborating.
5. Be a role model.
6. Be encouraging and recognize accomplishments.
7. Be a listener, not just a speaker.
8. Focus on problems and tasks, not on personalities or personal biases.
9. Be fair at all times.
10. Do not dominate others.

It's not always easy to keep all of these things in mind, but with time and practice it does get easier!

Lists on Leadership

My blog has taken a different direction...I will now be forming lists all about different aspects of leadership. I have been involved in many different organizations over the years. Currently I am a member of PRSSA, Vice President of Membership for my sorority Zeta Tau Alpha, and President of the Panhellenic Council. I  hope that these lists help you with your interests in leadership or give you an interest in stepping into a new role you hadn't considered before. If you are already an experienced leader, look for the lists that give tips to expand your skills.

Me with our ZTA traveling leadership consultant.