Clarifying Intent...What could that mean for your team?

[Sara Hand]

“Have you ever been on the winning team?” For those that have, we know it is an experience of a lifetime. Yet as good as being a part of a great team can be; the team building experience can also be devastating.

As a business development specialist with a MA in Marriage and Family counseling, my perspective might be somewhat unique. However I see many similarities between building a marriage and developing a team. The most valuable thing any couple considering marriage can do is to invest in pre-marital counseling. And similarly, if a leader takes the time and effort to clarify intent among the members of your developing team the process of reaching a real place of performance.

“Why, and what does this mean for my business and my team?” you wonder.

The Tuckman Model of Team Development

In building a team there are various stages of growth and development, and some of these stages aren’t all that fun. How and if a team moves through these will be determined by the skill of the leader. When leadership takes the time to discuss in the beginning the reasons the team has come together; when they clearly identify rules of engagement with a commitment to the team members and purpose , and model communication and effective conflict resolution...teams move on to perform incredible feats.