September 30, 2015 When Your Team is TOO Similar
In a recent newsletter, I discussed the steps to take when your team is clashing. This week I’ll address a different problem: What do you do when your team is too similar?
On the surface, this doesn’t seem like much of a problem. You all get along, the work feels easy and natural, etc. But too-similar teams can be just as ineffective as clashing teams. Why?
- You might lack inspiration
- Your team might get distracted with friendly chatting or gossip
- You miss out on a variety of perspectives
- The end product might be geared toward only one specific type of person
But how do you add a little spice to your team? This may be more complicated than fixing a team that is clashing. The first step to diversify and brighten-up your team is to bring the problem to the forefront. If people aren’t aware there’s an issue (or they know something isn’t working, but can’t figure out why), then they can’t work to solve it.
Secondly, ask for diversity. Reach out to others who you think have a different perspective than your current team’s perspective. Go beyond gender and ethnicity. If your group is quiet and reserved, consider a more outgoing, energetic type. If your group is great at generating ideas, but lacks practical application skills, recruit someone you know who is analytic and process-oriented.
Third, gain inspiration! If adding new and different people to your team isn’t an option, there are a few ways your team can gain inspiration:
- Create a mind map (If you don’t know the basics, here’s a blog post explaining how mind-mapping works)
- Conduct surveys and market research (gather outside opinions to bring in new perspectives)
- Research similar projects and find out how those teams came up with a solution
- Turn to social media (Post about what your team is working on and ask for feedback)
Fourth: If your team is just a little too friendly, impose restrictions. You might decide to split up the group and work in pairs for a while. Or you might set aside chat time at the beginning of the day (say, half an hour to catch up with everyone), then buckle down and get to work. Sometimes it helps to have a supervisor check on your team from time-to-time in order to motivate everyone to make progress.
If you’re still struggling with how to make your too-similar team click, feel free to contact me for more ideas. Best of luck!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, LICENSED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: click as a team, homogeneous team, Margaret Smith, no team diversity, team lacks motivation, teamwork in business, too similar team, UXL
September 23, 2015 Don’t Resist: Go To The Conference!
A presentation I gave at the Women’s Business Bridge in Stillwater, MN
If you’re like me, you see invitations in your inbox regularly for skill-building workshops or conferences. They might be focused on networking, sales, leadership, work-life balance, social media, finances, or any number of useful topics that could help you thrive individually or improve your organization. And, if you’re like me, you click the DELETE button a lot!
There are a million reasons to say no, right? “I’m too busy.” “I don’t want to spend the money.” “I might not get anything out of it.” I probably won’t know anyone else there.” But, what if you said YES?
I encourage you to truly consider saying yes to opportunities that arise. If an event truly speaks to you, go for it! At the very least, you’ll meet others who are also interested in the same topic and you’ll get a chance to expand your network. I find that workshops or conferences energize me and help me to better focus my career goals.
One recent example: Last week I attended the annual Women in Networking (WIN) conference. I have been to this conference before, but every year I seem to forget just how wonderful it is until I get there! This year’s conference was just as empowering as always. The speakers motivated and inspired me; my interactions with fellow conference-goers were positive and supportive; and I ended up connecting with many wonderful women. In short, I left feeling invigorated—ready to take on any challenge and improve my business.
It would have been easy to not go to this conference. I could have talked myself out of it and instead met with a couple clients or tackled some work in my home office. But I decided to stretch beyond my norm and get myself out there, and I’m so happy I did.
The lesson? Stretch yourself. Take risks. Jump on opportunities that make sense for you. Go to the conference!
Margaret Smith is a career coach, licensed Insights Discovery practitioners, founder of UXL, and co-founder of The TAG Team. You can visit her website at www.youexcelnow.com
Tags: be vulnerable, business conference, career coach Margaret Smith, go to the conference, take risks, UXL, WIN MN, women in networking MN
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September 16, 2015 Lessons from my Mom’s Birthday Party
With my mom on the train
This past summer was my mom’s 85th birthday. It was a special day—full of sunshine, smiles, and delicious food—but the most amazing thing of all is that a whopping 100 people showed up, only a handful of whom were family members. That’s pretty incredible for anyone, let alone an 85 year old, but it makes perfect sense for my mom. She’s an amazing person and I’ve learned many valuable life lessons from her. As I sat back and enjoyed the birthday party, I thought about the qualities my mom has that encouraged 100 friends to get together to celebrate in her honor:
- She is an optimist
I know plenty of people my mom’s age who like to complain or gripe about their ailments. Not my mom. She’d rather talk about the sunny weather or family or the latest party she attended. That kind of optimism also leads her to try new things (new foods, new experiences, etc.). She believes that the outcome will be good, no matter the situation.
- She is a problem solver
After my Dad passed away my Mom did not want to stay in Florida for Thanksgiving and my other siblings (all in PA) had traditions established. So, since then she has made the trip to MN to share this holiday with us. This year, however, our son and his wife wanted us all to come out to Montana to spend Thanksgiving there. When I told my mom the news, she didn’t skip a beat…”Great, when do we leave,” is usually the response I can count on. This year we are going to Oregon to spend the holiday with our youngest son–another adventure she did not flinch at.
- She’s active
Even though she’s not as young as she used to be, my mom still keeps active and energized. She often hosts dinner parties (something even young people can find exhausting!) and loves to go out and socialize with friends. She’s great at keeping in touch with people and enjoys going out and about with her many acquaintances.
- She cares about others
My mom still volunteers in her community. She finds it important to lend a helping hand to others. And she’s not afraid to reach out and ask if someone needs something. That kind of generosity has led her to be well-respected and loved in her community.
We can all learn a lot from the optimistic, big-hearted way my mom leads her life. Do you want 100 friends to show up at your 85th birthday party? If so, start making positive changes in your life today. If you need some guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact me today.
With my mom and sister
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, LICENSED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: 85th birthday, be adventurous, care about others, career coach Margaret Smith, glass half full, lessons from my mom, Minneapolis career coach, optimism, try new things
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