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Desired Skills of the Team





Achieving effective meetings requires all members of the team to find opportunities to improve. When individuals start to see wasteful processes and actions by others in the organization, an open dialogue can begin on how to improve. Identifying small things in the everyday business process can help build significant results.

As a manager or team leader, we must recognize everyone has their own personality and brings something unique to the table. One thing we can do is develop and hone the skills of our employees with high-level training. We can provide workshops and education to improve the soft skills of each individual, so they become a highly capable professional. We can stress the importance of finding waste in the system, and show how actions in a meeting create these problems. The goal is to enhance every team member's skill set to become high-powered professionals.

"Team"

Doug gathered his product development team in the parking lot, ready to present their technical feasibility to a prospective client. They were in line for the bidding to supply a major automotive part for a future vehicle with a major automotive manufacturer. This contract could potentially be the major profit-maker for the next four years for the company. His team must give the best presentation of his life in order to win this contract.

Doug's team was the best of the best. He personally trained them in technical reviews with clients. He created a series of soft skills workshops to hone his team in dealing with the customer, answering questions appropriately, and running highly effective meetings. Doug was positive this training was his ticket to a major promotion inside the company. He believes that everyone has talent, but what makes his team elite is the high level of development of their professional soft skills. He thought this was the key to having a competitive advantage over other prospective companies trying to win this contract.

Doug's team entered the conference room early. His team members immediately turned off their cell phones. They started the meeting with quick introductions and short backgrounds on each member of the team. They kicked off with a short background on the company and their capabilities. They presented a current automotive part they were producing to the client as a strong example to see and feel. They described what they are capable of doing and how they could meet the customer's requirements. They took questions at the end of the presentation and answered every one with sharp, precise technical answers.

Two weeks later, the vice president of the company walks into Doug's small cubicle. "Doug, this cube is too small for you."

"Huh", Doug replied, a bit confused on the interesting welcome the vice president spouted out.

"You are moving your desk over by mine; we need a director that can train and develop all of our staff on high-powered teams," the V.P. explained. "We don't need you to follow the new contract we got; we will let someone else handle that."

Doug was elated; he was spot-on with his belief that shaping the skills of his employees would create an elite team under him. Because of all the hard work, he is the director of the department.

9.1 Behaviors of the Team Defined

The teams all have different personalities inside each work group. Leadership and team members easily identify these personalities.

Once you understand and know each type of personality you are working with in the group, it makes managing them much easier. You learn how to approach and handle each person.

The three categories each personality falls into are:


(Association for Manufacturing Excellence, 2002)

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