Turnaround teams typically have lots of flux, with people moving in and out on a regular basis. So, how do you select the right team members?
Some things are obvious, such as past performance, education, experience, skills and team fit. But have you given much thought to personality type? Humanity is divided fairly evenly between four general personality types, each type having its own unique strengths and weaknesses. I worked in an environment once where only the type A personality was celebrated. That type was perceived to be motivated and goal oriented — possessing leadership potential.
It turned out to be (in my humble opinion) a costly exercise in futility. The assumption was that strong personalities would form a strong team. Is it hard to imagine how weak an NFL team would be if most of the players insisted on being the quarterback? My experience in that environment reiterated the wisdom of Billy Bryson, “…it takes all kinds to make the world go around…”
Do you know how to identify the four personality types? Which personality type are you? Which personality type are you most likely to clash with? Do you know the strengths of the different personality types and how you can leverage them for your team? Do you know the weaknesses of the different personality types and how to guard against them in your team?
The best leaders are the leaders who have learned to manage culture. At the base of culture is the management of personality types. In a turnaround environment, soft skills are hard money. Do you have any soft skills feedback that you can share regarding team motivation, team cohesiveness, team loyalty, decision-making, team morale, compliance, work stress levels, team productivity, employee retention, etcetera? Follow WTMC’s Turnaround Coach blog and share your own comments over the next several postings as we develop this theme.
(Cross-posted at WTMC's The Turnaround Coach blog.)