The successful project leader is like the familiar figure of the collective sports TEAM COACH.
His leadership approach can potentially transform a team from a mere collection of individuals into an unstoppable team. He can lead the team to produce results that could not have been achieved without the special teamwork approach and the specific practices he implements, leveraging the capabilities of each team member into an incredible collective capability.
The magical aspect of the successful team coach is only the persistent, disciplined application of a limited number of key practices. Done well, it can unleash incredible potential. It can move a team from good to great even if the members are not stars.
One good example is Barcelona football club vs Real Madrid. Barcelona is a team that invests heavily in the training and growing of young talents, and has a definite strength in its collective game. On the contrary, Real Madrid invests heavily on expensive divas and not so much in a training school. Bet who has got the most consistent results?
And as the behavior of the team coach Pep Guardiola is both supportive but also sometimes assertive. One of the skills of the successful team coach is the capability to give honest and have tough conversations with his team members.
The Team Coach role is about creating an effective team, a team that will be successful and keep momentum and cohesion when facing the odds against the project. The successful Project Leader knows how to create a diverse team, and foster its development by allowing roles to evolve, and people that don’t fit to leave the team. The Project Leader also knows when and how to have tough conversations with team members when needed.
How good are you as a team coach?
Project Soft Power is now released to the world!
