SCRIPTURE: Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. – Ecclesiastes 4:9
QUOTE: The role of the leader is to foster mutual respect and build a complementary team where each strength is made productive and each weakness irrelevant. – Stephen Covey
NOTE:
Life has a way of balancing things. We are all natural ‘professors’ in certain areas and we are also natural illiterates in some other areas. One of the reasons I love football is that it typifies the dynamics of a complementary team. In an effective football team, there will be a goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, attackers and strikers. A team of the best but in just one of these areas; all defenders, all midfielders etc. will fail woefully, certainly. Every team needs the best in different areas. That is a delicate function of leadership – selecting a team that will bond and complement in attitudes, skills and knowledge.
In a sales team, for example, an individual could be an expert in generating leads; he/she can knock at and open nearly any door. But sometimes, he/she may not be able to close deals. The leader can complement him/her with someone who is really goal driven, with sufficient product knowledge, presentation and persuasive skills etc. Then, some sales closers are in a hurry to close another sale. Hence, they may not be patient enough to nurture relationships. So, what should the leader do? Let the customer relationship manager nurture existing customers. Will that be a great sales team – lead generator, deal closer and customer relationship manager? The answer is YES! Yours may not be about sales, but the same principle applies.
ILLUSTRATION:
Some years ago, someone well known to me was on the last lap of interviews to join a Consulting firm at a mid-management level and he had to meet the lady Managing Partner. She liked his person. She appreciated his credentials and exposures. Yet, she declined offering him the role just for one reason; he had too many things in common with her to be an excellent complement that she wanted. I perfectly understood her sincere position. Though painful that he didn’t get the offer; the Managing Partner nonetheless demonstrated great leadership and effective team building skills.
REFLECTION:
List out the names of your core team members.
- Can you sincerely establish how each of them complements you in the first instance and how they complement other team members in the second instance?
- Is there any need for change(s)?
TWO YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: 2 Kings 19-20, Psalm 29