Jamie Morley

Elizabeth, You are so correct! Balanced feedback is essential to keep teams performing effectively. Intel uses an approach called a "brag sheet" whereby employees complete a monthly summary of their activity to their supervisor. In addition to an honest assessment of the activities, this gives them an appropriate forum to share successes. This type of strategy could work very well at the team level as well. Dr. Jamie Morley

Larry, You are right on target! Setting clear goals is often as equally as important as the members of the team. Setting expectations, defining success, and establishing benchmarks help both new and established team members. Obtaining commitment from team members is also important, especially if the project is not their full time responsibility. Feedback and acknowledgement also help to keep the motivation high. Nicely done! Dr. Jamie Morley

Linda, You mention a couple techniques that are essential for effective team engagement -- public encouragement and private meetings for concerns. A good team leader will probe to determine why they are not getting optimal contributions from team members. Sometimes the team members need coaching, while other times it is the dynamic of the team that is causing them not to share. Your techniques go a long way to making everybody comfortable with contributing. Well done. Dr. Jamie Morley

Lisa Marie, Your process is a good one! It allows everybody to contribute and ensures that varying opinions are heard. Do you ever have an issue where some people do not want to contribute? If so, what strategies do you use to address that? Dr. Jamie Morley

Nicole, You make many good points! Getting people from different departments to come together for one purpose is an excellent way to design a team. It helps not only to solve an issue but also fosters understanding of the other departments. Cross-training is never a bad thing! Ideally, the corporation can select individual goals that support the department goals, which in turn support the mission of the institution. Having this alignment means that everybody has a vested interest in doing their best and helping others to succeed as well. Thanks, Dr. Jamie Morley

Kim, You are correct. Having multiple people involved in decision making often produces a better outcomes because there are different perspectives and experiences represented. Sometimes, leaders have difficulties in managing by consensus. They can encounter significant delays, "groupthink", or apathy. Have you ever experienced any of those issues, and if so, how did your group or strategic leader overcome them? Thanks for your input. Dr. Jamie Morley

Robert, It definitely hurts morale when team members see other not carrying their weight and yet there are no consequences. One way to ensure that your contributions are recognized is to complete a weekly or monthly status report. Even if your supervisor does not require a status report, submitting one will open his/her eyes about your impact. Over time, the capable team members will get the better assignments and the recognition that goes with it. Just be patient and be a good team player. Dr. Jamie Morley

Stu, Giving people individual assignments is a good way to achieve accountability. However, there should be interaction with your team between the time you make the assignment and the time the team gets back together. By guiding them to successfully complete the assignment; you are much more likely to get a good outcome when the team gets back together. It also makes your team feel that you have a personal interest in their individual success. Best of luck, Dr. Jamie Morley

Tami, Using the same tools for communication with virtual teams and residential teams is a great strategy. What tools do you use? With the access to free shareware like Skype and free versions of tools like WebEx and GoToMeeting, communicating is getting easier and more cost effective every day! At the end of the day however, it is all about selecting the right team or managing and training them to become the right team! Happy New Year! Dr. Jamie Morley

Nicholas, I hope you are enjoying the course! Dr. Jamie Morley