Recently I wrote about two types of organizations- compliant and committed. I explored the different attempts businesses make to get their company to reach new goals, achieve new limits, and exceed the targets. I concluded that a committed team is best for the long term future and success of a business and that leaders within the organization are responsible for creating this level of commitment. That sure sounds logical, but what’s in it for the leader? After some consideration, here is my top 5 list for why committed teams are best.
- Productivity soars in your absence. Ever feel like when you are away, the team is at play? That might have some truth to it as employees often feel a relaxed sense when the ‘boss’ is away. However, relaxed and disengaged yield two very different results when you are away on business or pleasure. A committed team, while relaxed, continues to push the goal while you are away, looks for ways to move the dial, shows up on time, and is excited to report results upon your return. A compliant team will create a list of things that need to be done in your absence and ensure that they show up enough to complete that list before you get back. No one will know if they showed up late, left early, and took a 2 hour lunch, right?
- Goals get met…and exceeded. A compliant team will do what you say and no more. A committed team understands the goal, is motivated by the results and understands their individual role in hitting the target. They are more likely to push past the goal or even set a target higher than you would on your own. This is because committed teams are motivated teams. They want to exceed, they envision being at the goal line, and they create ways to get there versus wait for instructions at every turn. For committed teams, the goal is not just a number, or date, or end in mind; it is a future, a vision, a journey.
- They put the whistle in your work. Simply put, being a part of a committed team is more fun. They tend to have more creativity, ownership, and excitement buzzing around them. Committed teams thrive on new ideas, changes, and challenges thrown their way. And they are more likely to have fun because they have the ability to shift the manner in which they are working to get to the end result. In contrast, a compliant team will hit a goal by doing what they were told to do. They feel less ability to be creative, change pace, or shift the direction in order to overcome unforeseen barriers.
- Sleepless nights decrease while vacations increase. On a compliance driven team, leaders may find themselves up at night worrying about how they are going to get the job done, motivate their employees, or reach a goal. They are less likely to take time off in fear that targets will be missed, customers won’t get what the need, and the business will be at a stand still for a week. Quite the contrary happens when leading a committed team. Your worry at night is replaced by a concept called sleep and time off feels different because you can have trust in what is happening while you are away. You no longer feel the need to check in, worry, or rush back to the office because you have created a team of leaders who share the same goals, vision, and dedication as you.
- Customers and clients prefer committed teams. Yes, your customers can tell the difference too. In my experience, a committed team will extend the same creativity, loyalty, and excitement to the customers as they put into the team because they understand and believe in the connection between the two. Their happiness and helpfulness extends outside of scheduled meetings, and becomes contagious both inside and outside of the company culture. They know how to leverage their role on the team and what that means for the customer, community, and greater good of the company.
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