Farmgirl Sensibilities

I am thinking this morning of what components make up a great team. Diversity of experience and background are essential. We are more than ever a culturally diverse world.

I believe each staff member can bring special gifts to the team. As leaders our goal should be to create and develop a blended team where team members compliment each other and work together effectively.

I like to think about leadership in other ways that relate to everyday life, or at least that make sense to me. If you enjoy cooking, think about a favorite recipe. For this example, I will use homemade spaghetti sauce. If you just opened a couple cans of plain tomato sauce and called it good your pasta dish would be pretty plain and even unedible. The same goes for a team. If your team members are clones of each other or all the same personality and skill set, you will likely have a poorly functioning team.

Now consider how to make that spaghetti sauce really special. I would add minced onion, some mushrooms, maybe a little bell pepper, and Italian seasonings. For me, a good amount of garlic as well as a little cayenne pepper are “must haves”. When the sauce has simmered for an extended period of time, the final product can be delicious!

Build your team the same way. You want it all in there. A good base (tomato), veggies to add flavor, and a little spice! Your sauce, just like a good team, needs a little love thrown in too. I will talk about love and leadership in a future post.

Have a fabulous day building a well blended team!