Flashback Friday: This is our most read blog of all-time. Even though it was written in 2014, the qualities discussed are just as important to teams today. When this was written, I was celebrating 17 years with my best teammate, Kimra. Next week it will be 25! Happy Anniversary, Kimra!

We are committed to teaming at Gibson. Perhaps more than any other firm in our industry.

• We have a teamed relationship for client service delivery.
• We have an executive leadership team with very clear roles for each member.
• About five years ago we went against years of legacy and tradition to change our typical “lone wolf” salesperson model into multi-person risk advisory teams complete with a shared compensation model. Talk about breaking China!

Building an effective team isn’t so easy. Good teams have a sum that is greater than the individual pieces. This requires that egos are set aside to allow the entity of the team to be greater than any one member. By putting everyone on the team in a position to do what they do best, high achievement is possible. I find no coincidence that since evolving to the team model, we’ve also had the best growth in our eighty year history.

So what are the top qualities of an effective team player? I consulted the For Dummies to learn what great teammates do differently than others.

“You have to first identify good talent, then put them in the right position to succeed.”

– Jason Corley

Jason Corley joins host Tim Leman in a discussion about the healthcare industry and how organizations like CIC are taking a different approach to create a better healthcare experience for patients and physicians, while also lowering the cost of care. Jason also talks about the importance of finding the right cultural fit, especially when your team is geographically diverse, as well as the role leaders can have in helping employees grow and develop.

“You have to first identify good talent, then put them in the right position to succeed.” – Jason Corley

Jason Corley joins host Tim Leman in a discussion about the healthcare industry and how organizations like CIC are taking a different approach to create a better healthcare experience for patients and physicians, while also lowering the cost of care. Jason also talks about the importance of finding the right cultural fit, especially when your team is geographically diverse, as well as the role leaders can have in helping employees grow and develop.

Ex-pe-ri-ence.
noun
an event or occurrence that leaves an impression on someone

What kind of experience are you creating for those around you?

How often do we think about this question? It’s so easy to fall into the daily routine of work - every morning we come in, turn on our computers, and start checking tasks off of our to-do lists.

But how often do we step back and think about the experience we’re creating along the way?

“If you don't have great people, you're not going to do great work.” – Mendy Werne

Mendy Werne, CEO of BLASTmedia, shares about her efforts to stay connected with employees and maintain company culture through rapid growth. She and Tim also talk about what makes for a strong leadership team including knowing your roles, holding each other accountable, and a strong level of trust and respect.

“Leadership is about vision and direction. Management is about execution and accountability. A leader should be able to do both.” – Jeff Terrill

Jeff Terrill and host Tim Leman discuss recent trends in healthcare and what Marathon Health is doing to innovate for the industry's future. They dig into what it means to rally a team around a mission and a purpose. Jeff also discusses the difference between leadership and management, as well as what it takes to transform a group of people into a great team.

Ready for more of The Edge Podcast? 

We have 3 more episodes to share with you! In these episodes, host Tim Leman continues to talk with leaders about what it’s like to ride the edge and own it. He also digs into what makes for a truly special team.

Tune in as we discuss leading on the edge!

Even if you are not located in the Midwest, you are likely aware of the recent change in the coaching staff for the University of Notre Dame football program. If not, after 11 seasons under the Golden Dome, Brian Kelly left for a new opportunity at LSU. This prompted the Irish to name Defensive Coordinator Marcus Freeman as the 31st head coach in school history.

Shortly after the news broke, Freeman was repeatedly referred to as a "player's coach” by the media and fans alike.

At his introductory press conference, Coach Freeman addressed this description directly. He stated the following:

“Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen Covey

What is accountability? The dictionary defines it as the state or quality of being accountable. It is the decision to be responsible for your actions and your work within your team and company.

Let’s break this down in real terms...
Accountability means you follow through and do what you say you are going to do. You don’t make excuses or blame others.

As a leader, I lean heavily on Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions Of A Team. He describes how many teams avoid accountability. It creates a ripple effect. They don’t trust each other and as a result won’t discuss matters honestly. They fail to hold each other to a standard of accountability. In this environment, the team’s work becomes unfocused, their energy dissipates, and things fall apart.

“I think good leaders are good simplifiers.” – Larry Weigand

Larry Weigand discusses being the fourth generation of a family business and his role as CEO of the company started by his great grandfather. Together he and host Tim Leman talk about grit, tenacity, and hard work. Larry also explains the importance of simplifying business and doing what you say you're going to do. 

Check out this episode of The Edge Podcast: