The Number of People on a Team

Did you ever wonder why they tell you that the optimal size for a team is six to 12?

First, let’s define a team. A team is “two or more people; similar or complementary skills; committed to a common: purpose, process, customer, set of performance goals; hold themselves accountable to each other and to the organization.”

Input/Process/Output for Empowerment

Empowerment is a process. As with any other process, it has inputs and outputs. The cyclic process of empowerment cannot be executed without employees, leaders, and systems aligned with the goals of empowerment. Both employees and leaders want to know “what’s in it for me?” and the empowerment process produces results describing that.

REQUIRED	PROCESS CYCLE	RESULTS
Trustworthy Employees	Build Trust Communicate Delegate Manage Resources Mentor & Coach Motivate Develop Track Results (Repeat)	Self-Determination: Freedom; Independence; Discretion
Leaders		Meaning: Care about the work; Doing something important
Supporting Culture: Processes; Structure; Skills; Style; Systems; Symbols		Competence: Confident of their ability; Want to grow
		Impact: Active participation; Influence company success

(“Results” from MacShane, 2005, p. 191)

Please, Use Proper Grammar

In the workplace, and with clients, each of us wants to be taken seriously. Proper use of language is the place to start. It’s in the way one speaks and writes.

Here are a few examples of common misuses of English:

Give ’em Something to Hate

Most people find getting started, that first step, as the hardest part. It’s scary. You’re putting yourself and your ideas “out there” for review and potential ridicule. Although the same principle applies to any creative endeavor, it seems most difficult when considered in the context of writing

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Zao Tzu

You are going nowhere until you start moving. Of course, the journey will take unexpected detours and side-trips before it’s done. That doesn’t matter. It’s not even a journey until you start. So, put something on the page. Let’s see where it takes us.

Effective Communication by Being Reasonable and Right

Professional discussions have to remain just that. . . professional. They have to be based in mutual respect. My mentoring advice has always been:

“Reasonable people speaking in reasonable tones arrive at reasonable conclusions.”

Good judgment and wisdom are required to know when to talk about what with whom. There are six “rights” that come into play: