Know the Players
John C. Maxwell has written a lot of books. Many of them have been instrumental in helping many business owners understand how to be better leaders of people. We based our entire Leadership Team program on one of his books.
A while back, I bought his book The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork. I was captivated by the title, but hesitant to get started. Sometimes these guys who write a lot of similar sounding books start sounding like they are just looking for new ways to say the same thing.
But, I always want to do everything I can to strengthen my team. Ultimately I relented and decided to crack open the book.
For doctors who want to build a stronger team, I do recommend the book. If you don't want to read an entire book, let me give a quick summary: Building a great team takes a lot of work and you can never stop working on it.
I particularly like the Law of the Niche, covered in Chapter 3. The concept is that to reach their full potential, every team member needs to be in the place where they can make the biggest difference. The same concept is discussed in Jim Collins' book, Good to Great when he talks about getting people in the right seat on the bus.
Maxwell says to get the people in their right place, you MUST:
Know the Team - Classic "Vision" Blog
Know the Situation - "Open Your Eyes" Blog
Know the Player - Classic "Listening" Blog
How do you "Know the Player"?
Most of us have the tendency to treat all of our team members the same. But the fact is, every person is different and responds differently. Getting to know our team is something we could all do a little better.
At Leadership OD, we offer an in-depth Personality Test called the CPI 260. It gives an intensive look into the work styles and motivations of any individual. The test reveals an exhaustive evaluation into any personality. Knowing the differences and similarities of a team allows a greater understanding the team.
Here is a look at my results from a few years ago.
We review every test with the doctor; here are my notes about my own results.
While the test is available to everyone and includes a review with one of our consultants, our members receive a free test and big discounts on additional tests. When you decide to invest in "knowing your players," we recommend letting everyone on your team take this test. We are doing it in our office now.
Purchase Personality Tests (Non - Members)
During a recent presentation I heard a profound statement from my friend, Dr. Amir Khoshnevis. He was lecturing on the power of a strong culture and how a unified staff was an integral part. He said that dealing with staff issues and attitudes was at one time the most challenging aspects of managing his practice. Now that he routinely puts time and energy into staff development, it is one of the most rewarding.
He uses personality tests in his office. I'm just saying.......
Have a great weekend,
Mike