Lean teams are all about doing more with less, but with individual job descriptions encompassing more work and responsibility, the risk of burnout without the right manager can derail your goals.  

Look at the lean teams in your organization. Are you asking team members what they are willing to take on, or considering their natural talents when delegating responsibilities? Do team leaders possess the tools to coach and develop their teams? Is the team recognized for the work they perform?    

With leaner teams, it is more important than ever to consider what practices
must be in place to ensure your team is at once stable and high-performing.    

Managers have a lasting effect on the teams they lead. A Talent Plus study discovered effective managers drive 41% higher employee engagement. Engagement occurs when managers listen, are more predictable, recognize successes and provide training opportunities to their employees. 

For lean teams, then, having the right manager can make all the difference. A strong leader sets clear priorities based on their teams’ and their own talents. Understanding what each team member does best, their natural talent, allows the manager to assign responsibility and goals to the right team member, aligned with the talents each possesses.   

Planview conducted a survey of over 3,000 individuals to see what they found to be most impactful to their success. A team leader needs who provides clarity and consistency was the top takeaway from the study.  

Other takeaways include strategies a strength-oriented manager can implement to further maximize the potential of a lean team: 

• Leverage ‘Power Tools’: research and implement cost-effective tools and technology that can dramatically help your team where personnel gaps may exist.   
• Have a Laser-Focus on Flow: streamline processes when possible and ensure each member clearly understands their role in the overall project or process.    
• Be Metric Obsessed: by tracking and analyzing metrics, teams can target opportunities to improve and meet goals. Instead of just dribbling up and down the court. put the practices in place to ensure you are scoring consistently.    
• Consider Talents and Strengths: consider who does what well and who has the talents to take on extra responsibilities. Targeted efforts and changes help you recognize strengths and delegate responsibilities appropriately.    

How do you consider the talents and strengths of a team quickly?    

Our partners leverage our talent assessments to help them accurately identify what individuals do best — whether they are a natural leader, detail-oriented, a big picture thinker or a “work-a-like-it,” for example. Understanding these unique talents lets leaders place additional responsibilities on those who will do it best.  

To hold performance conversations, leaders can then leverage our Talent Card ®, a tool that recognizes and engages individuals’ top talents. This recognition is an easy way to increase engagement, and when done with a personal touch it can have a lasting impact.  95% of respondents to a Talent Plus survey of those who received this coaching believe these assessment results help them better use their strengths.  

What tools do leaders need to coach and develop their team?    

Don’t worry if not all your leaders are natural coaches. We will do the heavy lifting. In addition to our talent assessments, leaders will receive customized coaching and development recommendations for each of their team members for an individualized approach.  

 Additionally, our consultants are here to provide coaching opportunities:    

• Collaborative Coaching: Collaborative Coaching facilitates this investment by helping a leader and his or her direct report understand one another’s most significant leadership talents, synergies and challenges, as well as agree upon ways in which they can best collaborate to create a more effective partnership.   
• Feedback Session: This feedback will provide developmental guidance and a deep understanding of the interview findings, including their top talents, areas for further growth and developmental needs.   
• Executive Coaching: This is a one-on-one customizable coaching model to help leaders develop their talents and skills by using a positive, strengths-based focus. Research proves leaders experience more success and are more effective when operating within their natural talents.    

Contact us to learn how to put your team’s natural talents to work.