Summary:
The article proposes a scheme of 6 effective steps and transformation in the leader, to form multidisciplinary work teams. It also relates the work of Jhon P.
Koter, author of the book What Leaders Really Do. Let's start by exposing a typical problem that is presented to most leaders from management levels. The integration of multidisciplinary work groups. This managerial aspect is of utmost importance, since it delimits the bases, tools and articulated instrumentation, which will mean later the fulfillment or not of one or more objectives; and the success or failure of the set.
When the leader determines the need to implement a work group, he always moves in a projection scheme. This projection is defined by scenarios. Whether it's to drive you to success or just failure., competitive and highly technical and globalized. Well, the integration of an interdisciplinary work group implies, according to a personal proposal, the monitoring and attachment of at least the following elements applied to their own leadership style:
1. Critical self evaluation. Before forming a multidisciplinary team, it is vital and urgent to know my weaknesses and strengths as a leader, authority and person. The focus of each of these aspects will help us to complement our panorama and thus be able to discern and differentiate two clear situations:
to. What do I know that I know
b. What do I know that I don't know
2. Break paradigms. Once I have placed myself in a knowledge and self-knowledge scheme, it is very important to recognize which are the paradigms that govern our daily work, and which of them represent an obstacle in any area of our life. This will make us able to understand the critical sense by which we govern ourselves, in addition to allowing us to begin to stop governing ourselves under a scheme of value judgments. Judging often causes us major conflicts in our lives.
What is a paradigm? A paradigm is a particular world view of the world that questions the established order, subjects it to continuous criticism and determines great transformations.
Although the concept paradigm was defined from a scientific precept, today the simple way to define it, according to Stephen Covey, is: "Paradigm is the way we see the world". In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey outlines that it is by breaking paradigms that individual leadership can be exponentiated.
3. Leaving the circle of comfort: In most cases, human beings settle inside a circle of comfort, a circle that is the best known and the explored terrain that is easy for us to travel. It does not fit our weaknesses or fears, it is simply the means by which we transfer our limitations to an external environment.
Getting out of that circle of comfort implies discovering new territories, in which we do not have a defined parameter. There are deep-rooted fears and all our disabilities.
Why get out of the comfort circle? In life there is a basic principle attributable to the human being. Its development capabilities are unlimited as long as an exploitation of them is generated. So, how am I going to develop my skills if I find myself “stuck” in a circle that I can't or don't want to get out of.
When we have a goal, it is well worth getting out of the comfort circle and forcing ourselves to meet them, here we can mention a very effective principle called "burning ships".
When Alexander the Great had landed all his men on the enemy coast, he gave the order that all his ships be burned. As the ships burned down and sank into the sea, he gathered his men together and said, “Watch the ships burn. That is the only reason why we must win because if we do not win, we will not be able to return to our homes and none of us will be able to reunite with their families again nor will they be able to leave this land that we despise today. We must be victorious in this battle since there is only one way back and it is by sea. Gentlemen: when we return home we will do it in the only way possible, on the ships of our enemies.
3. Identify the group. On many occasions, the working group is formed due to not very defined or articulated conditions, that is, it is formed due to needs, recommendations, analysis of human resources, interviews, or due to a combination of these and many more. However, we cannot always fully identify our work team. One of the most valuable resources is carrying out DFAO structures, which are developed in an evaluation scheme of weaknesses, strengths, aptitudes and opportunities.
Identifying the group is not an easy task, and it is perhaps at this point that the leadership projected into the team must be more structured and seen by the other members.
4. Conformation. Forming a working group is hard work and impeccable leadership work. At this point it is positive to re-perform a self-evaluation and delimit the elements of personal weakness that we project, in order to turn them into an opportunity for change.
The formation of a team is a process, and it is very important to consider that the implementation and debugging time of the team could take several months or even years. In matters of leadership time, it is not the same as a solid team, however, the times required during the process will be defined by the weakest inside and the strongest, if applicable. In all situations, the development of personal skills and attitudes will give a clear indicator of progress or stagnation.
5. Abandon value judgments. Very often value judgments indefinitely slow down the progress and process of forming work teams, in this case I would like to be clear about it. By eliminating value judgments we have secured the best terrain for success. Linking and not discrediting can become a very powerful weapon.
6. Vision and transformation. When a leader undergoes a process of profound transformation, a kind of revolution is generated within the group, this does not mean that organizational or projection elements are disarticulated, but that the initial objectives also change focus. In this sense, the vision, insight, tenacity and transformation of the leader will allow us to explore areas that previously seemed impassable. At this point, the team will strengthen indefinitely, however it will lack proper leadership from the leader. At this point, the character of the leader is needed. What do leaders really do?
A leader who has followed a process of change, who has transformed and who has transformed the vision of his subordinates is capable of:
Throwing yourself into the void, which is the same as risking everything for a vision and for the team.
The true leader will accept enormous challenges, however he will be able to face those challenges, since he will have the unlimited capacity to feel and be supported and supported by his team, which means high group synergy.
Antonio Medrano, in his Book "Magic and Mystery of Leadership" reviews more than 30 desirable characteristics of the leader: Objectivity, Know how to speak, Know how to listen, Humility, Sense of humor, Courage, Self-control, Loyalty, Gratitude, Responsibility, Training, etc.
We should not fall into the trap of associating a leader with a superman. Jonh Kotter reminds us: “Leadership is not something mystical and mysterious. It has nothing to do with having "charisma" or any other exotic personality trait. It is not the domain of the elect. "
These characteristics are highly commendable, however, the leader does not possess these characteristics without great prior personal development and without taking risks.
The risks do not imply leaving a chance in the luck, the risks imply decision and character in front of challenges that in normal situations we could never carry out.
Jhon P. Kotter, in his book What Leaders Really Do, proposes actions that great leaders take.
“They coordinate people in contrast to organizing and staffing, they set an orientation in contrast to planning and budgeting, they motivate people in contrast to controlling and solving problems. Ultimately they create a broad culture of leadership. ”
Leadership is projected and also sculpted, however leadership that is built together is unlimited.
"Our great mistake is trying to obtain from each one in particular the virtues that they do not have, and disdain the cultivation of those that they possess."
Margerite Yourcenar. French writer.
