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CHAPTER 10: LEADING TEAMS 307
On the other hand, when most members seem to emphasize relationships, the
leader will need to be more task-oriented to ensure that the team performs its
tasks and meets its goals. It is the leader’s responsibility to make sure both types
of needs are met, whether through the leader’s own behaviors or through the
actions and behaviors of other team members. A well-balanced team does best
over the long term because it is personally satisfying for members and also pro-
motes the successful accomplishment of team tasks and goals.

The Team Leader’s Personal Role

Successful teams begin with confident and effective team leaders. For example,
Harvard Business School professors studying surgery teams have found that the
attitude and actions of the team leader, and the quality of the leader’s interac-
tions with team members, are crucial to team effectiveness and the success of the
49
surgery. However, leading a team requires a shift in mindset and
behavior for those who are accustomed to working in traditional
Complete the exercise in Leader’s Self-
organizations where managers make the decisions. Action Memo
Most people can learn the new skills and qualities needed for Insight 10.2 on page 308 to evaluate your
team leadership, but it is not always easy. To be effective team lead- capacity for team leadership.
ers, people have to be willing to change themselves, to step outside
their comfort zone and let go of many of the assumptions that have
guided their behavior in the past. Here we will discuss three specifi c
changes leaders can make to develop a foundation for effective team
leadership. 50

Recognize the Importance of Shared Purpose and Values Team leaders
have to articulate a clear and compelling vision so that everyone is moving in the
same direction. Moreover, good leaders help people feel that their work is mean-
ingful and important. A study of cross-functional teams at Hewlett–Packard’s
Medical Products Group, for example, found that the most successful teams were
those that had a clear sense of their mission and goals and believed their work
was essential to the success of the company. Similarly, Prabhaker Patil, leader of
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the Ford Escape Hybrid team described earlier, united members around what he
called “the nobility of the cause,” a chance to make a difference for customers, the
company, and the environment. At heart, building a team means creating a com-
munity united by shared values and commitment. Leaders may use ritual, stories,
ceremonies and other symbolism to create a sense of community, shared purpose,
and meaning for team members.

Admit Your Mistakes The best team leaders are willing to make themselves
vulnerable by admitting they don’t know everything. Being an effective team
leader means enabling everyone to contribute their unique skills,
talents, and ideas. Leaders can serve as a fallibility model by ad-
As a leader, you can articulate a clear and
mitting their ignorance and mistakes and asking for help, which Action Memo
lets people know that problems, errors, and concerns can be dis- compelling vision for the team to help
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cussed openly without fear of appearing incompetent. When Bruce members see their work as meaningful and
Moravec was asked to lead a team to design a new fuselage for the important. You can make room for everyone
Boeing 757, he had to gain the respect and confi dence of people who to contribute and provide them with the
worked in areas he knew little about. “You don’t want to pretend training, support, and coaching they need
you’re more knowledgeable about subjects other people know more
about,” Moravec says. “That dooms you to failure. . . . They’re the to excel.
experts.” 53