A quick tool you can use in your resolution to add more value on your team in 2013.
I took advantage of the relatively quiet week last week to make progress on my upcoming book. In the book, I explore the five responsibilities that you have as a member of a team. One of those responsibilities (and the chapter I have been working on) is to Add Your Full Value. I’ve written before about how we are all stretched so thinly that we just do what we need to do to get by; showing up as pale imitations of our formerly fully engaged selves. Read it here Spread Too Thin.
Given that it’s a new year and we’re all in resolution mode, I thought it might be helpful to give a kick in the butt (and a template) to think through how you’re going to Add Your Full Value in 2013. Click Here to download the template from the 3COze resources page.
What is my role on the team?
The first place to start is by reminding yourself why you are in the organization. How would you describe your role in one sentence? When you understand your fundamental role on the team, you become much more focused on providing what your teammates need from you. It’s helps you understand what is core and to avoid distractions
What technical expertise are my teammates counting on me to provide?
What is your area of expertise and what are you doing to stay current and relevant as your field evolves and changes? How can you look at your team’s projects through the lens of your own expertise and see different opportunities and also different risks than others can see?
What experience and perspective do I have that can be brought to bear?
Where have you been exposed to other industries, companies, departments, or roles and what insights can you share with your team as a result? Which key stakeholder groups do you understand or can you advocate on behalf of?
What are my personal strengths and how can they help my team?
How do your lenses on the world differ from other members of your team and how can the team benefit from your unique characteristics? What informal role does the team count on you to play: process-thinker, risk taker, cheerleader?
I noticed by the end of December that I was really not as present as usual. I was tired and I was pushing hard to get to the holidays. But the rest did me good and I’m back to full strength. I hope you feel the same. Take advantage of the new year to rethink how you want to show up with your team. There is so much you have to offer if you bring the best of your expertise, your experience, and your personality.
Happy New Year.
Further Reading
Are you Fueling or Starving your Team?
This is great practical advice, Liane. Regardless of our role on the team, we all need to reflect, ask ourselves these questions, and commit to change in 2013!
Great advice. We all can ask ourselves where our personal strengths fit the best to benifit the Team as a whole.
Great tool to formalize one’s personal contribution to a team and to reflect back on to confirm that we are adding the value we committed to.
Liane, I could not agree more. After a hard push to the holidays it definitely felt like everything being completed was just to get by. In times such as these it’s so easy to forget about how one’s contributions can and are affecting the team. This is a great template to step back and regain one’s focus.
An effective team capitalizes on the varied strengths of its members. This simple but powerful resource to help oneself reflect on the value they bring to their team. Sometimes a quick reflection like this is all we need to get motivated to bring things to the next level.
Great questions to reflect on our strong points and focus on utilizing those strong points to be as valuable as you can for the team. Should have those questions asked to ourselves regularly to keep sharp.