Leading Across New Borders: How to Succeed as the Center Shifts

Appendix ATeam Launch: Foundations

Paying attention to how a team is positioned within a matrix organizational structure can do much to make a team leader's tasks more feasible. There are other steps team leaders can take to build the foundations for effective teamwork. Each of the five steps recommended here corresponds with a high-priority item from the GlobeSmart Teaming Assessment ^SM survey data on global teams cited in Chapter 4; these steps have been reordered slightly to provide team leaders with a logical sequence for action.

While many team leaders may find these topics familiar and easily checked off their long list of tasks, the evidence from more than 2,000 global teams suggests that they should take a closer look, dig deeper, and ensure that their own team's foundations are set on firm bedrock. Global teams live in earthquake country where structural weaknesses can be fatal and higher building standards are required!

Global Team Leader Checklist (II): Team Foundations

1. Assess stakeholders
2. Establish shared goals
3. Build trust among team members
4. Clarify roles and responsibilities
5. Use rewards to support alignment

Step One: Assess Stakeholders

Priority survey item: The team receives the resources and cooperation it needs from other parts of the company.

Team leaders should kick off the interactions between team members with a thorough stakeholder analysis. Participants on a matrix team may or may not be aware of all the stakeholders their team is serving. By hearing ...