5 Tips to Build a Real Project Dream Team

 

Until a rule change in 1989, the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team was traditionally composed of amateur players.  At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain the first U.S. "Dream Team" took the Gold Medal after wining the final game against Croatia.  I must admit that I'm not really a fan of the "Dream Team" approach to building teams, but the 1992 "Dream Team" has definitely changed the Olympics.

Another team, coached by Herb Brooks about ten years earlier, was the 1980 Gold Medal winning U.S. Hockey Team.  However this team was composed of college hockey players from around the country and certainly didn't start out as a "Dream Team."  Coach Brooks wasn't looking for individual superstars as much as he was looking for a team that could play well and win together.  Which this team did.  They beat an undefeated Soviet team that had dominated Olympic hockey for years. 

"I'm not looking for the best players," said Brooks.  "I'm looking for the right ones."  Brooks understood that building the best team involves knowing the strengths, weaknesses, and aptitude of everyone on the team—regardless of whether or not they are individual superstars.

Are there some things we can learn from Coach Brooks as we work to build effective project teams?

Pick the right team: Just because someone is available, doesn't always mean they are the best to work on your project.  Whenever I'm tasked to build a project team, here are some of the things I look for:

1. Do they have the skills I need to make the project successful?  Because I will be relying on them to do their job (so I can do mine), I always look for individuals who have demonstrated that they know what they are doing.
2. Do they have the ability to learn and stretch?  I always look for people who are not afraid to try new things and think "outside the box."  I learned a long time ago that collaboration with people of different skills can be very productive.
3. Will they play and work well together?  In my opinion, a superstar who is a jerk doesn't help the team.  He or she might be highly-skilled, or even the best at what they do, but if they don't get along with anyone—I won't add them to my team.
4. Are they willing to take constructive feedback?  I don't call it criticism for a reason.  Criticism doesn't help anyone, but feedback and honest critique can help a willing learner improve and increase their skills.  That includes team leads and project managers.  If a potential team member "never does anything wrong," they will more than likely have to be "perfect" on someone else's team.
5. Can I count on them at "crunch time?"  Every project seems to run into times when people need to put forth a little extra to make things happen.  It seems like no matter how well you plan, there are always things that "crop up" to cause trouble.  It's important that we can count on each other to pitch in with a little effort during crunch time.

Brooks was famous for saying, "Legs feed the wolf."  In other words, wolves eat if they are better able to chase down their prey—success just doesn't drop in their lap.  Referring to an easy way to get cut from the team, Brooks once said, "If you give me 99 percent, you will make my job very easy."  Successful teams share a willingness to work hard and give their very best.

What do you do to make sure you have the right people on your project team?