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to be done. In their research, McCann and Margerison discovered that
some of us are what they called “hubs”. A hub has the ability to assume the
role of any team member as the situation dictates. A hub that is sensitive
to the emerging needs of the team is flexible and pragmatic. A hub who
lacks that judgement or is not given direction by a knowledgeable leader
appears to be inconsistent and capricious. (Research into team behaviour
is as prolific a field as is research into leadership. Some of the best, most
useful work has been that of Meredith Belbin. My Key Management Solu-
tions outlines his team roles and how to make the best of them or you may
wish to go directly to his excellent and highly practical books. My Power of
Influence looks in detail at team/personality types and specifically identi-
fies what motivates team members to become a problem and the most
effective solution strategies.)

n Does my team have the right balance?
– Can I bring in people who can correct the balance where
necessary?
– Do I have a hub in my team?
n Is he or she aware of the needs of the team at all times?
n Can I provide guidance and direction when necessary?
n How can I provide guidance to this individual without
creating the sense that I am trying to manipulate his or her
personality?
n Am I ensuring that all my people are given responsibilities
that make the fullest possible use of their strengths?

Summary

I A balanced team is useful. It is not, however, essential for success.
I A key strength of some individuals is that they can recognize and
I respond to the need within the team for certain behaviours and
I take on the appropriate and useful role. It is worth trying to
I identify such people and encouraging them to make optimal use
I of this considerable strength.

Shared values create and sustain successful teams

Two things tend to bind teams together. One is shared knowledge. The
reason that jargon is often used within work groups of various types is that
the sharing of any knowledge, arcane or otherwise, and particularly, a
shared language tends to bring people together. What is true of knowledge
is doubly true of values. Difficulties arise when people share things in such
a way that they seek to identify and exclude outsiders. The vital thing is to

Getting people to work together 67