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January 17, 2010
As a Consultant, how am I doing as a Team Leader?
I've been struck recently by the difficulty that we as independent consultants sometimes have in leading a team on a client project. Even though we may coach our clients to develop their leadership capabilities, as an essentially 'free', independent spirit, I myself don't necessarily find it easy to collaborate or work effectively as a leader or team member.
It's not enough to presume that other consultants will want to work on a project with me just because it's guaranteed work, particularly and even in the current climate. There's a lot more at stake.
I've been revisiting Stephen Covey 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' and his chapter on 'Interdependence'. Here he talks of establishing the Emotional Bank Account when engaging a team in a new project.
To build up the bank account we need trust, respect, listening, and time spent in getting to know and understand each other and our respective values.
I realise that while I am fastidious about 'contracting' I have found myself drifting on occasion from his underpinning philosophy of a co-created "Win/Win outcome or No Deal" agreement.
Posted by Alison at January 17, 2010 02:59 PM
