Last week we began taking a look at the Orange Revolution by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, and this week we will continue with chapters 5, 6, and 7!

Does this sound like your team?

Gostick and Elton begin by explaining 6 traits that were consistent on some of the best teams across the board…

1. They dream truly ambitious goals.
2. They believe in each other and what they can accomplish together.
3. They take calculated risks but closely measure their results.
4. They persevere despite problems or conflicts that arise.
5. And they have a charming habit of telling stories that exemplify what they are trying to achieve.

It seems like all of these would be awfully difficult to achieve if you didn’t have consistent face time and you weren’t communicating well.

It takes communication.

In chapter 6, we get an inside look at the incredible communication that exists within the Blue Angels. Now, if you have ever had the opportunity to see the Blue Angels fly, then you: 1. know they make it look easy and 2. it’s pretty close to perfection. So what is the key to their success? Communication.

“They go over every mistake, every miscommunication, every slight variation, and every detail, and they do so in an environment of total honesty”

How do you create an environment of complete honesty, where people are at liberty to admit mistakes?

Are you available?

Great teams are built on making time for each one another. So are you available to your team members? Do you have an open door policy?

“Being available for each other is critical to ensuring all team members share information about potential issues and have the opportunity to ask tough questions. When managers and team members aren’t accessible, team members feel like islands unto themselves. This leaves room for hidden information, lost productivity, incorrect outcomes, and disengaged team members.”

Be Responsive!

We are inundated by texts, phone calls, voicemails, emails, Facebook messages, and Twitter. It can all be a little overwheleming, but sometimes your lack of a response can communicate the wrong message to your team. That’s why face-to-face meetings are so important.

“The face-to-face pressure of sharing on tough issues is often lost-it’s so much easier to push send.”

“The breakthrough teams we studied gather regularly in person, face-to-face, to discuss current responsibilities, struggles, successes, and even fears.”

Cheer Up.

Appreciating and recognizing the members of your team, will make your team more productive and help each person feel more valuable.

“It is appreciation or recognition that is the key cheering factor that unlocks commitment, loyalty, drive and ultimately success.”

By far one of my favorite stories shared is this one:

After being out on a grueling exercise, in which it rained for nearly a week, the commanding general went around to check on his platoon. When he asked a young private how things were going, he said “Sir, it stinks.”

When asked why, he said that he would prefer partly cloudy and 75 degree weather. The general asked what he could do to make it better and the private said he could really use a Snickers bar.

A few days later, as it continued to rain, a box was delivered to the young private. It contained 38 Snickers bar and a note, “I can’t do anything about the weather, but I hope this makes your day brighter.”

I bet they would follow that general anywhere!

What do you do to recognize, listen to, respond to and appreciate your team?

Tune in next week as we finish up our Orange Revolution book review!!