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The Extraordinary Action Necessary to Build Great Teams

Aug 23, 2013 by Angie Paccione 0 Comments

the extraordinary action necessary to build great teams blog

“Can you help me?” a woman whispers during the intermission. “There’s a person in this room I despise so much that I can’t even look at him.”

I inquire, “Do you want the ‘fix-it,’ approach, the easy-to-do-but-won’t-really-change-anything answer…or do you want the transformational, hard-to-do-but-I’m-serious-about-changing solution?”

She’s desperate, and is ready to get past this barrier once and for all.

“Every time you think of him, identify and focus on a quality of his character that you admire or respect.”

She looks at me with horror.

“You said you were serious.” You said you knew you had to change before they would change.

Great teams don’t magically appear or form because we like everyone we work with. They occur when people have the courage to take the extraordinary action of leading themselves first.

What level do you want your team to play at? And what do you have to change in your actions to get them there?

Bonus: A friend, celebrating his wife’s 60th birthday, spent weeks identifying the 60 qualities of his wife he loved most – all for the purpose of writing them in a gift journal. “It was a transformational experience,” he said. “Recording what I admired most made the idea of focusing forward actionable. I wasn’t just thinking about my wife, I was actively identifying and seeking more reasons why I love her.”

It’s not a coincidence: Leaders in the workplace who have mastered how they see their world are better at leading in it.

Where’s your focus this week?  What difference will that make?

 

Original Link: http://www.verusglobal.com/wp/?p=3967

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Topics: Leadership

Angie Paccione
Written by Angie Paccione

Dr. Angie Paccione is a two-time author, master facilitator, and soughtafter keynote speaker with Verus Global. Over the past 10-plus years, Angie has distinguished herself as a trusted partner to leaders and teams across global Fortune 100 companies, equipping them with the transformative solutions to activate their potential, create stronger work teams, accelerate business results, and advance diversity and inclusion within their organizations. From humble beginnings growing up in the South Bronx, Angie didn’t let her environment dictate her future. With a rugged work ethic and relentless determination, Angie was among the first to earn a full-ride athletic scholarship to Stanford University, and after graduating with honors, went on to play professional basketball. When the pioneering women's league folded, Angie decided to pursue a career in the field of education, starting out as a high school teacher, then becoming a varsity basketball coach, and later a dean of students. She then earned her doctorate degree in education and human resource studies and became a college professor in Colorado. With a strong commitment to making an even greater impact in her community and in her state, Angie became a member of the Colorado House of Representatives, serving for two terms and later running for the U.S. Congress. Angie’s inspiring style and library of compelling stories has helped her to build a worldwide network of amazing individuals committed to building people, partnerships and performance in every interaction. When partnering with leaders and teams, Angie goes beyond simply exploring the fundamental areas of awareness and attitude, and dives deep into the critical areas of applied knowledge and skill building. Angie holds a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in Education and Human Resource Studies from Colorado State University, and a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from Stanford University. She has co-authored two books, Do Big Things and ONE Team.

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