2019 may just be the year of the team. From the NCAA championship UVa. Men’s basketball and lacrosse programs to the newly crowned USA Women’s Soccer World Cup winners (a team which includes three former UVa. stars), we have seen some amazing performances. And it’s only July.
Even though their respective sports are different, each of those award-wining groups has one thing in common: exceptional teamwork. And while ESPN doesn’t usually include incredible accomplishments from the nonprofit world in its list of top ten plays of the day, having a successful organization takes considerable team effort.
How can we go for the gold in our nonprofits? When building a team, both professional staff and board members can be proactive by completing a skills assessment to recognize areas where current employees and members bring value and identify gaps that new additions can fill.
Once a staff or board is assembled, its important to build a strong foundation as a team. As you prepare for board orientation, also consider incorporating personality assessments into team development. Whether Myers-Briggs or Clifton StrengthsFinder—there are many tools that encourage team awareness and development. Here at CNE, our most recent hires completed self assessments and then participated with our entire staff in a series of activities using Emergenetics.
As goals are set, events are planned, and work is delegated, knowing how to best engage with and support each other will set up our team—and yours—for success. While we can’t promise you’ll end up hoisting a championship trophy, we do know that your organization will be well on the way to a list of accomplishments worthy of celebration.