Leadership in Get Everyone in Your Boat

Leadership

In Get Everyone in Your Boat Rowing in the Same Direction, Bob Boylan offers five leadership principles to help create and motivate effective teams. One of those principles is "Where are We Headed?" Boylan discusses this principle in Chapter two of Get Everyone in Your Boat Rowing in the Same Direction. The essence of the question, "Where are We Headed?" is the need for a vision that is collective, mutual, and steady. Although Patrick Lencioni does not expressly cover the lack of vision in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, the Boylan principle still fits in with Lencioni's framework. The last of Lencioni's five dysfunctions is Inattention to Results. It is impossible for a team to remain committed to a vision, even after the dissolution of the team, if there was no strong vision guiding their "boat" to begin with. Creating and maintaining vision is therefore crucial to the success of the team. Likewise, Lenioni's third dysfunction is a lack of commitment among team members. The members of the team are not committed when they have no rudder -- when they do not have a direction or a common goal. In Get Everyone in Your Boat Rowing in the Same Direction, Boylan underscores the importance of creating not just any vision but a mutual vision that speaks to all the team members. The members of the team will shine and be productive when they are all on the same page, working together for the same common goal. Without a vision, they will lack commitment and lack the ability to get results. Moreover, without a vision, the team will manifest the other dysfunctions that Lencioni speaks of, such as avoidance of accountability. Team members who care about their work are ones that have a vision. With a vision, members are willing and even eager to take responsibility and be accountable for their work.

2. In Wes Roberts' Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, the central principle is leadership rather than teamwork. However, Roberts' leadership principles do fit into Boylan's advice about teams. In Chapter Four of Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, the author describes "Peace in the Camp," or the basis of morale and discipline. An essential aspect of all teamwork, morale is the deep sense of pride that drives commitment to the team and the organization. Without morale, the team will fall into all of the dysfunctional behaviors that Lencioni describes. Low morale leads to a lack of commitment (dysfunction 3). Without morale, the team will not be able to develop the trust that is the first dysfunction. Morale makes the team click together, because it gives the team members a sense of confidence and responsibility. They belong together in the team, and each member is valuable. Creating morale is about motivating and empowering the team members.