I recently came across the STAR model of team leadership, developed by Apex Leadership. It’s worth a look. The STAR model is a great way to think about what you need to do as a leader to get your team performing.
The key elements of the STAR model are:
- STRENGTHS – Individuals flourish as they use and develop their strengths. Team leaders should focus on individual strengths, identifying where an individual’s best contribution can be made.
- TEAMWORK – Individual strengths are rarely good enough. They will only achieve the synergy of teams when the individuals are led, coordinated and managed effectively – with the aim of promoting teamwork.
- ALIGNMENT – The team leader’s role is to align and manage. That is, align the individuals using teamwork with appropriate resources, whilst ensuring all of these are focused on achieving team and organisational goals.
- RESULTS – Addressing these points mean team leaders are far more likely to achieve meaningful results releasing the power of team synergy.
- OUTSIDE FACTORS – Leaders need to align and adapt to the surroundings in which they and their team operate. This means recognising that factors outside of the teams control can often have a big impact on them. For example, other teams or organisational issues or issues outside of the organisation can all impact on the team and its performance.
To add a few of my own observations, I like the emphasis on strengths. Much of T&D points towards identifying and developing areas of weakness however, in many situations, it is more productive to become even better at those things we are naturally inclined to do well. This ties in well with the conclusions of Dr Meredith Belbin’s work on Team Roles. In this case we “side-step” areas of weakness by working with others who are strong in the areas we are not. It is this process that leads to teamwork and synergy.
I also like the focus on alignment and results. A team’s purpose and performance goals need to sit side-by-side – they need to be aligned. Surely this must be a principal objective of team leadership.
So as you can see, I rather like the STAR model!