This may be a prevailing topic but we believe it’s an important one.  In the past we have considered components to successful team building; clearly defined goals, individual accountability, trust, communication (effective) and recognition.   This article will build on this premise because it represents the core to creating a team.  Building a great team requires strict adherence to this premise along with a commitment to having the right people on your team filling the right roles.

Let’s assume that you have a great team.  You’ve got the right people doing their job better than you could have imagined.  Everyone in the group is clear on what their responsibilities are and does them with passion.  If a mistake is made amongst the team it’s quickly acknowledge corrected and steps implemented to reduce the likelihood of it happening in the future.  The general work atmosphere is refreshing, people get along well.  Communication couldn’t be better; in fact, one would say that within your team there is over communication, everyone knows what’s going on; from the office staff to the cage wash.  And it’s with great pride that you have implemented a recognition program that makes individuals within the team and the team as a whole feels valued and appreciated.

Well that was easy!

Now the rub -   How do you keep it great?  It is no small accident when greatness is achieved on any team, maintaining a team at a high level of effectiveness and efficiency is equally no small task and maybe a bit of a miracle.  Should you be so fortunate to have built or been a part of a great team that has sustained its greatness over many years than I suggest you have at least on reason to most grateful.

This next series of articles will be devoted to this topic of maintaining great teams.  I will expound on what I have learned from my observation of many teams and from which I have learned from Jim Collins author of How the Mighty Fall and Built to Last.   By considering how teams fail, we can learn from the mistakes of others and choose an alternate and better course.  Here are the 5 stages of a failing team we will explore:

1.  Arrogance born out of rapid success
2. Over Reaching – Building too quickly upon your success
3. Failure to acknowledge drifts and deviations in your processes
4. Grasping for salvation: There’s a problem and it’s Big!
5. Death of a Team – The world no longer needs what you have to offer.

Just writing that is sobering!  It’s my hope that you have a great team.   That you go to bed on Sunday evening looking forward to the upcoming work week.  Even if that AALAC program description is due, the PIs are calling for you head because the per diems were raised last week ( 1^st time in 10 years), you have several key staff away on holiday and it just feels like it’s time for a USDA visit.  And with all of that going on you can look forward to the work week because you have great people around you and together the team will get through it all continuing do what they do best.

“I got the results I prepared for.”  That’s a quote from Michael Phelps during an interview with Bob Costas after winning a whole lot of Olympic Gold medals.

On face value this statement makes a lot of sense.  Of course he prepared (and one might say even worked hard) to get his Olympic Medals. We all watched his preparation pay off, sometimes winning a race by fractions of a second and at other times blowing away his competition.

We would even imagine that other athletes made this same claim, “I got the results I prepared for”.  How about the Fabulous Five, the way they decisively took hold of the chance to reclaim a gold medal for the US Women’s Gymnastics Team.  And who can forget Mo Farah’s 10,000M Men’s Final.  As he is about to cross the finish line he looks around to see who might be making a move on him and to his shock he is all alone as he is first to cross the finish line.

These are just a few of the many stories of great triumph that we saw or heard about from the resent Olympic Games.  Great athletes getting the results they prepared for.  It all makes sense because at our core, we know if we work hard we will get the prize.  The prize will vary from person to person but it’s all the same – a great job, a passing grade, board certification, that special person that caught your eye or even a gold medal.

But here’s the catch, Michael Phelps said this just as he acknowledged there were some races that he didn’t win.  As I listened to his interview I thought, wait a minute, is he saying he prepared for the results of ALL his races, even for the races he didn’t win. And it seems that that is exactly what he was saying.  Whatever the outcome of the race that is what I prepared for.  My level of preparation dictated the outcome.  Phelps’ comment becomes more provocative when put in this perspective.

So what does this mean?  If I come in 4^th it’s because I prepare enough to come in fourth. If I come in 1^st than I prepared enough to come in 1^st and if I am last in a field of 12 I prepared for and worked hard enough to come in 12^th.

Our level of preparation and hard work will dictate our outcome.  Throughout our journey we prepare for and work hard and even set goals.  At the “end of the day” it’s my hope we can say with conviction “I prepared for every result I had”?

Sometimes the most effective leaders within an organization are among the biggest personnel problem an organization faces.  This is too often true because the formal leadership within an organization does not fully comprehend who all of its leaders are.  While organizations try to tap into and nurture individuals that “they” feel possess natural leadership skills, they often fail to recognize an equally important layer of leadership that carries as much, if not more, importance in realizing the highest level of performance the group is capable of achieving.  Informal leaders can be found within most organization and as stated they may be one of your greatest challenges or conversely they may be one of your greatest assets.   Failing to ignore that optimum performance from any group can seldom be obtained if formal leaders do not recognize who fills the informal leadership roles within the various layers of its organization.

Who are informal leaders?  Informal leaders are those individuals within the organization that have been “elected” by their peers to lead and set performance standards.  Typically informal leaders are not titled and if they are, they would be considered low level management.  We have previously defined leadership as being the ability to influence.  Our ability to influence others has also been confirmed to not be necessarily be associated with possessing a title or degree.  So who are your informal leaders?  Maybe it is that employee that comes in on a Monday morning with a great attitude and all the staff follow suit.  Perhaps it’s the same tech that comes into work in a foul mood and the entire group has to tip toe around them to the point of suppressing their joy or contentment for fear of retaliation from this tech.  The informal leaders have the ability to improve the overall performance of the group or to derail productivity.  As leaders it is critical that we take the time to identify these individuals and work with them to the point where they are on board with company policies, practices and vision.  Encouragement and periodic reward for their services to the group is essential.

Note:  Informal leaders don’t necessarily need to be promoted; just recognized and appreciated.

It is the effective management of informal leaders that allows formal leaders to assure the performance of the collective group is moving in the direction of an organization’s goals.  Good informal leaders can help make your organization be a better place to work.

That’s right.  You are a leader.  Not because of your title. Not because of your position on the Deacon board neither because you have father 3 wonderful children.  You are a leader because you are.  Independent of all the accomplishments around you, independent of your natural leadership talents you are a leader.

Maybe for some this idea of your ability to be a leader seems unrealistic.  Maybe you have shied away from any activity or opportunity that would thrust you into the sphere of leadership.  And then there are others of you that whole heartedly concur with the premise that you are a leader.  You probably see yourself as a leader in many different areas of your life, whether at home or at the “office”.

The reality is that all of us have the ability to be a leader.  Leaders aren’t born leaders; they are born little babies that have all the fundamental needs of a pinkie (a newborn mouse).  When was the last time you saw a pinkie leading a charge against anything.  Just like that little pinkie, we have to grow, learn and be nurtured.  The reality is that we can all develop into leaders; leaders in all areas of our lives.  Sure some of us may never lead a charge against the opposition but most of us will have a chance to demonstrate influence in multiple areas of our lives.

Now for those of you that do see yourself as a leader…Awesome!!!  But bear with me as I ask you why.  And before you answer the question please don’t tell me it’s because you have some title of authority or you have achieved success academically.  True leadership never comes from a title or because of gained possessions.  Have you ever met a manager that couldn’t manage well or a parent that struggled as a parent?  The hard reality is that if you consider yourself to be a leader, you are because you worked at.  And as much as I would love to give everyone an “Easy Button” there is no such thing for leaders.  Being a leader will take time and energy and determination and persistence, practice and patience.  And unfortunately promotions of epic proportion, good genetics or a nurturing environment (helpful though they may be) are not strong predictors of your leadership potential.

And here is the good news; our ability to be a leader and not just a leader but a good leader lies completely in our ability to understand what skills it takes to be a leader and pursue after it as if your life depends on it.   Maybe your life will not depend on you being a good leader, but someone else’s life may.

So for those of you that are leaders, congratulations keep doing what you do and for those of you, who have not quite unleashed that leader inside of you, go for it, you can do it we believe in you and we need you.

Leadership is your ability to inspire and influence the people.  Although some may be born with nature leadership traits, true leadership comes from learning and can be practiced by anyone who has the willingness to put aside his or her personal interests for the best interests of the team. Great leaders know that everyone on their team has a significant role to play in achieving the goal.  It’s a leader’s responsibility to facilitate bringing out the best effort of those around them.

When applied consistently, following principles will help you achieve continuous success as a leader:

You Matter.  Lead now because your leadership is needed now more than ever.

Set challenging goals and expect the best from your team. Goals will help create a sense of purpose and urgency.

You go first.  Lead by example.  Your team needs to know which way to go and that the way is clear.

Hire the right people and assign tasks based on individual strengths and capabilities. Each team member needs to know their role.

Let your team know you care.  Show them with both word and actions.

Help your team create a set of ground rules describing behaviors they want and don’t want as they work together.  A self-regulated team frees up the leaders time to plan and create vision.

Build trust along the way.  You can’t do much of anything on your own.  Trust can be hard to achieve and easy to lose.  Be a person worthy of another’s’ trust.

Don’t de-motivate your team by over-managing their efforts, but do give them both positive and constructive feedback on their performance.  You hired them to do a job now let them go and do it.

Listen to your team’s ideas and suggestions, as well as their concerns and complaints. Take their comments seriously and act upon their input.  Every member of the team has a voice that needs to be heard.

Celebrate your team’s successes. Recognize individuals, as well as the team collectively for their efforts and accomplishments.  Don’t wait for permission to recognize your people, even if you have to sacrifice some of your personal resources to do so.

Finally always remember that good leaders are constantly growing and learning.  Take the time to read, learn what it takes to be better at leading and then go make a difference for you and your team.

Historically the concept of enrichment in the laboratory animal research community has focused primarily on nonhuman primates and the provision of novelty and complexity to their living environments, ultimately leading to more species typical behaviors. Governmental regulations also require the opportunity for exercise for canines that live in housing environments that don’t allow significant levels of activity. Although regulations do not require the provision of enrichment to many of the species commonly used in laboratory animal medicine, there is a universal trend to provide enrichment to all species when possible.

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