Innovation is a team sport

“With the right people, anything is possible.”

– SIR RICHARD BRANSON

Team: Definition

“A number of persons associated in some joint action.”

–Dictionary.com

Team Participant Guide

According to one model (there are many) used by practitioners and academics, there are 4 types of stakeholders in a change initiative.

1. Accountable Team Member

Accountable: Definition

“Subject to the obligation to report, explain, or justify something; responsible; answerable.”

• This is the team leader.
• One and only one team member is accountable for success of the overall initiative.
• If your initiative is to succeed, you are accountable.
• If you choose to be 100% accountable, your initiative can succeed. This is an opportunity to assess the commitment you made in the lesson on Power (This link will open in a new window. When you’re done there, just close it and you’ll be back here).

For example,

• I am accountable for creating this course, so others can get what they want.
• I have made the declaration, “I am accountable for building this course.”
• This inspires me to continue and create this course.
• There is no proof in the world that I am accountable, other than my declaration.
• Nobody can make me accountable for it, and they can’t force me to do it. Nonetheless, I am empowered through my choice to be accountable.

2. Responsible Team Members

Responsible: Definition

“Answerable or accountable, as for something within one’s power, control, or management (often followed by to or for).”

• These are members of your core team.
• This is the group of people you will surround yourself with in defining product definition and goals.
• This also includes the people who will take part in helping fulfill meeting the goals and building the product.
• This includes you, though you can outsource some aspects of this work, ultimately you MUST own and be responsible for the results.
• You must be 100% responsible.
• This is not accusation, blame, or a reason to blame later.
• I invite you to be responsible, as a powerful foundation for success in your initiative.
• If you choose to be 100% responsible, your initiative can succeed. This is an opportunity to assess the commitment you made in the lesson on Power (This link will open in a new window. When you’re done there, just close it and you’ll be back here).

3. Concerned: Extended team members

• These people are tracking your initiative, and have a stake in the outcome.
• They may or may not be supportive of your initiative.
• You are in this group. Be supportive of your initiative, in any way that is required.

4. Involved: Extended team members

• These stakeholders are impacted and may have influence over your initiative, but they are not accountable or responsible.
• These stakeholders may not be supportive. In fact, they may work against you.
• If you are only in this group, your initiative will fail.

Practice

Think carefully about the people in your life and business. In every initiative where they take part or are affected, which role are they playing?

• You may be surprised to see that some people you thought were “important” are just coasting.
• You may also see that some people you didn’t give very much credit are actually important contributors!
• Finally, you may see there are people who you really need who are not supportive (or even present).
• You will also begin to notice there are people who are highly supportive of you, and you may not be taking greatest advantage of the help they’re willing to give you.

Practice 1. Identify your social influences.

Make a list of the people, teams, organizations, institutions, and communities of which you’re a member, or who have an impact on you, “social influences”. These could even be people or organizations that you no longer have contact with, but who still have an impact on your thinking or feelings. This list may run to several dozen constituents. You can add them to column A of this google sheets template.

• For a personal change, understand who is in your personal ecosystem.
• For a business change, understand who will be impacted by the change you envision.

Next, assess the level of support in your life. Who is supportive, who is , and indifferent to your Values and Purpose?

Practice 2. Are your values supported?

Rate how each of the people/organizations/groups, “social influences”, in your life aligns (or not) with your core Values. (Again, use the google sheets template.

Place your 5 key values at the tops of columns 2 through 6. Rate each of your social influences for each Value. You can use High/Medium/Low, 1 through 10, or even use negative numbers if you have social influences that are counter to some of your Values.

Look for trends:

• Do you have values that aren’t well supported in your life?
• Do you have social influences who don’t support many or any of your Values?
• Are any social influences highly supportive of several of your Values?

Practice 3. Is your change initiative supported?

Rate how each of the social influences in your life aligns (or not) with your Purpose. Add your 3 word goal to column 7 of your google sheets template. Again, assess how each of your social influences supports or do not support your Purpose. Use the same scale you used for values (High/Medium/Low, 1 through 10, or even negative numbers for social influences that are counter to your Purpose.)

Reflect

Answer these questions in writing, and put the result in your PowerBoard.

• What was most useful for you here?
• What one idea can you put to use immediately?

Results

Your PowerBoard now includes your People inventory, as well as. one or more new ideas or techniques you can put to use immediately.

Next: Expand Your Team

For More Information

• Definition of “Team”: Dictionary.com
  
• Definition of “Responsible”: Dictionary.com
  
• Responsibility Assignment Matrix
  
• Isolation is the dream-killer, not your attitude | Barbara Sher | TEDxPrague
  
• Tale of a 450 person team
  
• Mini-bio of Richard Branson excerpted from Wikipedia.
• Reflection questions are inspired by The Coaching Habit.

Photo Credits

• Mont Blanc ascent: Photo by Charlie Hammond on Unsplash. Link.
  
• Richard Branson: By Chatham House, CC BY 2.0. Link.
  
• Team of two on a snowy mountainside: Photo by Charlie Hammond on Unsplash. Link.
• Female Violinist at a concert: Photo by Michel Catalisano on Unsplash. Link.