No matter how big or small your team or what its goal is, there are four things it needs to succeed. As a leader, it’s your job to help your group create and adhere to each of these:
A meaningful common purpose – Most teams are responding to a mandate. But to be successful, your team must “own” this purpose by developing its own spin on it.
Specific performance goals – Develop measurable goals to inspire your team and inject a sense of urgency. Shared goals require everyone to focus on their collective effort, rather than on differences in titles or status.
Commitment to how the work gets done – At the onset, agree on who will do what jobs, how you will establish and honor schedules, and how you will make and modify decisions.
Mutual accountability – You can’t force trust and commitment. By agreeing upon purpose and goals, your team members forge their accountability to one another — not just to the leader.
(Source: Harvard Business Review, 23 May 2013)
Jenny Ho 