Effectively Working as a Team- James Gerdsen

As a college athlete and CEO of a company, James Gerdsen knows a few things about teamwork and effectively organizing a team. Everyone has been in a group sometime or another in their lives. It can be a positive experience or it can leave one person feeling overworked and used.  It all depends on whether or not the team is working in unison or fighting itself.

A perfect example that James Gerdsen likes to use is lifting a heaving box with a group of people. If five people lift a 500 pound box off the ground together each person lifts 100 pounds and the box is easily moved. If only three of the five lift together, each person has to lift about 165 pounds. The box may still be moved but the feat is much more difficult. Now, if only one person tries to lift the box it may never get off the ground.

The dynamic of the team will differ based upon the task at hand. Some projects require more independent work while others require constant collaboration. Determining the goal of the project is the starting point, suggests James Gerdsen. This lets everyone know what direction they are pulling. Next, break down the project into different tasks, says James Gerdsen. The tasks should be delegated to members based on expertise. Each task should also have a timeline to bench mark progress by. The timeline can be created as a group or individually. Group meetings should be held at each benchmark. If every member has to present to the group at every benchmark it helps to keep them on track. It is also an excellent way to get feedback.

Use the process of organization and communication provided by James Gerdsen on your next project.  Remember it is easier to move 500 pounds when each person is responsible for an equal portion of the weight.