Building a Dream Team: The Art of Effective Team Management

David Streltsoff
3 min readDec 6, 2023

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So, how do you build a dream team?

Well, by becoming an ardent leader.

Dream teams only emerge with careful forethought and planning. It takes a skilled leader to develop an elite workforce. This is why the first step involves investment.

Step 1: Invest In Your Leadership Skills

There are managers and team leaders who possess good sense and the desire to strengthen others yet struggle. Why?

They haven’t taken time to grow and strengthen themselves. You cannot lead farther than you have been yourself.

By gaining knowledge, acquiring new management skills, and investing in obtaining more experience, you increase your ability to build that all-star team.

A good leader is committed to ongoing formation, reading books, and listening to podcasts such as Valuetainment hosted by entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David. As you improve, you’re better equipped to form that elite team.

Step 2: Hire For Character, Train Skills

The best teams are about more than just skill.

Founder of Novartis AG Peter Schultz recommends “hiring character and training skills”. People bring who they are to work. They’ll act in business as they do in their private lives. Their character will color all their business endeavors.

Skill can be taught but character is more difficult to train for, because like steel it is forged in fire. Prioritize character when building your dream team.

Warren Buffet echoes Schultz insisting on looking for these “three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. If you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”

Step 3: Make The Vision Crystal Clear

Former Ford CEO, Alan Mulally says, “Leadership is having a compelling vision, a comprehensive plan, relentless implementation, and talented people working together.”

Dream teams are not created based on other people’s expectations and beliefs. To be successful, you’ve got to keep your vision before the team continuously. Pursue your path and do not chase after the dreams of others.

By casting the vision repeatedly, your team will gain unshakable clarity. Consequently, focusing their efforts on hitting milestones becomes easier.

As the leader, refuse to accept the limitations others try to impose on you. Maintain a good attitude and encourage a positive work culture. The team takes its cue from you.

Bonus Tip: Value The Contributions Of Your Teammates

Do you acknowledge people when they point out ways to improve processes and systems? Do you ascribe credit to the person who gave the solution? Or do team members feel unheard and unseen?

People need to feel safe and secure to thrive in the workplace. Value people’s contributions whether these are opinions, views, and judgments. Allow room for failure and foster hope that they can get up and try again.

Lastly, don’t just tell your team how to do things, take the lead and work together. The team will be stronger for it.

Conclusion

The message here is that to be a truly top-tier team, as the manager, you’ve got to first develop yourself; then hire for more than just skill, and continuously make the vision plain. The greatest teams are always well-balanced incorporating visionary leadership with capable talent. Mastering the principles above will give you the necessary leverage to transform an average workforce into a dynamic team worth reckoning with.

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