Team Avengers

How and Why you should employ a team like the “Avengers”

Your Office Avengers

Billionaire Industrialist and Inventor

Always wants to do the right thing

Most Talented Person in the Team

Arrogant

Thinks he can do better than anyone else

Sometimes not a Team Player

Be Transparent

Let them know they are part of a bigger “universe”

Explain how there actions impact the team

Guide them, develop them into great employees

Get them to understand there “Strengths & Weaknesses” help the team

Demigod that is super powerful

Belong to a different world

Doesn’t understand how to function in different surroundings

Clearly articulate what you expect

Invest a lot of time upfront helping build right skills

Partner them with someone who can bridge the gap

Startup vs Later Stage Companies – find it hard to adapt

Help them understand and assist them to grow

Scrawny little kid that transforms into Captain America

The Super Hero that saves us all

Fixed view on the world

Wants to do things one way

Truly believe that this solution is the only way

Ensure there is a relationship of trust

Actively listen to there point of view

Re-phrase problems to clear trade-off problems

Explain its not all black and white – it can be about making the “least” worst choice

Hulk does one thing really really well….. SMASH!

Unfortunately that’s all he is good at!

Easily distracted

Not the best at communication

Sometimes you need to hire and expert

Channel there energy on the “problem”

Don’t allow them to be distracted

Communicate on there behalf

Hire collaborative team members that are comfortable working with these types

Black Widow and Hawkeye do all the dirty work

Hawkeye is a sniper, an observer

Black Widow is a spy, gets information to gain success

On there own, they cant fight the “Bad Guys”

Without them, the Avengers have zero chance of success

They don’t get much credit

Help them scale to become “Superheros”

Acknowledge that they play crucial roles

Identify and Hone their skills

With right inspiration they could become better than the “stars”

Which Superhero and What Role?

Resource Investigators

Give a team a rush of enthusiasm at the start of the project by pursuing contacts and

opportunities

Their focus tends to be on the outside world and not directly on the team so they will attribute ideas based on what they have

learned from other organisations or individuals

Teamworkers

Bring a co-operative and diplomatic

approach to a team

Goal orientated, they will listen before

acting and will always drive a

harmonious nature to team interactions

Co-ordinators

Tend to be the leadership figure of the group

Mature in their nature, they acquire talent, set goals and delegate as appropriate

But what about their workload? Flip the coin and these characters can be perceived as

manipulative

Plants

The creative ones in a group, the free thinking team members are the go to

guys for problem solving and generating ideas

However be careful.. too many of these in a team can lead to conflict!

Monitor Evaluators

Thoughtful, strategic and logical, they explore all options when problem solving however can be a little critical on ideas

with no logical founding

You have to balance this with the fact that they are usually accurate in

assessments!

Specialist

Self starting, single minded and passionate about learning in their own field

They have seen the world so to speak and keen to share this with the group

They demonstrate high skill and ability however their contributions tend not to stretch outside this

narrow subject area

Implementers

The catalysts for positive action

They are often loyal to the group or cause and are self disciplined in their approach

Whilst being practical they can respond indifferently to new possibilities

Completer Finishers

Often viewed as the perfectionists, will go out of their way to ensure tasks and activities are done correctly

Their motivation is driven by the excellence and standards in their work rather than the thoughts of other

team members

Flipping that coin once more, this means they will struggle to delegate unless these standards can be met

and will knit-pick about small things

Shapers

Driven by the challenge of task or situation and have the confidence to thrive under the pressure of such

activities

Extroverted and supportive in their nature, they will ensure the team does not get complacent and strives to

achieve its goals

However be wary of their styles, they are often prone to provocation and may often speak before they think

Function as a Holacracy

Holacracy is an organizational structure in which authority and decision-making are distributed throughout self-organized teams

rather than being vested at the top of a hierarchy

This “self-governing” operating system replaces the traditional management structure of authority-based power by removing job

titles and the “manager” role

Individuals are granted greater entrepreneurial leeway and are encouraged to take more initiative, accountability, and responsibility

through a relatively self-managed workplace culture

All members have some degree of leadership responsibility and, depending on the situation, will take turns being ‘in charge” – Captain America may be the lead tactician during a battle, while Bruce Banner may

run the research lab

As a result, the work performed by each member is based on job skills and abilities, not on a designated

job description

Instead of a hierarchical pyramid, Holacratic organizations are divided into a collection of self-

organizing circles that are aligned around operational needs

These circles often overlap and are encompassed by the company-wide circle. Each circle has the authority to create and execute its own activities and disbands

as goals are completed and/or priorities change

The flexibility and adaptability of a Holacracy must be incorporated into the fabric of the

organizational structure

Autonomy is essential as are the diversity of tasks and an ability to chart their own path. Not every organization or leader can handle the non-linear complexity of a Holacracy, nor

are willing to relinquish power

More accountability comes with a price

Poor performers have nowhere to hide and harmful decisions cannot be tucked away.

Change is typically resisted…and this is a big change

Once the transition is complete, empowering employees to operate like entrepreneurs will motivate

and engage your high-caliber staff

Lessons Learned

Everyone has different talents

Everyone works in different ways

Everyone needs different tools for the job

Be proud (and supportive) of your teams differences

Ultimately you are the leader

Strategies the Avengers Teach us

Sometimes things go wrong (and they will), so do not give up and keep fighting

Set an example to others, if you want to be taken seriously as a leader or dependable person

Do not be afraid to stand your ground if you believe in something

Work as a team and divide the problem

The Marvel Effect

Shapers

THANK YOU!