The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork

Dr. John C. Maxwell

The Law of Significance

One is too small a number to achieve greatness.

Why Do We Stand Alone?

Ego

Insecurity

Naivete

Temperament

The Law of the Big Picture

The goal is more important than the role.

The Process of the Big Picture

Look up at the big picture Size up the situation Line up needed resources Call up the right players Give up personal agendas Step up to a higher level

The Law of the Niche

All players have a place where they add the most

value.

Correctly Placing People

Wrong Person/Wrong Place = Regression

Wrong Person/Right Place = Frustration

Right Person/Wrong Place = Confusion

Right Person/Right Place = Progression

Right People/Right Places = Multiplication

Correctly Placing People

You must know the team

You must know the situation

You must know the player

How to Find Your Niche…

Be secure

Get to know yourself

Trust your leader

See the big picture

Rely on your experience

A sign of a great team leader is the proper placement of

people.

The Law of Mount Everest

As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork

elevates.

A Team for Your Dream

What is your dream?

Who is on my team?

What should my dream team look like?

Growing Your Team

Develop team members

Add key team members

Change the leadership

Remove ineffective leadership

The Law of the Chain

The strength of the team is impacted by its weakest link.

Teamwork is not for Everyone

Not everyone will take the journey

Not everyone should take the journey

Not everyone can take the journey

Impact of a Weak Link

The stronger members identify the weak ones

The stronger members have to help the weak one

The stronger member come to resent the weak one

The stronger members become less effective

The stronger members question the leader’s ability

The Law of the Catalyst

Winning teams have players who make things happen.

Three Kinds of Players

People who don’t want the ball

People who want the ball but shouldn’t

People who want the ball and should

Characteristics of a Catalyst

Intuitive

Communicative

Passionate

Talented

Creative

Characteristics of a Catalyst

Initiating

Responsible

Generous

Influential

On the road to improvement…

Find a mentor

Begin a growth plan

Get out of your comfort zone

The Law of the Compass

Vision gives team members direction and confidence.

Aligning Your Vision

A moral compass (look above)

An intuitive compass (look within)

A historical compass (look behind)

Aligning Your Vision

A directional compass (look ahead)

A strategic compass (look around)

A visionary compass (look beyond)

The Law of the Bad Apple

Rotten attitudes ruin a team.

Attitudes & Teamwork

Attitudes have the power to lift up or tear down a team

An attitude compounds when exposed to others

Bad attitudes compound faster than good ones

Attitudes & Teamwork

Attitudes are subjective, so identifying a wrong one can be difficult

Rotten attitudes, left alone, ruin everything

There’s only one thing more contagious than a good

attitude – and that’s a bad attitude.

The Law of Countability

Teammates must be able to count on each other when it

counts.

Countability Characteristics

Character

Competence

Commitment

Consistency

Cohesion

How are you doing?

Is your integrity unquestioned?

Do you perform your work with excellence?

Are you dedicated to the team’s success?

Can you be depended on every time?

Do your actions bring the team together?

The Law of the Price Tag

The team fails to reach its potential when it fails

to pay the price.

How to Pay the Price?

The price must be paid by everyone

The price must be paid all the time

The price increases if the team wants to improve, change, or keep winning

The price never decreases

Team Player Requirements

Sacrifice

Time Commitment

Personal Development

Unselfishness

Modeling Sacrifice - Are you…

Willing to make financial sacrifices for the team

Willing to keep growing for the sake of the team

Willing to empower others for the sake of the team

Willing to make difficult decisions for the sake of the team

The Law of the Scoreboard

The team can make adjustments when it knows

where it stands.

Keeping Score…

Is essential to understanding

Is essential to evaluating

Is essential to decision making

Is essential to adjusting

Is essential to winning

The Law of the Bench

Great teams have great depth.

Honor & Developing Your Bench

Today’s bench players may be tomorrow’s stars

The success of a supporting player can multiply the success of a starter

There are more bench players than starters

Honor & Developing Your Bench

A bench player placed correctly will at times be more valuable than a starter

A strong bench gives the leader more options

The bench is usually called upon at critical times for the team

Predicting the Future of Your Team

Recruitment: Who is joining the team?

Training: Are you developing the team?

Losses: Who is leaving the team?

Correctly Placing People

Personality Passion Pattern Potential Profile Placement

The Law of Identity

Shared values define the team.

Connection & Shared Values

Glue A foundation A ruler A compass A magnet An identity

Core Values of a Team

The personal growth of each team member

The priority of adding value to others

The power of partnership

Core Values of a Team

The practice of raising up and developing leaders

The proper stewardship of the ownership

Thinking About Your Team’s Values

Articulate the values Compare values with practices Teach the values Practice the values Institutionalize the values Publicly praise the values

The Law of Communication

Interaction fuels action.

Developing Good Communication

From leader to teammates

From teammates to leaders

Among teammates

Between the team and the public

When leaders don’t listen…

They stop gaining wisdom

They stop “hearing” what isn’t being said

Team members stop communicating

Their indifference spreads to other areas

The Law of the Edge

The difference between two equally talented teams is

leadership.

Teamwork & Leadership

Personnel determine the potential

Vision determines the direction

Work ethic determines the preparation

Leadership determines the success

Leaders bring out the best…

Leaders transfer ownership for work to those who execute the work

Leaders create an environment where each team member wants to be responsible

Leaders coach the development of personal capabilities

Leaders learn quickly and encourage others to learn rapidly

The greater the challenge, the greater the need for the many

advantages that leadership provides.

Adding Value to Yourself

Acknowledge the value of leadership

Take personal responsibility for your leadership growth

Put yourself on a leadership development program

Find a leadership mentor

The Law of High Morale

When you’re winning, nothing hurts.

High Morale Magnifies Everything

It is the great exaggerator

It is the great elevator

It is the great energizer

It is the great eliminator

It is the great emancipator

The Four Stages of Morale

Poor Morale – the leader must do everything

Low Morale – the leader must do productive things

Moderate Morale – the leader must do difficult things

High Morale – the leader must do little things

The Law of Dividends

Investing in the team compounds over time.

Investing in the Team

Make the decision to build a team

Gather the best team possible

Pay the price to develop the team

Do things together as a team

Empower team members

Investing in the Team Give credit for success to the team

Watch to see that the investment in the team is paying off

Stop investing in players who don’t grow

Create new opportunities for the team

Give the team the best possible chance to succeed