Two years ago I wrote a blog article contrasting team players, and team leaders. Why? Because there’s a stark difference between the two and it matters greatly who you have on your leadership team.

The Right Kind of Person for Your Leadership Team

Team players, as I am choosing to apply this label, are exceptional at being where they’re supposed to be and doing what they’re supposed to do. They execute well, play out their role on the team, follow the game plan, are technically solid and consistently produce results. In short, you can depend on them to get the job done well. That said, all these valuable attributes don’t make someone a team leader.

Team leaders have that necessary, additional ability to see an opening—to spot the opportunity—and engage the team players in capitalizing on that opportunity. As the business landscape changes in front of your organization, leaders have their heads up. They’re always alert, anticipating and watching for that next opening that will take your business to the next level. Team leaders suppress the fear of making a wrong decision, knowing that a decision must be made to keep the team moving forward. So they decide, and adjust quickly to correct the course if the need arises.

Making Leadership Changes

As you survey your organization, do you have players or leaders on your leadership team? If you have a leadership team of technicians and you want to see your company grow, you will need to move your great technicians to seats that allow them to do what they do best and add real leaders and managers to your leadership team to do what they do best. It’s not complicated, but VERY important if you want to advance your business to the next level.

Next Steps

• Read more about getting the right people in the right seats.
• Download a free chapter of Traction by Gino Wickman