Team Building

by Ed Luttrell
National Grange Director of
Leadership and Membership

Does it seem like you are doing all the work? Then it’s time to focus on your team building skills as a Grange leader. After you have identified as many skills that would be helpful in accomplishing the task, and you have looked at your members and people who have those skills, it is time to recruit them onto the team.
Adopt the attitude that you are going to recruit people onto the team, not appoint them. Tell them that they are important to the success of that task. Let them know that you consider their participation valuable. Let them know that they will be part of a team that will decide how to get the job done. If they say no, ask if they will provide their experience or skills to help the team. After all, having someone help the team is one possible way to get them on the team later.
Be sure to have the team leader (chairman) understand that the team will be deciding things. Teams work when each member contributes to the plan and each member knows that their ideas will be considered and may be incorporated into the team plan.
Take the next step in team building and become a better leader in your Grange!