How to go from a chump to a champ in your organization — Team Turnaround

“Do more with less,” you hear that phrase all the time. But how do you actually do it?

Turning around a struggling team has never been harder and managers must work to identify and maximize whatever potential strengths a team already has.

As sports fans already know, behind every great underdog story is a leader who roots out the competitive advantage that will propel the team to victory.

Joe Frontiera is the co-author of a new book, Team Turnarounds. He told Chris Dorobek on the DorobekINSIDER program his six part plan for turning around a team.

“Before you can change you have to identify what’s not working. Perceptions can often get skewed. But data can help you see the truth. The big question is are leaders willing to get that data and share it with an organization in a way that is uplifting and not condescending?” said Frontiera, “You have to be willing to change, a lot of organizations come up with brilliant rationalizations for why things aren’t going well.”

6 Part Plan to turn around a team

1. Leading past losing
2. Committing to growth
3. Changing behaviors
4. Embracing adversity
5. Achieving success
6. Nurturing a culture of success

Leadership: “Leaders can be anyone. You don’t have to be at the top of the mountain to have an impact,” says Frontiera.

Government Mission: “Take the FBI, they have technicians who spend 8 hours a day analyzing fingerprints. That’s pretty mundane work. But if you can tap into the mission, the idea that you could be preventing someone from getting a gun that shouldn’t or helping a person adopt a child, than you can really empower the workforce,” said Frontiera.

Tough Times: “Crisis gives leaders the ability to impact change quickly,” said Frontiera, “it really gives people the freedom to let go of norms and the status quo, you have no option but to try something new.”