Assembling a team is a difficult task. Many considerations need to be made. This was true of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team. The head coach, Herb Brooks, had the difficult task of selecting the best amateur hockey players from around the nation. At first the team did not work well together. This was because there were players with different personalities and backgrounds. This is the problem with not having a homogeneous team. The benefit is that each player brings an important element to the team. As history holds true, having players with strengths in different areas, allows for the team to achieve its goals.
A leader needs to understand the value structure needed in a teammate. This means deciding on what Noam Wasserman in “The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls that can Sink a Startup” describes as “non negotiables.” According to Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President, and CEO of Lockheed Martin, “Lockheed Martin’s core values are non-negotiable: do what’s right, respect others, and perform with excellence.” These are values that all Lockheed Martin employees must possess. Finding employees with these core values begins with the selection process. According to Eric Herrenkohl in “How to Hire A-Players” you should “find a large pool of people who have the basic skills and hire the best. That is a simple formula for consistently hiring A-players.” This means consistently talking to people that you think may be an asset to your company. Basic skills should include core values. The right questions in the screening process will reveal the best candidate that also has the values the company requires.
It may be tempting for a small business owner that is trying to assemble a team to hire people that are from similar backgrounds. Many times family and friends become part of the business. In the short term, this seems like a good idea. Since there is a previous personal relationship, it is less likely that there will be personality conflicts. Most people feel very comfortable with family and friends. This comfort level may make them more likely to make an assumption of how a person might feel about a situation. Family might be more likely to act on their own without consulting others. In addition, formal agreements are not likely to exist in a friendship. This leads to misunderstandings.
Cultural differences can also effect team cohesiveness. In ”The effects of Team Composition on Multicultural Group Reference” the authors researched how one communicated compared to participation in the group. They compared a group with similar backgrounds with a variance in cultural background. As to be expected, when one was within their cultural group, there was a higher level of participation.
Wasserman suggests finding “people that have diverse backgrounds, but share certain core values such as risk tolerance, commitment level, value system, and personality” is the best model. Having teammates that are similar in social circles and back grounds will not allow the team to gain valuable social capital. In addition, knowledge and skills might be duplicated in teams that are extremely homogenous. Finding the right balance of diverse backgrounds and core values is the best way to mitigate the risks taken seeking members of your team.
References
Trust Builds Value in Business Ethics Programs, National Defense, Marillyn Hewson,
May 1,2015
How to Hire A-Players, Eric Herrenkohl, 2010
The Founders Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls that Can Sink a Startup, Noam Wasserman, 2012
The Effects of Team Composition on Multicultural Group Reference, Jolanta Aritz, University of Southern California, Robyn Walker, University of Southern California, September 1, 2007
Master of Entrepreneurship Website for Mike Weimar 