You will always be better or worse at various things compared to other people.  It is a simple fact of life, so rather than fighting against that or hiding your weaknesses, how much better, to be honest, and find other people who can balance out any shortcomings? The starting point for finding these people is your personal network. The best folk who can help you and you can help in return is your network.

This is the basis of a team: a complementary group of people who can achieve vastly more together than they can apart.  They are more than just the sum of their parts because when people are free to maximise their strengths, secure that others can work in areas where they are weaker, then their effectiveness is multiplied many times over.  Whether that is a team of just two people or an organisation of thousands, the principle still remains if there is trust and a complementary mix of people involved.

Here we are looking at key relationships rather than large teams; a network rather than a group that is already working together.  Who are the people who can really bring out the best in you?  They are likely to be people who you trust and respect implicitly.  These people could be family members, friends, a spouse or partner.

There is some truth behind the phrase ‘opposites always attract’ as, even when romance is involved, there is a balance between shared interests and complementary gifting.  When people have differences yet choose to operate together then one person’s weakness is covered by another person’s strength.

Start with the people you know

Who is in your network? Who are the key people in your social circles? It is worth spending some time really thinking through the most important relationships in your life.  These could be friends who have supported you or inspired you, people who have acted as a coach or a mentor, or folk who have been teachers or confidants.  These people are your closest and most important network and yet they are often overlooked or taken for granted.  If you need assistance, advice or even a business partner this should be the place where you start your search.

Networking can act as a trigger. As you identify people and think about how they have helped you, it can help you to discover areas in your life where there is a gap; somewhere you might like someone to play the role of coach, friend or partner.  Once you are consciously aware of the need you are more likely to find the right person to help fill the gap.  If they are the right person then they will be looking for you too – even if they don’t realise it yet!

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” 

Helen Keller

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Analysing your network

One think that can help understand your network better is creating a graphical representation. Draw concentric circles onto a page.

• The inner circle represents those you are in contact with daily
• The next circle out are weekly connections
• The third circle monthly
• The fourth circle for those you see yearly

Beyond that, the extra space can represent either people you have been out of contact with or those you might like to connect with but haven’t yet.

Now draw two lines through the circles (so it looks like a target) and create four quadrants. These can represent:

• Family
• Friends
• Colleagues
• Acquaintances

You can see an example below. If you want you can print this example off and use it as a template to draw on.

Once you have added enough names to your social circles you ask some questions to analyse your network. For example:

• Who can most help you with the challenge you are facing right now?
• If you could pick anyone for your team, who would they be and why?
• Which people are positive influences who you want to connect with more?
• Which people are negative or energy-draining? How can you manage them better?
• Who would you like to move closer to your inner circle?
• Is there anyone that you know of, but are not yet in your circles, that you would like to connect with? How could you be introduced?

So, take some time to think about who you know and unlock the power of your relationships. Have a go with creating your circles now.

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Isaac Newton

Once people understand their roles they next need to know how they interact with other people. Everyone needs to be clear about the lines of communication and decision-making authority. Authority, accountability, reporting and other leadership and management functions all need to be reflected in the organisational structure.

The structure of a team, organisation or company can take many forms. For example, ‘flat’, ‘hierarchical’, or ‘matrix’ are all descriptions of structures. But, there is no single correct structure for every team or circumstance.  The type of structure that a team should employ depends on the nature of the task and the nature of the people within the team.

Take a fresh look at what organisational structure you need

You may need to start with a blank piece of paper. Ask some questions related to your task, team and the individuals in that team. For example:

• Who needs to communicate with whom to make effective decisions?
• Which people have to work closely together to fulfil their responsibilities?
• How are individuals kept accountable for what they are doing?
• Who needs to be empowered to make decisions?
• Who is responsible for their management and supporting their personal development?
• What things need to happen for your team to be able to achieve its goal?
• Does your present structure support that aim?

The larger the organisation the harder it is to answer all these questions in one go. So, you can start by looking at the individual team level first. Work out how they need to function, and then look at how each team needs to operate and interact.

It might be helpful to do this graphically. One method I find helpful is using names on post-it notes, arranged on a whiteboard so that I can experiment. In this way, you can see how people are best grouped. You can add the different decision and communication lines that are needed in coloured pens and see what works. Get the team involved in the process too. They are likely to have the most detail about how they need to work effectively. It can be a lively team-building exercise in itself!

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Form should follow function

A structure should support communication and decision-making in the most effective way possible. You need to be organised so that you can achieve the specific goal your team is pursuing. This means that the structure is likely to need to change over time.  Organisational growth, replacement staff, new goals or different stages within a project can all spell a need for a change in structure.  Don’t shy away from moving things around. But there is a delicate balance to achieve. Too much change can cause instability and will make team members anxious. Too little change, on the other hand, will hamper your progress. In my experience, small businesses and start-ups have to watch out more for the former, while large institutions have to be aware of the latter.

On some tasks, it may be that the roles within a team need to change within the course of a day.  That is particularly true within smaller organisations where people have to share more responsibilities. If people are comfortable with their roles, and the responsibilities of others, then they can deal with this change. Very strict, traditional, hierarchical structures can make this sort of fluidity a lot harder.

Most teams won’t have to deal with this speed of change all the time. But the lesson is – as with every other tool in planning – to remain flexible.  And remember, the structure is not the end in itself: it is just a tool to achieve our end. Achieving our dream or mission is the most important thing. So, if our structure is hindering us then we need to adapt it and improve it.