Building an Effective Team: Part III

As a linear and organized thinker, I have been frustrated at times with creative freeform thinkers. If I can’t put order to their thoughts, it confuses me and seems like random ideas that add no value. But I now understand that not to be true.

There was a time in years past when I was frustrated with one creative person on my team. It seemed like we were always at odds.

Then we took some personality profiles as a team. After seeing this person’s profile, I realized that God had made this person with these creative gifts for a reason.

I’m sure my work style and personality drove others on our team crazy, just as this person did me at times. But God had created this person with some amazing gifts that our team desperately needed. I didn’t have to always understand them, but I recognized that I needed to listen and learn.

Romans 12:5-6 teaches, “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”

God in His infinite wisdom forms teams with different people who have different gifts. Those individuals different from us don’t have to make sense to us personally. Without those people with those unique gifts, we will be like a team missing one of its starting players.

To build an effective team we not only need to hire people with different gifts, but we also need to learn to respect their uniqueness and allow them to use their gifts fully.

If you only hire people who think like you, you will limit your ability to serve all your customers. Remember each person’s unique mindset and gifts come from God.

Questions for Reflection

• Have you ever considered asking your team to take a personality test? How might that assist in your understanding of your coworkers? Is there any particular coworker you are consistently at odds with? If so, why? Could it be a difference in personalities? What could you do to help ease the situation?
• What is unique about your coworkers? What is unique about your business? In what subtle ways does your coworker’s individuality serve your business? How does their insight benefit the whole team? Would it be beneficial to listen to their ideas more?