Redefining Success To Create Effective Teams

Don´t expect a fish to climb a tree

Being successful and achieving goals is what keeps us going in life; empowering us to live up to our potential. Most of us have aspirations we are working towards, often from school or university. We think we know what we have to do to be successful and we know we have achieved it when we attain that sought-after position, or when we reach that certain income level.
 

However, what we often find is that we are frustrated, depressed or burned-out. This can result from overriding our natural state of being and abusing our bodies with little sleep as we continue to strive to win. The ‘dream’ becomes a nightmare, our compensation being the ability to buy luxury items, use first class travel and have one, week long vacation a year. We choose it all because this means we are ‘successful.’
 
I see success as something you cannot buy or achieve. What if success is waking up every morning so excited that you can scarcely wait to start your day? What if a successful team is a group of people whose job is doing what they truly are good at? And, what if happiness could be a measure of a successful team?
 
Is this an illusion, or is it something that might be possible in the future?
 
These three tips can lead you towards possibility and away from the fantasy of what could be:

1. Looking Behind the “Scenes”

Successful recruitment means looking at what people are truly good at, what they enjoy doing and what they will actually do - not what they tell you they will do nor what they are supposed to do based on their qualifications.
 
Many people in HR and business look at qualifications, references and diplomas. This is what supposedly determines peoples’ capacity and ability to reach certain goals. I see that education and qualifications are important to everyone’s ability to get a job done, and that enthusiasm and capacities in different areas are equally essential.
 
Things change and evolve. Do you have to stay where you are just because of a choice you made many years ago? Find out!

During recruitment, applicants may tell you whatever you want to hear to get a particular job. Asking prospective employees these questions can help to find out what is going on beyond this:
 
1. “What are you not willing to do?”
2. “What is it that you enjoy least in your current job?”
3. “If I had to find out what you truly hate in your job, what question would I have to ask you?”
 
These questions can also be a contribution to the candidate. It helps them consider uncomfortable aspects of what might be their ‘dream’ job.
 
People often get lost in fantasies and overestimate themselves when seeking jobs or promotions. They desperately want that position, and don’t even consider if they will enjoy the job they will do.
 
Others might only want the money, never intending to do more than the standard ‘nine to five.’ You may not be able to avoid having these people on your team. Nonetheless, if you have this awareness, they can be useful by knowing that they won´t do more and assigning them tasks that work with this schedule.

Avoiding failure does not lead to success and success is not the opposite of failure. Creation and growth of your business is a long journey with a certain destination – but no defined path or trail.
 
The only way you may fail is by not changing things round when you become aware that it does not work. This applies to people who turn out to be not suitable for a particular role and initial idea or concepts that don´t really work to grow your business.
 
While there are always goals and numbers to attain, executives should never consider it a failure if these are not reached in the way they had planned. When something isn’t working, ask what needs to be changed and change it, rather than trying to force ‘success’ by continuing in the same manner. And instead of trying to figure out what the failure was, look at what needs to be done different in the future. Judging someone – including yourself – for something that does not turn out as expected, never helps your organization grow: change what needs to be changed and continue your journey.
   

David Kubes is an international lawyer, avid entrepreneur, consultant, coach and certified facilitator of several Access Consciousness® specialty programs, including Right Riches for You. After graduating from law school, Kubes finalized his Ph.D. in aviation law at the age of 25, and started working for Austrian Airlines in both Vienna and Washington D.C. After three years of training, he obtained his international lawyers license at the age of 28. He specializes in aviation law, finance and international project management. A savvy entrepreneur, he owns several companies and through his legal work, dealings and negotiations with different cultures and in different languages, Kubes has required a wide range of awareness and coaching.