You just can’t fake leadership. When Coach K led his Duke basketball players to 27 post seasons in his 30 years at the school and became the most winning active coach in NCAA Tournament play, no one doubted his leadership skills. Even Coach K himself said, “I don’t look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.” Leadership begets results. During the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr.’s ability to inspire the masses earned him not just the Congressional Gold Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Nobel Peace Prize, but also the respect of the nation and generations to come. Leadership begets results.

So when corporate executives are unable to guide their teams to success, why do we still call them leaders? Too many times, titles and suits dictate our view of management, when really, we should be examining results. As always, start by turning inward. Look at your own effectiveness.

How can you objectively review your leadership capabilities? What do you do to grow and develop these strengths and temper your weaknesses?

Building Your Team
If you want to develop your organization and build successful teams for your business, you need to avoid the five primary causes of team dysfunction. The causes and what you should do about each follow.

1. Absence of Trust
Team members need to be able to admit their weaknesses and mistakes, to acknowledge the strengths of others, and to apologize when they do something wrong. Mistakes are part of the process to success.   What is essential is to help others learn from the mistake. Leaders need to ask questions and coach team members to make necessary changes.