Page 77 - Appreciative Leadership

50 Appreciative Leadership

Clarifying Goals and Roles
As people are getting to know one another and building their team
identity, the issues of who is doing what and why surfaces. Helpful
questions at this phase of team development include these:

• Why is our task, goal, or issue important to you?
• What is your vision for our success?

• What about our work inspires you to give your best?
• How do you see yourself contributing?

When these questions are posed and successfully discussed, the
team gains clarity about its purpose, goals, and roles—who will do
what, with whom, and by when.

Learning to Work with Differences
Every team goes through a phase of needing to learn to respect

differences. Few teams begin by truly understanding how diff er-

ent members think, feel, and work. As these differences emerge in
the life of a team, they can be put to good use with questions such
as these:

• What do you most value and respect about the way we work as
a team?
• What do you bring to us that no one else on the team can bring?

• How have you successfully resolved differences of opinion in the
past?
• What are some of the best practices you have experienced or heard

about for teams to learn to work with differences of opinion?

When these questions, or others that are similar in intent, are

addressed, trust, respect, and hope emerge. The team is really ready
to get to work!