Team Building

When building a team, the main goals I strive for are getting a diverse group of people to work with, prioritize those with a willingness to learn over “the most qualified”, and especially look for people that I can get along with best.

First, it matters to have a diverse set of members; not everyone should have the same background or same expertise. I highly value those with different backgrounds and perspectives, as it encourages a more open-minded approach to solving problems and working more constructively as a group.

I also don’t like to pick out the “most qualified” people when I build a team, as I find it often can result in unhealthy competition within the team that drives members apart. I look for the people that have the drive to learn, and are willing to improve themselves, which often involves being willing to be open to take on new challenges and being able to think critically about problems in order to solve them. This relates to my values because as a leader, I always make it a goal to improve and find new ways to solve problems, and be persistent at trying to find these solutions. I like it when members of my team have this same drive.

Finally, it also matters to me that my members like to think and work collaboratively, and that they are easy to get along with. The core quality of empathy and the ability to be personable and relatable with others is a trait I strive to have as a leader, and a quality I look for when team building. Having people with these characteristics helps to strengthen a warm environment that allows the team to trust one another, be productive when working together, and be motivated when tackling challenges.