Building great IT Teams: Wolves or Workhorses…What type of teams do you cultivate?

Creating great technical teams is NOT easy…but it’s the individual team manager who can influence whether teams are GREAT. I have been part of great and also dismal teams. I know from experience that you are much more successful working with others who work hard together vs each person for themselves!

Let’s dramatize two opposing types of teams and team members you may know: “Wolves or Workhorses”.

WOLVES

Wolves are often difficult team members who value their own accomplishments over team goals. They may promote their accomplishments over the team’s for their success. Disputes and disagreement may be a common wolf tactic to win against others.

Do you know any wolves?:

• Wolves have little interest in making personal connections and trust with colleagues
• Collaborations are not easy with wolves and often result in people avoiding their help if possible
• If a wolf is a subject matter expert, they may hoard their knowledge and work hard to be “invaluable” inside of a team
• Territorial team ‘Silos’ are strongly fostered and protected by wolves.. US vs THEM thinking
• Likes to push their viewpoints over the ideas of others in meetings
• Self-promoting upward in the org chart vs helping the team succeed
• Willing to toss others under the bus to elevate themselves
• Criticism and negativity towards others is not uncommon
• May keep detailed emails and logs to provide as evidence during disputes
• May write letters to HR to get someone fired and get others to sign up too!

WORKHORSES

Workhorses are hardworking collaborators on a team who take a sense of pride in goals reached. They are loyal team members who want to pull their weight and value team and company success. Collaboration and cooperation are common traits of these team members.

• Often will take others tasks if they can help someone
• Values WE over ME thinking
• Creates loyalty within the team with their actions and collaboration
• Will work as hard a needed to help accomplish goals and deadlines
• Values being reliable… “If they say it… it happens”
• Builds interpersonal relationships and low friction work collaboration
• Inspires others with passionate idea generation and problem-solving
• Enjoys thanking others and sending recognition about others
• Are not threatened with others success, but motivated for self-improvement
• Inspires others to work together and accomplish tasks
• Values career-long technical improvement and learning and will mentor others

What’s Next? Let’s dig into strategies for building, repairing, and growing great IT teams! Wolves, workhorses and everybody in-between!