Is Your Team on the Way Down or the Way Up?

The current Business Week contains an excerpt from Jim Collins's new book "How the Mighty Fall." http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_21/b4132026793275.htm

In the book, Collins talks about the importance of the role of the executive team in making the organization mighty. He lists the traits of teams on "the way down" and those on "the way up." Fascinating stuff.

If I could dare to supplement Collins's list, here are some I would address:

Teams on the way down are led by leaders who create confusion by assigning work and discussing outcomes only with individual team members.

Teams on the way up are led by leaders who know how to use the team's meetings to promote clarity and cohesion.

Teams on the way down are made up of members who come to the table representing first and foremost their vertical line of the business.

Teams on the way up are made up of members who come to the table representing first and foremost the team and the organization -- they think horizontally across the business.

Teams on the way down work together for years with the members never really getting to know one another.

Teams on the way up are cohesive because they genuinely enjoy being around one another and are comfortable discussing even personal aspects of their lives.

Teams on the way down are made up of team members who hide their weaknesses from one another.

Teams on the way up are made up of team members who willingly apologize to one another and freely admit mistakes.

Teams on the way down have meetings that are boring and that are dreaded by the team members.

Teams on the way up have meetings have that are interesting, compelling and relevant.

Teams on the way down pursue artificial harmony.

Teams on the way up pursue healthy levels of debate.

Is your team on the way down or the way up?