3 tips for being a good co-ordinator

Great teams always have a co-ordinator. Why? Getting creative people to combine their talents can be challenging at the best of times. The co-ordinator’s role is to ensure people channel their talents towards achieving the team’s goal. Let’s see how this works in practice.

Clarity is vital. The leader’s role is to chart the way towards achieving the picture of perfection. The team member’s job is to clarify their best contribution and commit to achieving the goals. They must then do creative work, co-operate and achieve concrete results. Sounds simple in theory - but things can go wrong, especially during the creative work stage. Strong orchestration is vital - otherwise individuals may do their own thing.

“But isn’t that the leader’s job?” somebody may ask. Great leaders often follow the STAGE Model of leadership. This covers the Strategy, Tactics, Administration, Grunt Work and Emotional aspects of teamwork. They focus on the strategic and emotional leadership - whilst hiring the right people to manage the tactics, administration and grunt work. Great leaders have a co-ordinator who makes this happen - otherwise they get sucked down into fire-fighting. Let’s explore three of the key steps in being a good co-ordinator.

* You can establish clarity.

Clarity is crucial if you are going to play the role successfully. Start by clarifying: a) The leader’s specific goals - the picture of perfection; b) The strategy for achieving the goals; c) The leader’s role in reaching the goals and the role they want you to play as the co-ordinator. Clarify the Dos & Don’ts involved in your role. Good leaders communicate your role to the team. People then know your areas of accountability, autonomy and authority.

Credibility is also crucial - especially in the eyes of the team members. Good co-ordinators gain respect by showing: a) Showing they respect the team members and their knowledge; b) Showing they want to support people, rather than becoming a hindrance; c) Showing some early successes - such as getting resources, removing obstacles or producing quick visible results.

* You can do the co-ordination.

Good co-ordinators ask questions such as: “What are the results we want to achieve - the picture of perfection? What are the resources available? What is each person’s ‘A’ talent? How can we co-ordinate these talents to achieve the goal? What support will they need to achieve success? How can I provide this support? What are the Dos and Don’ts with each person? How can I make clear contracts with them about their contribution towards achieving the goal?”

Good co-ordinators then make things happen. They are like sheepdogs, especially with knowledge workers who may fall into following their own agendas. Approaching such a person, they say things like: “Tell me how things are going……That is interesting. Now, remember the agreed picture of perfection. Is that something you still want to contribute towards achieving? If so, can you get back to me as to how you would like to continue contributing towards achieving the goals? Then I will provide the support you need. Great if you can get back to me within the next day.” Like sheepdogs, they are friendly, but sometimes bare their teeth. They get away with it because the team members respect them - and also know they can be tough.

* You can deliver concrete results.

Good co-ordinators get some early wins, rather than embark on long process analyses. Success breeds success. It also buys time to tackle the more long-standing challenges. Good co-ordinators see their role as proactive - rather than that of a glorified progress-chaser. So build-in weekly meetings with the leader to look ahead to the next week, the month, the next quarter. Clarify the challenges facing the team and agree on the potential solutions. Some team members may try to split you - like a child approaching different parents till they get the ‘right answer’. The co-ordinator may also need to ‘manage’ the leader - to ensure that person makes their best contribution to the business.

“When it was first mentioned to me, I did not understand the role of the co-ordinator,” said one leader. “Looking back at my earlier career, however, I realized my best work had been when I had someone who made things happen. They are now the first person I look for when taking over a new team. A good co-ordinator is worth their weight in gold.”

Great leaders and co-ordinators get their act together. They know that clarity is the starting point for any venture. But co-ordination is the bridge to producing concrete results.