Assessing Teamwork Capabilities

Team capability isn’t binary. It develops through four levels. Most teams get stuck because leaders don’t use a system for progressing people upward. Here is the ladder and how to move someone through it. Level 1: Supervised Can do the work, but not independently. Requires your input before starting, guidance while working, and review before shipping. Typical Behaviors: “Can you check this before I continue?” Waits for approval at each step Unsure of quality standards Many questions, low autonomy Why They Get Stuck: You keep reviewing everything because it feels faster than teaching them to self-correct, or you keep giving them tasks of the same difficulty so they never build judgment. Level 2: Reviewed Executes independently but still needs your review before final delivery. Understands the process but not the quality bar. Typical Behaviors: “I finished this, can you take a look?” Confident in execution, uncertain in evaluation Can produce output but can’t decide if it’s ready Relies on your quality checkpoint Why They Get Stuck: You never defined what “good” looks like, or you keep reviewing out of habit even when their work is consistently fine. Level 3: Independent Executes, evaluates, and ships without you. Knows quality standards and self-corrects. You only step in for novel situations. Typical Behaviors: “I shipped this, here’s what I learned.” Self-evaluation aligns with your evaluation Asks fewer, but sharper questions Confident in both execution and judgment Why They Get Stuck: You don’t expand their scope, or you don’t give them chances to transfer their knowledge to others. Level 4: Teaching Others Performs independently and scales capability by teaching others. Multiplies team performance. Typical Behaviors: “I taught Sarah how to do this.” Documents systems without being asked Runs peer learning or onboarding sessions Reduces your workload by enabling others Why They Stay Here: This is the goal. Maintain and expand their teaching surface area. How to Move Someone Up the Ladder Level 1 → Level 2 Assign the same type of problem three times: First: review every step Second: review at midpoint and end Third: review only at end This develops pattern recognition through repetition with decreasing oversight. Level 2 → Level 3 Define “done” before they start. Show examples of pass vs fail. Then: They self-evaluate before your review When their evaluation matches yours twice in a row, stop reviewing They have internalized your quality bar. Level 3 → Level 4 Have them teach the skill. First document their approach then train a peer Teaching surfaces unconscious knowledge and creates multiplication capacity. The ladder turns supervision into autonomy, autonomy into teaching, and teaching into scale. Year one you are the bottleneck. Year three your Level 4 people are training others while you focus on genuinely new problems. Capability doubles without adding headcount. Build the ladder. Apply the protocol. Capability compounds.

“When you empower the wrong people to lead, you inspire the best people to leave.” Bachar 💜 Naamani Before promoting your individual contributors to become people managers and leaders, do this👇🏼 ⚪️ Trial Period: Consider a trial period or project where they can showcase their leadership abilities, and monitor their performance closely before making a permanent decision. ⚪️ Feedback from Peers and Subordinates: Gather feedback from colleagues and team members on their leadership potential, and consider 360-degree assessments to capture a holistic view of their capabilities. ⚪️ Succession Planning: Assess the potential impact on the team, and consider how this promotion aligns with long-term succession planning. ⚪️ Emotional Intelligence: Gauge their emotional intelligence in handling diverse personalities. Consider empathy and self-awareness too. ⚪️ Conflict Resolution: Examine past instances where they effectively resolved conflicts, and consider their approach to managing disagreements within the team. ⚪️ Mentoring and Development: Look for instances where they have mentored or helped develop their colleagues, and assess their commitment to the professional growth of their team members. ⚪️ Team Collaboration: Examine their history of collaboration within the team, and consider if they have demonstrated the ability to foster a positive team culture. ⚪️ Alignment with Organizational Values: Ensure their values align with the organization's mission and culture, and consider whether they can embody and reinforce the company's core values. ⚪️ Strategic Thinking: Assess their capacity for strategic planning and long-term vision, and consider whether they understand the broader organizational goals. ⚪️ Leadership Skills Assessment: Evaluate the individual's ability to inspire and guide a team, and assess their communication skills, decision-making, and conflict resolution capabilities. ⚪️ Results Orientation: Evaluate their record of achieving individual and team goals, and consider their ability to drive performance while maintaining team morale. ⚪️ Decision-Making Skills: Assess their ability to make well-informed decisions under pressure, and consider their approach to risk management and problem-solving. ⚪️ Communication Skills: Evaluate their ability to communicate clearly and transparently, and consider how well they can articulate expectations and provide constructive feedback. Remember: “Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.” - Simon Sinek Agree? 💜

Your manufacturing team has untapped potential. But it's hidden in plain sight. Most leaders focus on what they can see: Skills, procedures, metrics. They miss what's invisible: Hidden knowledge, blind spots, undiscovered capabilities. The Johari Window reveals four critical areas in every manufacturing team: OPEN ARENA (Known to self + Known to others): → Documented standard procedures → Visible performance metrics → Acknowledged safety protocols → Shared best practices Goal: Expand this area for better teamwork BLIND SPOT (Not known to self + Known to others): → Habits others notice but you don't → Unconscious behaviors affecting performance → Skills you underestimate → Performance gaps you're unaware of Goal: Reduce through feedback HIDDEN AREA (Known to self + Not known to others): → Process knowledge not shared → Improvement ideas kept private → Personal concerns about safety risks → Previous experience from other jobs Goal: Share relevant information safely UNKNOWN AREA (Not known to self + Not known to others): → Undiscovered team capabilities → Hidden process inefficiencies → Untapped improvement opportunities → Potential safety risks Goal: Explore through experimentation Here's how to unlock each area: DAILY STANDUPS: → Share what you know (reduce Hidden) → Ask for feedback (reduce Blind Spot) → Discuss observations (expand Open) KAIZEN EVENTS: → Encourage idea sharing → Provide safe feedback environment → Experiment with new approaches CROSS-TRAINING: → Discover hidden talents → Share knowledge openly → Build team awareness The teams that perform best? They make the invisible visible. They create psychological safety for feedback. They encourage knowledge sharing. They experiment to discover new capabilities. Your next breakthrough isn't in new equipment or systems. It's in the knowledge your team already has. But isn't using. What hidden knowledge might your team be sitting on right now?

One assessment method won’t cut it... Multi-methods unlock hidden potential. Relying on a single method misses the full picture: → It overlooks important skills and abilities. → It may lead to biased or incomplete evaluations. → It fails to identify specific areas for improvement. A multi-method approach paints a full picture: 1. Performance Reviews Deliver structured feedback to highlight growth areas. Focus on actionable steps to improve performance.     2. Surveys & Interviews Gain honest insights directly from key stakeholders. Uncover both strengths and hidden challenges.     3. Skills Gap Analysis Identify critical priorities for targeted development. Design plans to close gaps and build key skills.     4. Self-Assessments Encourage leaders to reflect on their unique strengths. Build self-awareness to fuel ongoing growth.     5. Team Discussions Foster collaboration to unlock team potential. Reveal hidden strengths within group dynamics. Mix at least three methods for real impact: ☑ Schedule regular feedback check-ins. ☑ Build impact skills like communication. ☑ Use tech for surveys and real-time data. Smart assessments drive future-ready leaders. Follow Jonathan Raynor. Reshare to help others.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲. They fail because the team can’t execute it. You might have a brilliant idea and bold ambitions. But if your team is disorganized, you’re not scaling, you’re firefighting. ➟ Tasks stall unless you're involved ➟ Accountability is a hot potato ➟ Your energy goes to control, not growth Here’s a simple question every founder should ask: Is your team a growth engine or a hidden risk? Quick checklist to assess your team: 🔲 Owns tasks without daily babysitting 🔲 Takes full responsibility for outcomes, not just ticking boxes 🔲 Embraces change instead of resisting it 🔲 Admits mistakes and focuses on fixing them 🔲 Delivers on time and keeps priorities clear 🔲 Finds meaning even in routine and suggests improvements 🔲 Grows the business instead of creating more problems ✅ If you’re checking all the boxes: You’ve got a team that can scale and thrive. ❌ If even 2 boxes stay empty: Your structure’s shaky, and growth could break it. 10 signs your team is slowing you down: 1. Can’t operate without your input ↳ You’re the bottleneck, not the builder 2. Dodges real ownership ↳ Work gets done, but no one’s truly accountable 3. Pushes back on every change ↳ Innovation meets inertia 4. Focuses on blame over solutions ↳ Mistakes = fear, not feedback 5. Misses deadlines but hides it ↳ Surface looks fine — foundation cracks 6. Shows up but doesn’t engage ↳ No purpose, no proactivity 7. Works in silos, not as a unit ↳ “Team” in name, not in practice 8. Avoids uncomfortable truths ↳ Silence where trust should be 9. Creates new bottlenecks ↳ One person gone = everything breaks 10. Clings to the job, not the mission ↳ They're staying safe, not building bold A strong team isn’t something you “get lucky” with. It’s a system you design. Have questions on how to assess or strengthen your team? Send me a DM or drop it in the comments. ⤵️ ------------------------------------- 💯 Want to qualify for VC funding? Take your free Fundraising Gap Analysis Scorecard. The link is on my profile page - Leon Eisen, PhD

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬? Here is a way to figure it out 👇 Over the years, I have had to come up with a quick, systematic way to assess the alignment of my team (sometimes myself). R.I.G.H.T. stands for Role, Impact, Growth, Habits, Teamwork. You can use it to check on five key areas of team fit and effectiveness. 🔹 The R.I.G.H.T. Framework: ✅ R - Role Fit (Are they in the right role?) -Does their work match their strengths? -Are they spending time on high-value work, staying busy, or struggling? -If they left today, would you re-hire them for the same role? If not: Reassign or clarify expectations. ✅ I - Impact (Do they create measurable value?) -Are they consistently delivering results? -Is their work moving the business forward, or just “activity”? (versus accomplishment) -Can they clearly articulate the value they bring to the team? If not: Dig into skills, clarity of goals, or alignment issues within the team. ✅ G - Growth Mindset (Are they improving over time?) -Do they seek feedback and actively learn from mistakes? -Are they developing new skills or stuck in place? -When given challenges, do lean in and engage, or do they pull away? If not: Are they stagnating? Challenge them or set improvement goals, and look at the example you are setting. ✅ H – Habits & Ownership (Do they work effectively?) -Do they take initiative or wait for instructions? -Are they accountable for their work, or do they make excuses? -Do they manage their time and priorities well? If not: Do they need help with accountability? Coach them or set clear goals and involve them in the process including consequences of not delivering. ✅ T - Team Fit (Do they elevate others?) -Do teammates trust and respect them? -Would their peers say they make the team better? -Do they contribute to a positive culture or create friction? If not: They may be a disruptive influence, or hurting morale. Address behaviors or consider other actions. 🔥 Would this system work for you? What would you tweak to make it better? Drop me a comment 👇

Skill Assessment: The Game-Changing 4-Day Blueprint Most teams are playing Career Roulette. Not You. No guessing. No assumptions. Just clarity and action. (Note: If you have not DEFINED the Skills to be Assessed, Start there. - check yesterday’s post for guidance.) Here is the 4-Step playbook. To map Your team's capabilities - Fast! 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 1: 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 (Day 1) Don’t overcomplicate it. Speed + Simplicity = Results. Tap into these 3 feedback channels: • Self-Assessment: What do they believe they are great at? • 360 / Peer Review: What do peers see that they don’t? • Leadership Evaluation: What do you see from the top? Tip: Use a simple 1-5 rating system. No overthinking. Example scorecard for each role: - Technical Proficiency - Customer Service Care - Problem-Solving Speed - Collaborative Potential 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 2: 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (Day 2) Before you collect feedback, lock in these critical details: - Objective: Why are we doing this? - Metrics: What skills are we actually measuring? - Timeline: When will it start and finish? - Analysis: How will we interpret the results? - Next Steps: What will we do with the data? This step prevents confusion and creates alignment. Skipping this step may end up with data overload and no direction. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 3: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (Day 3) Data only works if people are honest. Here’s how you get it: - Anonymize it: People are more honest this way. - Ensure Psychological Safety: No fear of being punished for honesty. - Train Assessors: Consistent evaluation beats biased judgment. With this approach, You will get truth instead of sugar-coated feedback. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 4: 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 & 𝗚𝗮𝗽 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 (Day 4) The data is in. Now, take action. Here’s how you do it fast: - Identify Top 3 Skill Strengths & Gaps - Align Skills to Business Goals: Results start here. - Develop an Improvement Plan (more on this tomorrow) This is where good teams become great. You are not just collecting data You are building a team of peak performers. No Team? This blueprint works for personal development too. Which skill is most critical for your team to assess right now? P.S. I just ran this process with a team and found our top development need is Marketing. What is Yours?

If I team produces results, that means they're highly effective, right? Well... Not so much. They 𝗺𝗮𝘆 be highly effective, but completely dysfunctional and producing results despite themselves. What can that dysfunction and ineffectiveness look like? Symptoms can look like: 🔴 Lack of alignment on goals, a silo mentality, and negative attitudes. 🔴 Unclear roles, unreliable team members, and activity-focused leadership. 🔴 Distrust, destructive behaviors, and a lack of collective emotional intelligence. 🔴 Avoided or unhealthy conflict, knowledge hoarding, and a "popular clique" dynamic. So can these teams actually deliver results? They can, but not for long, not without flaming out gloriously. And with that crash and burn come real impacts: 🔥 Burnt out leaders who quit but stay, or leave and take their expertise with them. 🔥 Plummeting engagement, which impacts every measure of productivity. 🔥 Innovation that dies on the vine (if it even sprouts). 🔥 An inability to keep growing and producing results--the truth will out. So how do you measure your team's 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 effectiveness, not just their results? I love using valid and reliable assessments for this work, as it gives teams a quantitative picture of where they're at and how they can improve. One resource I'm using these days is the Leadership Circle's BRITE assessment. 💡The model measures team effectiveness in terms of energy, illustrated as a light bulb, because "𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲." ⚡The assessment measures the flow of energy within a team, as highly effective teams have a full flow of energy that creates impact. By looking at 5 elements, the assessment evaluates the generators that increase energy and the disruptors that diminish it. The result is a picture of the team's overall effectiveness. The placement of the elements in the visual model is intentional: ➡️ Most teams focus on producing results, the top of the light bulb. And there may be energy shining from the top. But without energy in the foundation, the filaments burn out, and the light of the results will eventually dim and die. I recently facilitated a debrief of this assessment with a sales leadership team. They used the results to set actions to increase their overall effectiveness from average to high. As their leader said, "When you're in the middle, you can go up or down." They're choosing to go up. As I said to the team, assessments are great information, but it's the action planning that is crucial, and then actually executing on those actions. That's where the magic happens. But it all starts with the assessment. Where is YOUR team at? Don't just look at the results. Get a full picture.

The greatest threat to team momentum isn’t conflict— it’s quiet doubt about each other’s skill. Many teams fall into this trap: “Everyone’s competent… we should just trust each other to deliver.” But unless people actually see and  experience each other’s capabilities, doubt lingers. Here’s how to fix it: • Run a team-skills audit. Have team members share their skills and how others on the team can better collaborate with them. • Ask, “What’s one task you love doing that others might not know about?” • Normalize asking for help. Model this yourself: "Hey, you’re great at this—can you teach me how you do it?" Leaders who cultivate Skill Trust  don’t just get more done— they unlock the full potential of their teams.

When assessing a team, I use a simple framework: The Will vs. Skill Matrix. I've inherited teams as small as 120 people and as large as 834. And in every single case, within the first few months, I can sort everyone into one of four buckets. - High Will + High Skill. These are your stars. Protect them at all costs. They're hungry, they're capable, and they've probably been waiting for leadership that would actually let them do great work. Give them runway. Remove obstacles. Keep them engaged—because your competitors would love to hire them. - High Will + Low Skill. These are your potentials. They've got the drive, the grit, the hunger but they need development. I'll often assign them to leaders I trust or make them my chief of staff on special projects. Give them stretch assignments and see how they respond. Most of the time, they rise to the occasion. - Low Will + High Skill. This is the tricky bucket. They're talented, but they're checked out. Maybe they've been with the company 20 years and they're coasting to retirement. Maybe they're burned out from bad leadership. Maybe they just don't care anymore. You have to assess: Is this recoverable? Sometimes a new challenge reignites them. Sometimes it doesn't. - Low Will + Low Skill. This is the hard conversation. But it's necessary. You can't create change without making change. The first option I always give is a transfer - let's find you a role that's a better fit. But if that's not possible, we have to discuss a transition out. Here's the truth I've learned: You can teach skill. You can coach someone up. You can invest in their development. You cannot teach hunger. I'd take someone with drive and gaps over someone brilliant but complacent. Every single time. How do you assess the teams you inherit or build? 👇 #Leadership #TeamBuilding #Management #HiringTips #Culture #TalentManagement