We often hear some investors say, "I would rather vote for a first-class team to do second-class things than a second-class team to do first-class things." The importance of the team is self-evident. Of course, we are all eager to have an excellent team. But in reality, we are often faced with second-rate teams. The second-rate team here means that the members are average in ability, talent, potential and personal qualities, and sometimes even have naive and unprovoked conflicts with managers. Then if you lead such a second-rate team, your leadership is even more important. Whether your own management ability and leadership are first-class directly determines the success or failure of your team. So how can we manage a second-rate team smoothly and effectively? Let me explain it in combination with the recent outward bound training.

Subdivide the team and choose managers at all levels.

First of all, we need to sort out the personnel structure and task objectives of the team, and analyze the advantages and competent roles of team members. Then integrate human resources to maximize resource utilization and team members' sense of identity. In this process, we need to use pyramid rules to arrange it efficiently. So what is the pyramid rule? I believe that when most people are in high school, when the Chinese teacher asks us to write argumentative papers, they will remind us to list the central arguments first, then the sub-arguments and give strong arguments. The golden pyramid principle is actually used invisibly, which can be explained in one sentence: everything can be summarized into a central argument, which can be supported by three to seven arguments. These first-level arguments can also be arguments, supported by three to seven second-level arguments, and so on, forming a pyramid. Therefore, using this principle, we can effectively divide teams and choose leaders at all levels. From the principle of unity, we know more clearly that the subdivided team members will have more trust, participation and recognition, and can influence each other better. At the same time, the reduction of team size can make the team have a parallel management model and give full play to the advantages of small teams. Jobs firmly believes that "small teams are more dedicated and motivated than big teams, and the smarter people, the higher the quality of work, and the quality of work is inversely proportional to the number of participants." However, this small-scale team must have leaders directly involved in every decision. Keep the team simple but not simple.

In our outdoor development training, we use this principle to treat the team as a battalion, and divide it into different groups at the same time to select the captain and battalion commander. Then, in the process of expanding training, we also let them freely discuss and share opportunities through the project, and they will also agree with their captains and have a stronger influence on each other.

Give a vision and set clear goals. Vision is a vague vision of the future, that is, drawing cakes. Compared with macro vision, second-rate teams need clear and definite goals, which will not waver at any time. This goal will make them think for a while, but it must not be stumped, because a team that is not so good may collapse. Many managers often say, "You should work hard, have a sense of responsibility, and do your best." Although you have good intentions, this is actually the most ineffective sentence. It's like when you write a copy, you feel that your writing is particularly creative and will definitely bring good results. Turns out you're just smug. Because you didn't set clear and achievable goals for your subordinates. In this process, you will follow up frequently, making employees feel depressed and bored, which is not only painful for both sides, but also inefficient. Only by setting goals for subordinates can we give them an important sense of responsibility, and in this process, we should give them enough trust and room for self-development. This is also in line with Apple's principle of simplicity. We should set goals concisely and trust team members. And errors are allowed in the process, but appropriate time and resource restrictions should be given in the process. This also uses the iterative method of small steps, quick steps and trial and error in lean entrepreneurship to improve the management team.

Many people think that doing outward bound training is just playing a few small games, which is meaningless and a waste of time. Then they don't understand. For example, before the outward bound training, the first prize of 2000 yuan and the second prize of 1000 yuan will generally be announced. This is to give all teams a clear and achievable goal. Then expand the small projects in the training process. For example, in a project called "Taking Water from Minefield", give each group a rope of18m or longer, put six paper cups filled with water in the center of a circle with a radius of 3m, and don't let the water in the circle overflow when taking out the paper cups. This small project, taking out the paper cup without spilling it is the goal, which is very clear and definite. Moreover, the rope and its length are given, which is equivalent to giving the idea of realizing the goal. How to realize the process requires team members to discuss and cooperate with each other. Therefore, through a small project, they can have a clear understanding and analysis of the goal. This is also the significance of experiential learning.

Fake execution. What is executive power? Execution "is the ability to complete tasks with good quality and quantity". The strength of personal execution depends on two elements-personal ability and work attitude. Ability is the foundation, attitude is the key. Therefore, it is necessary to improve personal execution. On the one hand, we should strengthen our own quality by strengthening study and practice, and more importantly, we should correct our work attitude. For second-rate teams, in outdoor development, what can be quickly improved is attitude. Someone will always ask us, it's not military training, what militarization do you give us? However, they have forgotten the military training that "obedience is the first duty of a soldier", which shows the super-high execution of a soldier. Militarization runs through the whole outward bound training, that is to say, in the whole outward bound training, the execution will be constantly trained. For example, we often say that each team must be assembled within 5 seconds, which requires each member to have high execution.

Boost morale.

This is Cao Gui's insight from our high school textbook study, which is also very useful for team management now, especially for second-rate teams. In War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, our equipment is not as good as that of the Japanese, but every time we fight, we must put down the flag and never fall. This is the role of morale. This is why when expanding training, we will ask each team to have a team name, a team song, a slogan and a team flag, and at the same time ask them to show their team style. Just to make them shout again and again, constantly suggesting that they can do anything, no worse than others. So morale is very important for a second-rate team.

Of course, in a second-rate team, the leaders at all levels who may be elected are not so easy, and may also be affected by the negative emotions of the players. At this time, as the general manager of the team, you should have the persuasion ability, judgment and high emotional intelligence of key conversations.

First, establish connections, build unity and guide a sense of identity. When I talk to leaders at all levels, I can ask a few questions that he must answer "yes" first, and then say some topics related to him to make him feel familiar or empathetic. For example, learn to say the exclusive words of the social role he once had. Because people will inexplicably have trust and love for familiar things. For example, when expanding, one team felt that our coach was unfair and was very angry. The captain had to lead them to leave the expansion base and stop participating in the next expansion training. Our trainer once held the captain in his arms and asked, "Have you ever been a soldier?" He replied, "Yes," and then asked, "I'm a soldier, too. I'm all brothers in the trenches. Can you help my brother? " He answered "Yes". It was a long time before the captain stabilized and the players didn't leave. It can be found that when the trainer asks him if he has been in the army, he is asking questions related to himself, and in the army, he is also building unity and tying the captain and the trainer in an organization, which will make the captain more susceptible to the influence of the trainer and stabilize his emotions. Thereby enhancing the sense of identity.

Second, explain the facts, use emotions skillfully and give the right to choose. In the key dialogue, a dialogue step is put forward: explain the facts-say what you think-ask the other person's opinion-make a tentative statement-encourage the attempt. Facts are the least controversial and most convincing content. And when you say what you think, you should use a comparative method to explain it. At the same time, we should play emotional cards and give others the right to choose whether to do it or not. For example, our trainers will say, "Our coaches take turns to supervise each other. You did violate the rules, and we also have photos as the basis. Maybe your environment is special, but you still broke the rules. We feel that all soldiers are adults, even if our coach is a little negligent, life and work are not absolutely fair, so this is the significance of experiential training. Outward bound training is just a simulation of life. What matters is what we learn in the process, not the result. So I hope you can take the team back and continue to participate in outward bound training. Of course, if you don't agree with me, we can talk. Do you want to continue to participate, I will respect your choice. " This kind of conversation is in place, and it has proved to play a very good role.

Therefore, in the face of second-rate teams, it is necessary to subdivide the teams and select leaders at all levels; Give a vision and set clear goals; Forged execution; Boost morale. At the same time, our general manager needs to have high emotional intelligence, judgment and key conversation skills.