Even self-managed teams require a playbook

[Part 2 of 5 tips for empowering your organization to grow]

Football teams have quarterbacks calling plays. They have a staff of coaches and managers influencing their day-to-day lives, but out there on the field, they are a self-managed team. No one is standing over their shoulders, telling them what to do—and when they must be told "what", they are told "how" only when they ask for guidance.

Such teams can be empowered in this way, because they have a playbook to guide their actions. They know the immediate obstacles they must overcome—a 400 pound guy falling on them, for example. They have near term goals, like making a touch-down or a field goal. They have strategy for winning games, and their vision is focused on the Superbowl.

As we've said, building trust and empowering teams is the fastest and most efficient means to get a job done. Teams know where the skeletons are buried and can eliminate them faster without management red tape.

However, in order to empower your teams, you must provide them with a playbook—a handful of rules or goals that enable them to make decisions as you would have made them.

To create such a playbook, start at the top.

What does the owner or leadership team of the organization see as the primary company goals?

Look at departmental goals. Are the goals of each department consistent with the organizational goals? Has a departmental leader taken ownership of these goals?

Move down to the teams. Are the goals of each team consistent with the departmental goals? Is this evident in the priorities that govern a team's day-to-day activities.

Once you have a playbook, you then have to get everyone on the same page.

Through annual evaluations and regular one-on-ones—leaders must determine whether individual goals line-up with team and organizational goals. If not, team players should be relocated to teams that are more aligned with their personal goals.

Here, they will be most productive. They will be happier, and the organization will be happier with their work.