When it comes to building a great land management team, recognizing traits from successful teams in other industries can be beneficial. However, there are some differences between the land management industry and other industries. If you work as a landman, land manager or other team member, here are the qualities that create a strong land management team capable of that can tackling any task:
- Diversify- No team atmosphere benefits from including several people with the exact same experience and skill set. This is particularly true for land management. Without thinking about the specific roles that people play as part of a team, you need to have individuals who have years of experience under their belts. They need to know how to comb through record offices and talk with staff to find the information needed to move forward with a project. You also need one or more people who understand how to obtain and leverage technology that will improve your team’s processes and encourage growth. Some popular technology assets that your savvy team member should know about include the ever-increasing access to online databasessuch as CourthouseDirect.com. Being able to access courthouse data online can save hours of driving time and the cost of staying in hotels. They also make it possible to search in a wider variety of ways than a traditional, paper record system. Invest in someone who has mapping skills. Being able to use mapping software can really be a timesaver and great asset to a land management team.
- Be transparent - For a team to truly work well together, as with any relationship, communication is key. Everyone should understand their role in the group and be aware of the skills and value they offer. Being able to talk freely through issues, to celebrate small victories and to be acknowledged for success all improve morale in a team environment and encourage collaboration with friendly competition. Feedback is great and should be provided by the leader often, but it should also be proactive and positively framed.
- Find flexibility - Even though rules and responsibilities should be clearly defined, it’s also beneficial for land management team members to be able to cover for one another. The team is the best way to leverage information, and a team that doesn’t allow for a work/life balance can develop friction. Encourage team members to become knowledgeable in a different area so they can help out when someone else isn’t available.
- Stay focused – Every team needs balance to become successful, but a really successful team has a clear end goal and a roadmap for getting there. Encourage routine pep talks and make sure that the team has enough face time together to stay motivated and continue moving forward. You want your team to desire achievement because of an inner drive to come through for others and succeed, even when the going gets tough.
* Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and renjith krishnan
