It’s now three weeks since we hired Chandra to be a member of the Heart of Business team. I’ve taken a lot of the advice we received to heart. Plus I’ve been re-reading my Patrick Lencioni library- specifically Death by Meeting, and the Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

I think things are going swimmingly. And not only because it’s great to have a new team member who is enthusiastic and skilled, but mostly because of what’s it’s calling out in me.

Three wheels of speed.

I call them the ‘three wheels of speed’ because even as I learn just a little bit about them, they are moving us rapidly forward. Nice.

Here are the three wheels that I can see developing in myself (from a painfully apparent dearth):

• Clarity in requests.

I’m learning that I need to be ultra-clear in my requests, and in my expectations- of myself and others. I’ve learned plenty about vision and service in leadership- but just the ability to be able to identify and then speak clear requests- how amazingly powerful!

Can you make clear requests? And by clear, I mean that when you make a request of someone, and they agree to do it, and follow-through, that you get back exactly what you thought you were going to get back…

I’ve had a miserable track record with that one- but these last two weeks has seen that get better and better.

• Clarity in structure.

I’ve always been a big structure-hound- I like it, and it likes me. And yet, many of the structures I’ve depended on- be it a schedule, or a technology, are incomplete because I get it ‘good enough’ and then take off like a jackrabbit.

We’re seeing that we need to complete structures- as in meetings. When meetings get left in the middle, for instance, without reviewing agreements (see “requests” above ) and deadlines and expectations, then the best meeting in the world can get flushed down the terlit.

• Clarity in faults.

We all have faults. I guess you could use Politcally Correct language and say something like “areas of growth” but I don’t have a problem with using the word ‘faults.’ Gaps, places where I’m ineffective, or they just don’t match my personality type, so I have to compensate like heck to get at them.

Like big-picture stuff. I’m a small and medium-picture guy, Into details, short-term strategic planning. I do like vision and context, but I don’t often remember to bring them in, unless I’m reminded. Which can leave people struggling to follow me, in collaboration situations.

I’m loving learning all this stuff, although it’s a bit uncomfortable to feel so experienced and comfortable with one thing, and like such a newbie in another area.

What have you learned lately about teams and collabation lately, as a solo, micro-business, or personal-business owner? Any nuggets?