A recent (10/12/04) Wall Street Journal article (Managers Err if They Limit Their Hiring To People Like Them) suggests that managers tend to build the most effective teams by building diverse teams, not people who would make good “drinking buddies.” An HR manager was quoted as saying that she tried to create “a stew that wasn’t mushy but distinct, where we could all taste the carrots, potatoes and other ingredients.”

The article suggests that a complementary mix of differing viewpoints and even experience levels contributes to high functioning teams. It also suggests that small business entrepreneurs “have had to think outside of the box to survive and know what it’s like to work with thin resources.”

David Litton can help you create profiles for potential team members and assess them ahead of time, increasing the chances of the creation of an effective team. I can also assess the personality of an existing team to make suggestions on how to maximize team performance.