Do you have a team that regularly frustrates you because they don’t do what you need them to do? They’re talented people – that’s why you hired them. 

But for some reason, they can’t seem to produce the things you need them to produce for your company. Maybe they’ve become straight up dysfunctional and you’re not sure what the best way to fix it is…

You’re tired of the emotional roller coaster with your team: some days it seems like they’re motivated and making some stuff happen; other days they make you want to pull your hair out because they’re not doing the simple things you’ve told them 87 times to do!! Come on… it’s not that hard!!

You realize that you’re spending all this money and time on them… for what? Compared to what they are producing for your company, what you’re paying them is a pretty crappy ROI (if you’re honest with yourself). 

Maybe you’ve even had that moment after payday or putting out a big team fire where you’re staring at the computer screen wondering if you should just fire everyone and go back to being a solo-preneur again… 

If you sit down and do the math, it will become painfully clear why statistically, having the wrong person on your team can cost you 15x more than whatever they add to your bottom line. 

So what’s the solution? How do you fix it?

The other day, I was watching Ocean’s Eleven and it hit me: the reason their team was successful was because they used the team building strategy that I’ve been coaching leaders to use for years. (Oh, yeah… and because the script was written for them to win…)

Stay with me here though! There’s a great leadership lesson here that can completely change your revenue and profit margins, and bring back the joy of working with a Dream Team.

In the movie, Danny Ocean decides he wants to pull off this big triple heist in Las Vegas. He pitches the idea to his friend Rusty, and the two of them convince Reuben that the mission is a great idea. 

They assemble a team of skilled people and begin to execute the heist. Even though there are complications and obstacles, the team ultimately completes the mission and enjoys the huge payout of cash in the end. 

So how does this apply in the real world, and why does it matter to your team?

Danny Ocean built his team the same way I help leaders do it with my Team Blueprint. When you are creating your Team by Design, form always follows function. 

NEVER look at the people you currently have and ask the question: “What are they capable of?”

ALWAYS start with the team’s mission and purpose. Once you’re clear on WHAT the team is supposed to do, then it’s time to look for WHO you need to accomplish the mission. 

Danny Ocean had a vision and mission for his team before he ever started bringing people together. He got very clear on exactly what the team needed to accomplish and then built his team strategically. 

Everyone on the team was talented, but they were skilled in specific things that directly enabled the team to complete the mission. 

You may be saying, “Yeah that makes sense, but how do I use this with the people currently working for me?” 

I’m going to give you the Cliff’s Notes version of the Team Blueprint for building Dream Teams. I like simple stuff that’s easy to execute, so this process is 5 Easy Steps.

1. Define the “What”

Start with the mission and purpose of the team. Get clear on exactly what the team is supposed to do before you start building a team. If you already have a team, ignore who is already on your team and think about what you really want to accomplish. 

2. Define the “How”

Once you know exactly what the team is going to do, now you have to think about how you’ll accomplish it. What roles would you need to fill to have a lean, elite team of high-performers? It’s easy to justify adding lots of extra roles to the team, but think about it from this mindset: “What are the absolute minimum roles that I can fill and still be successful?”

3. Set KPIs

For each role that made the cut, what are the minimum key performance indicators (KPIs) that the person in that role has to hit to ensure team success and mission completion? Every KPI should be specific, measurable, and tied to a single role for accountability. 

4. Find the “Who”

After you’ve defined why the team exists in the first place (the “What”), the fewest roles necessary to complete the mission (the “How”), what bare minimum actions are required from each role for team success (KPIs), then it’s time to actually find the people to put in those roles. 

5. Lead and Coach

Every great team needs leadership, accountability, and guidance along the way to their big wins. That’s where you show up as the best version of yourself. 

If you have questions or comments about building your Team Blueprint to create your Dream Team, let’s chat in the comment section below. 

Remember: everyone deserves exceptional leadership, and you can be that leader!