When I think about the pieces of a puzzle, there are a few things that stand out.

1. Each piece is different and brings its own unique shape, color and functionality to the picture.
2. While there is a perfect match, sometimes it takes a few tries to put the right pieces together.
3. Each puzzle piece has a dependence on the other to be in the right position before it can connect and operate in its full capacity.
4. Having a lost piece creates an incomplete picture and can potentially shift the entire experience with the puzzle.

If you follow this blog, you already know it’s about leadership in action and addresses ways to take actionable steps toward becoming a more effective and impactful leader. So what do puzzles have to do with leadership in action?  During my recent reflections, puzzles have been emerging as a symbol of teamwork, connection, and cooperation. We all serve as a member of a team to some degree, but we may be overlooking the deep importance of teamwork and cooperation. Let’s break it down a little further:  

1. Each puzzle piece is different and brings its own unique shape, color and functionality to the picture.

If everyone were exactly the same, life would be boring. The same goes for your BPA chapter or your officer team. Each member is unique and comes with a different set of values, background, skills, and talents. This means that not every team member will necessarily be good at everything or be a good fit for every task. As teammate or team leader, it is important to identify the strengths and interests of each team member and how those strengths might best support the group. There are three ways I recommend you do this. The first is to just ask your team members where their interests lie. What strengths or talents do they have that might be useful to support your goals? Second, pay attention to your teammates and make a note of where they may have strengths that they may not have even realized yet. Finally, take an assessment such as StrengthsFinder 2.0 (or a similar free online strength-based assessment) to determine some of the areas where you may have strengths, and use the results as a guide along your leadership journey. Be aware of the strengths you bring to the table and don’t be afraid to reassess periodically. Also, don’t be so focused on your performance that you neglect to leverage the fact that others have a unique and important fit to the team as well.  Get excited about the puzzle of people on your team.

2. While there is a perfect match, sometimes it takes a few tries to put the right pieces together.

Your team will not start out perfect, nor is perfection a measure of impact. Let me say that again. Perfection is not a measure of impact! Honestly, some of the best teams I have seen in my military and government career have had real struggles along the way. Once you have a good idea of the team’s individual and collective abilities and strengths, it’s time to put the team together. However, the way we operate on a team stems from our past experiences. Were we burned and left to do all the work? Were we not acknowledged? Were we previously on great teams and now have high expectations? Every team is different and it’s important not to take a cookie cutter approach when developing your team. The context in which the team operates will determine the perfect configuration to accomplish goals. For example, the way you operate within your BPA chapter may be different than the way you show up on your soccer team. Why? Because the context dictates how you interact with that team. Be flexible and willing to keep trying until your team gets it right. Take time to reassess your puzzle to determine if the pieces are in the right place.

3. Each puzzle piece has a dependence on the other to be in the right position before it can connect and operate in its full capacity.

On a team, you are dependent on the other members in order to accomplish your goals. But, if you are not mentally positioned to serve the other members of the team, you are already behind. We generally think about service from a community service aspect. Serving others doesn’t just stop at community service, though, as it can spill over into school, home, BPA, etc.  Think for a moment, what does it look like to serve my teammates within BPA? Ask yourself, ‘How do I contribute to an environment of service? Can my teammates depend on me to have their best interest at heart? How do I show up for my team? Am I a pessimist or a know-it-all? Do I get irritated and check out when things get tough or don’t go my way? Can I handle feedback? Can I give feedback? Do I avoid conflict? Can I trust others and can others trust me?’

4. Having a lost piece creates an incomplete picture and can potentially shift the entire experience with the puzzle.

Let me get deep for a second. (((Lean in))) Can the puzzle even be a complete puzzle without all of the pieces? ((Finger snaps)) 

I read an article the other day where the author said “we don’t trust each other enough to share relevant wisdom.” So, you mean to tell me that folks are holding back their wisdom (trust me, even at your age, you all have wisdom) or even what could potentially be the idea that propels their chapter to the next level because of fear and lack of trust? Woooowwww!

When team members don’t feel valued, they begin to break away from the group, contribute less or, worst case scenario, give up all together, making them the lost puzzle piece. When a team member is ‘lost’ it’s a hindrance to the entire group. I have two suggestions to combat this. The first is to check in with your teammates periodically. Especially when you are moving in to larger projects such as SLC or NLC. See if there is anything anyone needs in order to feel comfortable leading up to the event. Or, ask the team if there is any feedback for upcoming projects that may have been missed. The other piece of advice is that if you are the lost piece, don’t be afraid to voice your concerns to your teammates or an advisor to try and work things out. To make a long blog post short, every member of the team is valuable and the complete puzzle is way more beautiful when we are all working together to support the other.