Your team isn’t just people who work under you; you must surround yourself with people who can advise you, challenge you, and keep you honest—including mentors, coaches, and advisors. All members of a team must be aligned towards common goals. The team must have shared expectations and clearly identified priorities. Last week, you put together a fantasy team of four JGR employees to plan and run a daylong conference. Think about this team’s individual strengths and weaknesses. Then determine whether your team would most benefit from a coach, advisor, or mentor. What sort of person do you think would be a good advisor, mentor, or coach for this team based on the team need and why? How will their expertise make the team more cohesive?

Remember to keep your focus on what role would best serve the team and you as leader, rather than a specific person.