1. In order to assemble an effective team, it is necessary to evaluate the motivation-skill potential of every candidate accurately. The table below illustrates the assessment of this potential performed with the help of a “Skills-Motivation Matrix.”

The matrix represented above demonstrates that the team driving force is composed of Lisa and Alice whose skills and motivation are equally high. Another driving force, though not as reliable as those offered by Alice and Lisa, is Bill and Doug. Even though their skills might be insufficiently developed at present, their motivation is high, which means there are good prospects for growth. A weaker candidate, in this view, is Chris whose motivation and skills are low. In the meantime, it might be expected that a right motivation trigger can help him to move to Bill and Doug’s level at first and to join Alice and Lisa, in the long run. Erica’s situation is more ambiguous. On the one hand, her skills are highly evaluated; on the other hand, her motivation is currently declining which affects her performance. This might be associated with a newly appeared de-motivator or the loss of interest in her responsibilities. Under any circumstances, her motivation needs to be addressed first of all; otherwise, there is a strong possibility of her moving to Chris’s current position.

2. Before describing the actions recommended specifically for each team member, it is necessary to note that every team member needs to be properly motivated notwithstanding the position he or she currently takes in the matrix. At present, this is particularly relevant to Erica and Chris; however, all the other team members likewise need to be properly motivated and inspired through praise, rewards, and financial bonuses. As to the specific actions that can be recommended for every team member or a group of team members, I would suggest that Chris, being in the most unfavorable position by now, needs to receive the necessary training in order to improve his skills and help him to move to a new level. In parallel with this, it is essential to define the best motivation triggers that encourage him because those used before are evidently ineffective. In Erica’s case, it is likewise necessary to identify the existing constraints, i.e. those factors that de-motivate her. One of the alternative solutions might be to ask Erica to take up the role of a mentor for Chris: her skills are sufficient to do this and the new role might serve as a source of inspiration. Bill and Doug should also receive the relevant training. It can be also effective to task them with working on a new project under Alice and Lisa’s supervision – the high motivation of all the four can bring striking results. Alice and Lisa, in their turn, can be encouraged to participate in decision-making. This will help to keep them motivated and their skills will guarantee efficiency.

3. As the team leader, I will try different leadership models. Thus, the best model for Alice, Lisa, and Erica is a facilitator. The first two team members are skillful enough to cope with assigned tasks so that all that they need is a timely guidance and counseling. Erica, in her turn, might show some resistance to a coach-leader because her skills are likewise high. Therefore, it will be more rational to show her that her professionalism is not doubted and to ensure that she develops through asking her to mentor Chris. In Doug, Bill, and Chris’s situation, it is evident that I should act as a coach because their skills are not yet sufficient to complete all the tasks without the relevant guidance. In the meantime, I will try to distant myself from coaching by appointing skillful team members (Alice, Lisa, and Erica) to play this role for me. With the help of this approach, I aspire to maintain the motivation of the skilled members, ensuring, in the meantime, that the rest of the team is properly mentored.

4. I believed that the shared leadership model is an effective solution to ensuring a harmonious and consistent development of a team. In this view, I believe that decision-making should be shared only by skilled team members. In such a manner, it will serve as a future privilege for those whose skills are currently low motivating them to develop and improve. On the other hand, it will help the skilled team members to feel the value of being skilled and will encourage them to maintain this status.

Another benefit of a shared leadership is that it teaches employees to draw parallels between the actions and their outcomes. In other words, an overall reliance on a leader and his or her decisions is a common problem in organizations. Employees obey all the decisions imposed from above; in the meantime, they do not associate themselves with these decisions and, thus, feel no responsibility for their outcomes. Shared leadership offers a different framework, within which team members feel a part of a common process; they are individually interested in its being successful. Analyzing it from a different perspective, shared leadership is likewise a good approach to enhancing creativity and innovation inside a team. As such, team members are encouraged not only to complete the assigned tasks but also to come up with their own solutions or criticism which is always valuable in the long run.