What does a true team look like? How do they behave? More importantly, how do they get to the point that they are a true team?

In coaching teams for the past half-decade, here are a few things I've noticed:

1. Most teams aren't true teams. They're working groups that come together at scheduled times to update each other on their activities. And they're often in denial about this.
   
2. Building a true team is elusive. It takes concerted effort, hence why most teams aren't true teams.
3. It's worth it. When you see a true team in action, and witness what they can accomplish, it's amazing.

The simple definition of a true team is a group of people who work together to accomplish something as a group that could not be accomplished by individuals. Teams get more done, more effectively, and with greater results.

So how do you get there? I've studied this for some time and true teams seem to develop with four things at their foundation:

1. Trust. Tons of it. Built consistently over time.
2. Purpose. They all know where they are going as a team and it feels important and urgent.
3. Clarity. They know who does what, why, and how.
4. Culture. They have nuances, traditions, ways of communicating, a lexicon, and mannerisms all their own.

True teams aren't built by accident, and they don't simply occur if we work together long enough. They must be built intentionally, with effort and consistency, and by a leader who cares enough to prioritize team over things that seem urgent but really aren't important.

Are you that kind of leader?

How does investing work? Research shows that those who invest consistently in the short-term will reap long-term gains from their stock investments as a result of compound investing. Do a little every month and let it build over time and a few dollars turns into a gazillion dollars when I retire. Seems like an obvious principle of saving, right?

The same is true of exercise. Those who exercise consistently and put in a little effort daily will reap long-term benefits of better health. Some studies say 20 minutes of activity a day can have a positive effect in the long-run on your heart and greatly reduce the risk of life-ending disease.

Education works this way as well. We invest heavily in our children now so that in the long-term they can be productive, contributing members of society. Educate them daily and consistently and when they're 40 and no longer required to be in school they will ideally be a value-add to the world.

It turns out that leadership training is built on this same principle. Spending a little time each day improving yourself as a leader has serious long-term implications for those you lead. It's a short-term investment for a long-term gain.

I came to this realization as I was dying on my run this morning: Almost anything that matters in life is all about short-term sacrifice for long-term gain. Sacrifice now to have more later. As Dave Ramsey says, "Live like no one else now so that you can live like no one else later."

So do something today to improve your leadership. Not sure where to start? Here are a few recommendations:

• Sign up for the Tip of the Day from the Harvard Business Review.
• Read a chapter in a leadership book or magazine.
• Write down your vision for yourself as a leader for the next year.
• Set three goals that you'd like to accomplish this week to take care of yourself.
• Reach out to someone you lead and ask them for feedback.
• Read a leadership blog, like this one, and commit to do something different because of what you read.

Just as with exercise, or investing, or even education, it's not the amount that necessarily matters as much as it is the action and the habit.

Do something different today.

The more I train and coach leaders from all backgrounds, the more I realize that leadership is all about trust. The majority of dysfunction in leadership comes from a lack of trust with the people you lead.

Awhile back I was coaching a leader who was trying too hard. He overcompensated and began to rub his colleagues wrong. He would try too hard to come across as confident and bold in team meetings and with the teachers he evaluated. The result was lost influence with his team, mistrust with the teachers he evaluated, and a loss of confidence for him. What was the foundation of his dysfunctional behavior?

Trust.

As we dug in, it became clear that he behaved the way he did because he was afraid that people wouldn't see him as equal to the task, as good enough to be in the position he was in. And why was he afraid? Because he didn't trust that his teammates and teachers would respect him if he was simply himself.

Did you catch it? It was a trust thing.

Why don't people speak up? Or delegate? Or engage in healthy conflict? Or work together as a team?

Trust.

The greatest investment you can make as a leader is to develop a tremendous amount of trust as quickly as possible.

Contrary to what most people believe, trust isn't only built over time and by getting results. This certainly helps. But trust can come from showing vulnerability, truly understanding one another, and investing in human relationships.

Not sure where to start? Start by getting clear about who you are -- your strengths and weaknesses -- and then share that with the people you lead. In particular, watch their faces as you own your weaknesses with humility and courage. Then invite them to do the same.

Next, take time to really understand each person's motivations and values. Why do they do what they do? What is their background? What drives them to work every day?

Last, invest significant time one-on-one over the next 6 months in getting to know your team as people. As humans.

Trust can't be built overnight, but it also doesn't take a decade. Investing in trust now will pay huge dividends over the long term.