Research Articles

GIVING TEAMWORK TEETH

David Stratford
Principal
Everest Woods Consulting

How often have you heard people complaining about the amount of time they waste in team meetings? This is often the case in business, where there has been a lot of woolly thinking about teamwork, but very rarely so in sport where teamwork is seen as a vital key to success. Having interviewed some of the top sports coaches in the country (John Buchanan (cricket), Don Talbot (Swimming), Lindsay Gaze (basketball), Tommy Hafey (AFL), Jan Stirling (Women's basketball) amongst many others, they all stress how vital teamwork is to their work. Here are some guidelines derived from these discussions, and from helping companies develop High Performing Teams.

10 COMMANDMENTS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK

Align your team goals
Agree a team code of conduct & stick to it
Ensure the leadership style matches team goals
Ban political correctness
Adopt a unique team role for yourself
Welcome individual differences
Check team effectiveness regularly
Be loyal to team decisions, & keep confidences
If the team does not add value, dismantle it
Check your own contribution

Looking at these ten issues one at a time:

1. ALIGN YOUR TEAM GOALS:

It is not unusual for a team not to have a crystal clear focus on why it exists - but this is inexcusable. If a team is not seen by itself, and more importantly by others, to add value in defined areas, it should be dismantled, as it will be wasting time. It is always a good idea to define team goals, and then check them with the people outside the team who are impacted by its actions, so that everyone is aiming in the same direction.

2. AGREE A TEAM CODE OF CONDUCT, AND STICK TO IT:

There is no room for prima donnas, and the team has to agree operating protocols which give it some backbone, and empowers the peer group to discipline individuals who want to paddle their own canoe. This gives the team a unique identity, and ensures that time is used effectively, communication is lively, action plans are developed and implemented, and every team member has a part to play.

3. ENSURE THE LEADERSHIP STYLE MATCHES TEAM GOALS:

Different leadership styles suit different circumstances, and it is imperative that the team agrees the leadership style which will help deliver the goals, rather than one which alienates the group, and doesn't draw out individual talents. It is helpful to agree the most appropriate style in advance.

4. BAN POLITICAL CORRECTNESS:

Political correctness imprisons you in the present or the past, and stifles the creative and irreverent thinking which will lead you into the future. It is preferable to commit to open and authentic dialogue, and to encourage constructive (but not destructive) criticism. Without fresh thinking, a team tends to stagnate in its comfort zone.

5. ADOPT A UNIQUE TEAM ROLE FOR YOURSELF

Research has shown that effective teams allocate different team roles to each individual, so that each contributes to team development in a different way. For example, one person may have all the brilliant new ideas, another may be great at converting ideas into action, another may have excellent organisational skills to keep the team on track, and another may be the one who pours oil on troubled waters. It is worthwhile to explore these roles and adopt the one which matches your talents and interests best. This will guarantee you a sense of value in the team.

6. WELCOME INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES:

An effective team is made up of different kinds of personalities who will contribute in different ways. The most disastrous team is one which is made up of organisational clones who use meetings as an excuse for self-congratulation, and the development of a powerful clique of like-minded people. A degree of creative friction from people who approach problems in different ways is always healthy.

7. CHECK TEAM EFFECTIVENESS REGULARLY:

It is easy for teams to drift into complacency, and to waste the valuable time of their members. To avoid this, it is desirable to evaluate progress on a regular basis, perhaps at the end or start of each meeting, and certainly once a quarter. It is crucial that this is not done solely on an internal basis, but also by external staff who are impacted by team decisions - only in this way will an honest appraisal be possible. Some companies have a portion of team bonuses derived from team outputs.

8. BE LOYAL TO TEAM DECISIONS, AND KEEP CONFIDENCES:

A high performing team believes in the integrity of each team member, and a high degree of mutual trust is evident. Trust does not grow on trees, but is earned by effective and open dialoguing, keeping commitments, being loyal to team decisions (once made), and by guarding confidences. It can be shattered by loose talk, hidden agendas, backstairs gossiping, or the breaking of commitments.

9. IF THE TEAM DOES NOT ADD VALUE, DISMANTLE IT:

There is nothing more inspiring than a high-performing team, and conversely nothing more demoralising than one which is quietly withering on the vine. Once goals are set, and action plans agreed, it is vital to measure progress made internally, then to check external perceptions of value contributed. Then, decision time has come: if the team is seen to be firing up, and contributing strongly, then more high powered agendas can be tackled. Alternatively, if it is drifting aimlessly, it should be dismantled.

10. CHECK YOUR OWN CONTRIBUTION:

Every few months, it is a worthwhile exercise to ask yourself the following questions - and cross-check your answers with a trusted team colleague:

What have I contributed to team goals?
How have I helped my colleagues to add value?
Have I put in to the best of my ability?
Have I been confident enough to speak my mind?
What have I learned as a member of this team?

WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF SEVERAL TEAMS:

Often, people do not identify clearly enough all the teams in which they are a member. We live in a complex society, and lone wolves tend to be shut out of the limelight:

at work , we may be members of 2 or 3 teams - a natural working group, a project team, a committee, a task force etc
at home, the family is a team, and the extended family is another
in our leisure, most of us contribute to several teams - based on community, cultural, ethnic or sporting interests

Improving our team-skills can therefore improve the contribution we make in a number of areas of our life - and thus improve the quality of our lifestyle. It is a neglected art, but one in which rapid improvement can soon be made, if the will to change is there.

Follow this link for more information on THE HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM INDEX™