The Comparative Advantage of X-Teams

Transcription

1 The Cmparative Advantage f X-Teams - Emphasizes utreach t stakehlders and adapts easily t flatter rganizatin structure, changing infrmatin and increasing cmplexity Imprtant t get buy-in frm managers and bsses t btain adequate amunt f resurces and supprt Equally imprtant t gather cmpetitive infrmatin NOT JUST THE TEAM CHEMISTRY THAT IS IMPORTANT - Teams shuld nt be inwardly fcused and lack flexibility Need t extend fcus and utreach t bth internal and external stakehlders; even thse in different departments f a cmpany - X-team: externally riented, adaptive teams, fllws a netwrk apprach (there is significant interdependency within the wrkplace) Manage acrss bundaries Lbby fr resurces, cnnect t new change initiatives, seek current infrmatin and link t ther grups within and utside the cmpany Imprtant Cmpnents f X Teams: Reasn Fr Success 1) External Activity - Members manage acrss bundaries; utreach activities can be shared by the leader r everyne in the team - Need t ensure that mst relevant cmpetency is ability t lbby fr resurces with tp management Als need t reach ut thse with knwledge and infrmatin t apply resurces effectively - Ambassadrial Activity: aimed at managing upward Marketing prject and team t cmpany pwer structure, maintain reputatin, lbbying, keeping track f allies and cmpetitin Helps link wrk t strategic initiatives Essential t prvide updates and keep track f resurce allcatin decisins - Task Crdinatin: used fr managing lateral cnnectins acrss functins and interdependencies with ther units Push ther grups t fllw thrugh n cmmitments s that they team can meet its deadlines

2 - Scuting: helps team gather inf lcated thrughut the cmpany and the industry Invlves lateral and dwnward searches Essential t investigate markets, new tech. and cmpetitr activities 2) Extensive Ties - Essential t have a cnnectin with utsides - Weak ties: can be useful when teams need t rund up knwledge and expertise within the cmpany A new graduate can get a senir psitin because he/she has ties t imprtant experts at prestigius institutins Ties can be weak but extensive - Strng ties: facilitate higher levels f cperating and transfer f cmplex knwledge Frged when relatinships are critical t bth sides and built ver lng perid f time 3) Expandable Structures/Tiers - Need t knw hw t cmbine the identity and separateness f a team with dense ties and external interactins Members can perfrm duties within mre than ne tier - Cre Members: carry the teams histry and identity Simultaneusly crdinate multiple parts f the team; make team strategy and key decisins Frequently wrk with ther members f equal r higher rank Serve n ther x-teams as peratinal r uter net members Cmmitted t respnd rapidly t changing business activities, btain feedback internally and externally

3 Organize team scial events: help expand netwrk - Operatinal Members: d nging wrk; tightly cnnected t ne anther and t the cre - Outer-Net Members: ften jin the team t handle sme task that is separable frm nging wrk May be part time r part cycle members Tied lsely t ne anther but strngly t peratinal r cre members Being specialized expertise Can include peple frm ther rganizatins 4) Flexible Membership - Membership is fluid; peple mve in and ut f the team; can even mve acrss layers 5) Mechanisms fr Executin - Clear rles and gals are essential - Integrative meetings: members share the external infrmatin each has btained Increases infrmatin s value; makes it widely available Decisins based n real time data - Transparent decisin making: keeps peple infrmed abut reasns behind chices Keeps everyne in the same directin and helps maintain mtivatin - Scheduling tls (shared timelines): clearly cmmunicated but flexible deadlines allw members t pace themselves and t crdinate wrk with thers Putting Pieces Tgether - X team cmpnents frm a self-reinfrcing system - Members bring utside ties frged in past experiences - The five cmpnents must cmpliment ne anther Supprting X Teams - The mre dependent a team in n knwledge and resurces, the mre critical is the rganizatinal cntext

4 - Explicit decisin rules accessible infrmatin and learning culture helps create supprtive rganizatinal cntext 1) Explicit Decisin Rules - X teams favur decisin rules that adapt t new circumstances - Essential t search fr slid infrmatin - Members must act up n their wn and raise issues that need discussin 2) Three-Tier Structure - Gives cre members versight f the activities f peratinal and uter net members - The teams are handy fr discussing rles and respnsibilities ; duties were nt reflectin f hierarchy - With established links, cre members culd get infrmatin frm uter net member at shrt ntice 3) Accessible Infrmatin - Access t valid and current inf is critical - Essential t maintain a knw wh database; prvides names f experts in varius fields and explained the units histrical relatinship with thse experts 4) Learning Culture - Useful infrmatin infrastructure has t be nurtured - Helps generate psitive perfrmance and makes team perfrmance enhance Is X Team fr Yur Cmpany? - Are very hard t manage; size, gals and membership keep fluctuating - Internal crdinatin invlves mre members, mre infrmatin and mre diversity - Apprpriate when: rganizatinal structure is flat, spread ut with numerus alliances rather than multilevel and has centralized hierarchy When teams are dependent n infrmatin that is cmplex, externally dispersed and changing Use x teams when task is interwven with tasks undertaken utside the team

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