Team Development Engines that Drive Performance & Leaders Setting a Culture for High Performing Teams Michael A. Fors, Ph.D. 2007 1 Objectives 1. Define a team & why they are important to organizational performance 2. Identify elements of effective teams 3. Handle team conflict so that the team can move to the next level of performance 4. Determine how a leader can drive a culture of team performance 5. Create a plan to improve teams back in your organization 2
Sponsor It is All About Performance & Serving Constituents Suppliers Strategic Plan w/ metrics Leaders Mgrs Structure Culture & Values Workflows Teams Individuals Output with a purpose People Served Metrics measure impact Vendors & contractors Stakeholders not to be reproduced without expressed written consent 3 Teams Engines that Drive Organizational performance not to be reproduced without expressed written consent 4
Why Teams Impact Performance In a high performing organization: Teams are vehicles for doing work They are leverage points for coordinating work across people The sum of team work = Accomplishes strategic objectives & moves the organization to its vision Copyright Fors Leadership Academy 5 The Reality: Reality of Teams Leaders don t know how to design teams for high performance Most teams struggle to complete their work Teams don t know how to best develop themselves Team development without leadership happens, but not for good Copyright Fors Leadership Academy 6
Leaders can: Teams Develop with or without you (It may as well be with you!) Design a team development methodology Set it as an expectation across your organization 99.9% of leaders do not do this You don t want to leave team development to chance Why you should care as a leader: Teams are a core working unit The collective work of teams is what accomplishes your org. deliverables and vision If done well, it also helps bring about member satisfaction 7 Best Team & Attributes What is the best team you have led or been a member? Why is it an example of a great team? Share your story with your team What are the top 3 elements of a high performing team? Flipchart answers, and report out your top 3 not to be reproduced without expressed written consent 8
Team Development vs. Team Building not to be reproduced without expressed written consent 9 Pareto 80/20 not to be reproduced without expressed written consent 10
What Makes a Good Team? Clear Deliverable(s) Team Individuals Deliverable definition: Tangible output 1 clear owner Due date Defined measures for success such as time, cost, quality, quantity, satisfaction Defined leadership Size = 7 +2; larger numbers should be linked subteams Interdependent work team members must rely upon each other to accomplish deliverables The best possible members on the team (expertise, representation) Accountability individual and team levels around metrics Agreed upon way of accomplishing the work together Acquires and effectively utilizes resources needed Stakeholder buy in and support Ability to track and communicate progress 11 Your Role as Leader Create a culture of high performing teams Focus on 80/20 practical team development elements not to be reproduced without expressed written consent 12
Team sets deliverable How to work together Most don t t do this well Tuckman Stages Forming Storming Conflict = Healthy difference of opinion Important: how team deals with conflict Norming Team learns to work through differences Progress happens, but not perfectly Performing Seamless Synergy Think of the best team you ve ever seen Principles: Each stage builds upon the previous step Each stage builds towards Performing Skipping any stage negatively impacts performance The model is fluid, i.e. like a manual transmission car With every new challenge, process must be repeated 13 The Symphony: Bolero Watch the video and find stages of the Tuckman Model Identify the stages through which the symphony progresses in order to prepare to perform Bolero Be ready to discuss the stages of symphony development
Bolero Debrief Summary Logistics just getting the team together & focused is never easy Form: All agree to play Bolero (Zubin is reluctant) Discussions are held behind the scenes to strategize. Does Zubin convey a vision of success? Storm: Rehearsal The symphony tries to play, but need to agree on the vision (the interpretation of the music) Zubin as leader works very hard to facilitate the performance of experts! Norm: The symphony begins to play stretches of Bolero very well Perform: The symphony plays the piece & the crescendo is spine tingling What do you think the audience was saying as they were heading home? Reforming New goal New leader New members Team Development Norming Performing Storming Forming Re-Forming 16
Forming Well & Moving the Team through Stages Two types of elements form the basis of team performance: 1. Deliverables: What the team will produce 2. Process: How the team will work together to produce the deliverables 17 Define Team Deliverables Tangible output defined Alignment to Strategic Objective Milestones & Due Dates Owner Indicator Measure of Success Headcount Needed Budget Frequency of Project Review Team Priority Current Status/Issues Actions Needed 18
Define HOW the team works Team Process Elements Element What to Do If Not Done 1. Tuckman Goal Set a stage goal and monitor performance Members have differing expectations some are OK norming, others want to reach performing stage 2. Member Expertise + Experience 3. Leader & Member Roles Discuss + leverage the expertise of members Define leader role (facilitator, decision maker, etc.) Define what it means to be a good member Don t know each other s expertise Don t use skills resident in team Are slower than needed Repeat historical mistakes Reinvent the wheel Members have conflicting perspectives of leader role Unclear member roles lead to issues 19 Team Process Elements Element What to Do If Not Done 4. Communication Create a plan: Communicate what To whom How often Plan for internal org. members Plan for external (Customers, stakeholders, etc.) 5. Conflict Prepare for it It may simply be difference of opinion Set criteria for how idea conflicts can be resolved: Data based Constructive not personal Outcomes - based With the best person to resolve it In time Communication is: Too much Too little Not with the proper individuals Teams personally attack each other or speak badly about one another behind the scenes Issues are based upon opinion and are not resolved in a timely manner 20
Team Process Elements Element What to Do If Not Done 6. Outcomes- Based Meetings Set agenda to include outcomes and Lack of agenda, output and process 7. Decision Making Determine how decisions will be made upfront consensus, consultative, authoritative, or voting? Lack of clarity leads to confusion and frustration 8. Rewards Track contributors and reward them. Set criteria for recognition and types of rewards Often overlooked, and members feel undervalued 21 Team Process Elements Element What to Do If Not Done 9. Work Styles Perform a work styles inventory, understand individual preferences, and analyze team strengths and weaknesses Individuals don t understand differences and think they have personality conflicts 22
Team Development How to Propel through the Stages & On To Performance! Forming Team performance plan Task Plan Team process plan Define a Tuckman goal Discuss progress to task and team plans Storming Focus on deliverables and process! Conflict is OK = difference of opinion Discuss when it occurs Keep it objective; resolve it & let everyone see it as an accomplishment Norming Continue to focus on issue resolution Confirm roles and check work alignment in the team Fine tune task and team process plans Improve linkages to external partners Strive for seamless execution to achieve performing stage 23 Team Development Performance Checklist The organization has a standard method for forming teams: Defines Commitments (Use of Deliverables Doc to define the what they will produce) Defines Team Process (Use of Team Process Doc to define how they will work) Teams believe difference of opinion is healthy & overcome it to move through storming & achieve the best outcome Team members work to move from one stage to the next & have a team development goal Teams re-form: New members, new leader, new strategy Teams have clear membership with cross-group representation needed to do the work Working teams have no more than 7-9 members Work is clear team & individuals have clear tangible outputs & metrics Team can clearly tie work to a Strategic Objective & overall vision of the organization Team members have clear roles (why they are on team, how they represent a group) Teams hold effective meetings Agendas with outcomes defined Roles defined to facilitate achievement of outcomes (facilitator, gatekeeper, timekeeper, scribe) Teams follow up to check their progress on commitments and team process Leaders assist teams to define work in relation to the vision Especially as they hit the Storming stage Teams check progress using Hill of Influence and Individual vs. Team Performance Teams have clear decision making strategies 24
X Hill of Influence X X X X X X Reminder: Influence does not equal time spent talking not to be reproduced without expressed 25 written consent Team Performance vs. Individual Performance T E A M E F F E C T I V E N E S S INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE Copyright Fors Leadership Academy 26