Summary - The Discipline of Teams

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SYNOPSIS

The Discipline of Teams Introduction Definition of a Team – Managers have to agree and be clear on the definition. This one reflects the discipline-oriented and effective quality of a team:  A team is a small number of people with complementary complementary skills who are committed committed to a common  purpose, set of performance performance goals, and approach for which which they hold themselves mutually accountable. “  

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4 Elements that make teams function according to Katzenbach and Smith: 1) Common Commitment and purpose 2) Performance Goals 3) Complementary Skills 4) Mutual Accountability Teams have 3 Common Varieties (or C ategories) according to authors: 1) Teams that recommend things 2) Teams that make or do things 3) Teams that run things Key Findings of research in their discovery to find what differentiates levels of team per formance, formance, where/how teams work best  and  and what top mgmt. can do to improve their effectiveness: effectiveness : There is a basic discipline discipline that makes teams work. Teams & good performance are are  inseparable; you can’t have have one without the other. The word team is loosely used, and its impt. to accurately define what a team is and isn’t. Most execs advocate teamwork as they should. Teamwork represents a given set of values  that encourage constructive and active listening/responding. listening/responding. Examples of these values are: are: giving the benefit of the doubt, providing moral support, and r ecognition of the interests and achievements of others. Committees, councils and task forces = may be a group or a workforce, but not a team.  Groups do not become teams because o f the team nomenclature.  Distinction between team and group lies in performance o utput between them, based on functional output of individual performance. Team output is a result of the c ollective output as well as the individual output of each  member of the team and the “collective work product” – or what two or more members work on together, ie. Interviews, surveys, presentations presentations or experiments. This reflects a joint contribution of team members. Key Differences between working gr oups and teams: Working groups are similar to teams. But they don’t take accountability  accountabi lity for results other than their own, however teams do. Working groups do not have a gain from the incremental performance contribution that two  or more members provide, however teams do. Working Groups require discussion, debate and decision- advocacy as well as sharing of best  practices and standards. Teams require both this and mutual / individual individual accountability. Teams produce discrete work products through joint co ntributions of their members- this is 

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SYNOPSIS

The Discipline of Teams 

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what makes a team greater than the sum of all of its parts. Teams have a shared and common commitment – w/o it, groups perform as individuals & with it, become a powerful unit of collective performance. Commitment requires purpose of which all team members must share. The team purpose is one that relates to winning, being first, revolutionizing or being on the razor’s edge.

Outlined Differences: Qualities of Team vs. Working Group Team Shared leadership roles Individual & mutual accountability Specific team purpose that the team itself delivers Collective work products Encourages open-ended discussion and active problem-solving meetings Measures performance directly by assessing collective work products Discusses, decides, and does real work together Working Group Strong,clearly focused leader Individual accountability The group’s purpose is the same as the broader organizational mission Individual work products Runs efficient meetings Measures its effectiveness indirectly by its influence on others (such as financial performance of the business) Discusses, decides, and delegates 

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Management Responsible for providing clarification of the charter or mission, rationale and performance  challenge of the team Needs to provide more flexibility for team to provide commitment on its own interpretation of  its purpose and goals, timing and approach Common Approach of Successful Teams Establish Urgency , demanding performance standards and direction  Choose members for skill and skill potential, not personality   First impressions , meetings and actions mean a lot Set clear rules of engagement or behavior  Set & capture performance-oriented common goals and tasks – that are achievable/attainable  Challenge group regularly w/ current facts & information  Spend lots of time working together – maximize and don’t minimize this time  Exploit the power of positive feedback, recognition and reward  Teams need to develop the right mix of skills. These team skills categories are: Technical/Functional Expertise  Problem Solving/Decision Making Skills  Interpersonal Skills  Teams that Recommend Things  Teams that Make or Do Things  Teams that Run Things 