Make Teamwork Happen

Reality TV is a voyeuristic view of teamwork.  The producers take willing subjects, throw them together with a simple premise, and let the fireworks begin.  Each segment is a fascinating case study on team dynamics where we have the opportunity to see the good, the bad, and the ugly.

My favorite show this season is “The Celebrity Apprentice,” a multiple-week contest where sixteen celebrities vie to be the winner for a large donation to the charity of their choice.  Each week, Trump gives the team(s) a task.  The teams are then evaluated and one member is “fired” with the last person winning the crown. 

So far there are several lessons to be learned:

Be Clear.  Trump is explicit about his expectations.  Each week he provides a “dossier” or team charter with a clear objective and some guidance.  One week, the objective was to “set up a bridal gown store and sell as many dresses as possible in a certain number of hours.”  The team who makes the most money “wins” and someone from the “losing” team will be sent home.  It’s an intriguing microcosm for Donald and his advisors to evaluate the celebrities’ business acumen, team skills, and competitiveness.

Be Timely.  After each task is completed, Trump immediately assembles the teams and evaluates the results.  The teams know instantaneously how they did, where they stand, and what he thinks of their performance.  (Note to all team leaders: he didn’t send them an email; he gave the good and bad news face to face.)

Be Decisive.  Donald Trump is known for being able to make decisions swiftly.  After gathering input from his advisors, he alone makes the decision as to who will be fired. 

Align with the Culture.  Given the fact that Trump is decisive, direct, and results-oriented, it is challenging to operate with a different approach, especially when you’re in a television fishbowl.  For example, within the Trump Organization, it is better to make the wrong decision than to be wishy-washy.  It is better to be direct and objectively state your case than to assume your actions will speak for you.

Question:  Would Donald Trump hire you?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

Have you ever had one of your teammates complain about the same thing over and over again to the point that you could predict what they were going to say?  It may even seem as though they just want to complain and are not interested in the solution.  Steven Gaffney, a communications consultant in Arlington, VA asserts they are “stuck in a pothole of complaining and don’t know how to get out.”

When team members complain to us, we usually assume they want our help and our suggestions.  We think we know what they really want and readily provide our thoughtful comments and feedback.  Unfortunately, we often incorrectly diagnose the complaint by treating the symptoms and not the root causes.  Rarely is the moaning and groaning about the real issue that needs to be dealt with!  For example, someone who complains about traffic may really want flexible work hours; someone who complains about their bills may want a pay raise or bonus.  We usually fail as mind readers and the problem will go unresolved.

Gaffney suggests a few simple techniques to lift them out of their rut of complaint:

Intently Listen.  Gaffney believes that the main reason why complaining continues is that your teammate doesn’t feel like he is being heard.  When someone complains, listen not only with your ears, but with your eyes and heart.  Take in the nonverbals, the tone, pace, and feeling of what the other person is saying.  Then reflect the words and the emotions by saying something like, “I understand you are upset/stressed/annoyed at….”  By paraphrasing their thoughts and emotions, the complainer will feel heard.

No Buts.  Avoid saying something like, “I understand you are upset BUT….”  The “but” makes someone feel invalidated and is the same as saying, “Don’t get upset” or “Don’t worry.”  When we tell others “not to feel” a certain way, we only make them more emotional.  However, the more we acknowledge the other person’s emotions, the more likely they will feel they have been heard and the emotions will be diffused and dissipate.

Facilitate Solutions.  Change the conversation from problem-finding to solution-searching.  Ask her questions such as, “What do you think we should do about it?” or “What would you like done” or “How can we resolve this?”  By asking and finding out what people really want, we can quickly eliminate the complaining and move to a much more positive conversation.

No Excuses.  When people say “I don’t know,” Gaffney says “it is usually code language for ‘I am afraid to ask you.’  It is important to be patient.  This helps to set the tone and will condition the other person to realize that you are committed to helping them.”

Look for a Win-Win.  Brainstorm ideas to come up with a solution that resolves the complaint and is agreeable to all team members. 

Question:  How do you handle complainers on your team?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

As I travel about the country I meet people who are part of a “team.”  Perhaps they wear a “team” button, hang a picture proclaiming teamwork, or cheerfully answer the phone: “Team Blue.  How may we help you today?”  These are the front line workers who make teamwork happen.  They, above all people, should understand the essence of teamwork.  And yet, when I probe beneath the surface and ask about their teamwork, I am immediately transported to my Top Ten Not-So-Great Reasons to Form a Team:

Get Your T-Shirts Here!  A fast food restaurant has tons of buttons, ball caps, and t-shirts proclaiming “Team ***” all over the restaurant.  When asked what makes their staff a team, a young man replied, “Well, I got this really cool polo shirt.”

One Person is the Hero.  An automotive dealership assigned a “team” of professionals to service my car.  I was assigned “team blue” where Terry is the main man.  He checks me in, tells me what he’s going to do, how much it’s going to cost, and when it’s going to be ready.  Now, I know Terry didn’t do the actual work on my car, but who did?  The blue team elves did, that’s who.

Test the Customer.  So when I came back to get my car serviced again (yes, I did come back!), the service department voice mail operator asked for my team: white, red, blue, yellow, or green?  How am I supposed to know?  I dealt with Terry – the human being.  I don’t remember the color.  I don’t care about color.  I just want to get my car serviced (presumably by those cute little elves).  So I press “O.”  “Ooops,” she said.  “Terry works all the positions.  He’s a floater.  So we’ll just assign you to a new team!”  As far as I can tell, I have NEVER had the same person, team, or elves work on my car.

Hide from Problems.  A manufacturing plant used “teams” as an excuse to call a meeting to discuss a problem, to then call another meeting to continue to discuss the problem (you get the picture?), to then call another meeting . . . all in an effort to make the problem go away.

Look Good on Paper.  One project manager formed a “team” involving all the departments who would “touch” the process.  Unfortunately, he didn’t trust them nor expect them to do any work to develop the new product.  In fact, the less others were involved, he reasoned, the better.  But it looked great on paper (and to his boss) that he had formed a team to achieve buy-in and involvement in the process.

Achieve Your Own Agenda.  A close kin to the project manager, a high-falootin’ lawyer was the president of a special commission to make some recommendations.  He said all the right buzzwords, went through the motions of building a team, but when it came right down to it, he drove that committee like a steel tent peg.  Needless to say, the commission did nothing and reported nothing of consequence.  Dilbert would have been proud.

Diffuse Blame.  A hospital uses the “team approach” to patient care.  Doctors, nurses, therapists and other caregivers assemble to agree on the care management of each patient.  So when a patient receives conflicting reports, team members shrug and point the finger at another patient care team member.

Dump the Undesirable Work.  A financial services office formed a team of the company misfits – the sick, lame and lazy – to do the work nobody else wanted to do.  Needless to say, they didn’t accomplish much.

Keep ‘Em Hungry.  A sales and service company supports the team work concept where the seasoned salespeople are supposed to train and mentor the younger sales force.  Unfortunately, all sales team members are still compensated by a dog-eat-dog commission system where the old timers eat their young.  There is no incentive to work like a team.  And they certainly don’t act like a team.  But I just love the “Teamwork” picture hanging next to the company mission statement.

It’s a Party!  A manufacturing plant changes shifts every eight hours.  The process is pretty simple: the offgoing watch briefs the ongoing watch.  The ongoing watch relieves the offgoing watch.  Total Elapsed Time: 5 minutes.  However, during the 8 a.m .shift change, a gazillion people attend.  Not only do they change the shift, but others are invited “just in case” some problem needs to be solved or the plant manager needs to have an immediate answer to some off-the-wall question.  Total Elapsed Time:  Anywhere from one to three hours.

Use teams where they make sense. 

Question:  Do you see yourself or your teams in any of these situations?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

Every team needs a visual scoreboard that tracks how well they are doing.  Using the team’s mission statement, the team should have a few metrics that indicate team success and progress.   Just like the gauges on your car tell you critical information, your team’s dashboard lets the team know how they are doing. 

Trend Chart.  The most common gauge teams use is the trend chart where the horizontal axis is a unit of time (hour, day, week, month, quarter, or year).  The vertical axis is some unit of productivity or costs.  Make sure the team includes a vertical line indicating the team’s “goal.”  As the team tracks progress over time, connect the dots to see the trend going up or down.  See how far (or close) you are to the goal!

If you know the industry standard or “benchmark,” (usually obtained by your industry trade association), you can include a vertical line indicating how well you are doing with respect to your competitors.

Thermometer.  Another common gauge is the thermometer.  Popular with fundraising drives, the thermometer shows a quantity in comparison to the total goal.

Idiot Lights.  When displaying a category of information (i.e., good, average, bad) a simple status light might be helpful.  (In my family, we call this “idiot lights” because you should check the engine when the “check engine light” comes on!).  Green, yellow and red are universal colors that symbolize go, proceed with caution, and stop!

Digital or Analog?  The key to updating the dashboard is to make the process easy so it gets updated regularly.  Some organizations have system applications that compile and post the data to an intranet site.  More often then not, someone has to physically collect the data and post it for all to see.  Make sure there is clear accountability for who will post the numbers and how often.  Keep in mind, people do take vacations, so have a trustworthy backup to post the numbers for all to see the progress the team has made.

Question:  Do you have a clear measurement of your team’s progress vs goals?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

Are you working too hard as a team leader? 

You are busy establishing goals, setting direction, leading your team; managing discussions and keeping folks on task while you must document all this teamwork!  It’s exhausting!

Relax, no need to hog all the work!  Try “sharing the wealth” in small pieces.  Ask yourself, “What function can I ask someone else to do that will help me and develop that person’s abilities?” 

Give team roles to others on the team:

Gatekeeper.  Make sure everyone has a chance to speak and that one person doesn’t hog all the airtime.

Timekeeper.  Have someone else accountable for helping the team start on time and end on time.  Ask them to give the team a warning before the end of each agenda item.  When the time is up, the team may decide to 1) move toward immediate closure of the discussion, 2) “park” the issue for another time or 3) renegotiate the timetable and continue the discussion (but at least you won’t be trapped and unable to escape!)

Scribe. Rather than taking notes on a yellow legal pad, ask someone on the team to keep the team’s “minutes” to remind the team of past agreements and future work.

Recorder.  Ask another person (or if on a small team, ask the scribe) to record people’s ideas on an easel chart for all to see.  When people’s ideas are recorded, they feel as if they have been heard.  Also, by posting the comments, you don’t have to keep repeating the same points.

Spokesperson.  Whenever the team needs to report out, consider having someone else (or the entire team) report out key features.

If you are nervous about giving up some control, you might want to give the team member some “on the spot” coaching about how to perform their team role.  With a little bit of forethought and preparation, your team will be more involved and you won’t have to work so hard!

Question:  What roles can you delegate to your team members?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

One of my clients recently shared with me his frustration during an international conference call.  One of the key players joined the call an hour late!  When he wanted to reopen some of the issues that were already discussed and agreed upon, his fellow team members became audibly irritated.

One of them piped up and said, “We already covered that; I’ll brief you on the discussion at the end of this call.”  Rather abrupt, but it ended the latecomer’s desire to revisit each issue.

Question:  Do you stop the discussion and recap for a latecomer, “rewarding” him for his inconsiderate behavior?

Conflict is inevitable, whether you are making a holiday dinner or engaging in a lively family debate.  They key is in managing conflict, rather than letting conflict spiral out of control.

Most people don’t like conflict and react in a variety of ways:

Avoiders.  They prefer the conflict to go away.  Unfortunately, conflict never simply “goes away.”  It just comes back in a bigger and uglier form until it becomes unavoidable.  Usually, the conflict escalates far beyond the ability to engage in a rational discussion and resolution.

Accommodators. These folks prefer to pacify or placate antagonistic team members – just to keep the peace.  This strategy buys peace in the short run, but eventually accommodators erupt.  They carefully keep score of each infraction tolerated, each accommodation made.  Then one inconsequential event trips them over the edge!  It’s the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.  The “conflict” usually centers around the “straw,” versus the real issues.

Competitors. They want it their way.  Period.  No room for discussion.  The competitor wants to win and will do and say anything to be successful.

Compromisers. “You have to lose a little to gain a little” is their mantra.  They enter into conflict willing to “lose the battle, but win the war.”  Unfortunately, they never really pick which battles are worth compromising for or figure out which war they are fighting!  A compromise is never particularly satisfying to anyone involved.  By it’s very definition, no one “wins.”  Everyone has to give up something – and it usually doesn’t lend itself to the best possible outcome.

Conciliators. A close cousin to the accommodator and compromiser, the conciliator offers up something as a prelude to receiving something in return.  Conciliators offer the proverbial bone you give to a dog to get the dog to do what they want.  You could call this bribery, but the politically-correct term is “conciliation.”

Collaborators. Looking for a win-win, collaborators have the courage to speak their mind as well as consideration for other points of view.  They search for a consensus that everyone can live with and support.

Within your family or your team, recognize that each person approaches conflict differently.  The key is to manage the dynamic versus letting the conflict escalate out of control.

Question:  What category do you fall into and what have your results been?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

On Thursday, the new administration officially launched the “Open Government Initiative” at www.whitehouse.gov/open ostensibly chartered to create a more participatory, transparent, and collaborative government.

According to Sandy Heierbacher, Director, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD), the first “brainstorming” stage would wrap up next Thursday (May 28th)!  Doesn’t give us a whole lot of time to add our two cents worth, now does it?

You can add your great ideas to the Open Government Dialogue space at http://opengov.ideascale.com/ and I encourage all of you to join in and be sure to “vote up” the submissions you agree with! 

Sandy is keeping track of the posts by NCDDers that she hears about on the blog at www.thataway.org and it’s pretty interesting to read what they have been saying:

Ask Federal Agencies to Adopt the Core Principles for Public Engagement (Sandy Heierbacher) 

Promise USA - National Network of Citizen Conversation (Christine Whitney Sanchez) 

A national citizens’ assembly to represent the people’s wisdom (Phil Mitchel) 

Practical scholarship and assistance from Universities - the University Network for Collaborative Governance (John Stephens) 

Use Visual recording and mini animations to convey complex ideas (Nancy Margulies) 

Hold Agencies Accountable for Implementing the Open Government Directive  

Fully fund participation and collaboration activities 

Require all agencies to submit a plan for open government

Encourage State and Local Governments to Become More Open and Inclusive 

Integrate Participation and Collaboration into All Major Systems of Federal Agencies

Convene the American Public in National Discussions of One Million People or More on the Issues of Highest Public Concern

Create Incentives and a Recognition Program to Promote Participation, Collaboration and Transparency Among Federal Agencies

Address Legal Barriers That Impede Participation and Collaboration

The average manager spends between 50 to 70 percent of their time in meetings.  Most of it is just talk and not a whole lot of action.  Listen to the conversations.  Are they conversations for action, commentary, or sideline?

Rayona Sharpnack of the Institute for Women’s Leadership frames these different conversations in the context of a football game:

In the huddle the quarterback says something like, “Okay, drop back, pass protection, sprint out right, pass on two.”  He’s asking that the front line form a V-shape protective shield around him so that the other team doesn’t crush him.  He’s requesting that the two folks on the end go down the field, cut across it, and wait for him to throw them the ball.  In return, he’s promising that he’s going to drop back, kind of veer off to the right, and throw a pass to one of those two people. That is a conversation for action, a set of instructions, an agreement on how to proceed.

There are other conversations going on at the same time.  There are commentators in the press box saying “Well, there’s Jeff George, arguing with the coach again.  The last time he was in this situation….”  Nothing they say has any effect on the game at all.  But because of their position and stature within the football community, they are allowed to comment and people actually listen to them!

Then there are the bystanders, the people in the stands who are saying, “Gee, I really don’t like the quarterback.  He’s calling the wrong play.”  These folks don’t have a bit of influence on the game, but they certainly have an opinion.

The same thing happens in organizations.  People are having conversations for action.  They are attempting to move the organization into the future.  Others are commenting or kibitzing from the sidelines talking about what could, should, or would have happened.

Question:  How much time do you spend in meetings?  Are you having conversations for action?

To book Kristin to speak or view her products go to www.ExtraordinaryTeam.com

I  just posted my quarterly newsletter, The Extraordinary Team online.  It’s full of stories, tips and techniques to improve the way your teams work.

Download it now here.

In this issue, you’ll find:

- The Dwight Schrute Effect
- Go Ahead and Smile
- Punch It Up!
- Quote of the Quarter
- What’s New with Kristin & Joseph
- Practical Team Activities: You Are Superb!
- From the Bookshelf:  Thank God It’s Monday
- Millennials and the RoCs.

Question:  Have you read our newsletter yet?  :-)