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Creating A
Teamwork Culture – Part 2
By Debbie Garrison
Stress is a
negative factor and its impact on teambuilding can be adverse. According to Cherney (2002):
“delving into the causes of
distress in order to cure it can be a trap.
What we focus on expands and too much attention to causes of conflict or
negative emotions can deepen such feelings.
It is similar to quicksand. The
more we struggle, the faster our descent.”
(n.p.)
The
primary focus of the project team is the final deliverable of the project.
Degeneration of any of the items related to people issues will affect the
primary focus and the resultant final deliverable in indirect but profound
ways.
Most
teams will struggle with difficulty in reaching a team consensus, but good
communication and soft skills can help avoid or shorten the time spent in
controversy. Egos are nourished when
others are in agreement with us, but when we are challenged by a dispute we
tend to take a defensive stance. Our
values and beliefs temper our opinions.
Most controversies are based on opinions rather than fact. Facts leave less room for opinions and
disputes. The team leader can apply
his/her skills to avoid such incidents.
The team leader’s role is similar to a servant leadership. The servant leader’s first priority is to
serve others, share decision-making, have a holistic attitude toward work, and
community building. These roles are
extremely similar. The servant leader
believes in integrity and empowering the team to do their work and take
responsibility for self-management as is the task of the team leader. The results of this are a shared vision, trust,
responsibility that engenders a flexible organization, and a deeply satisfying
work life.
According
to Parviz (2004):
organizational environments that encourage fixing
problems instead of doing it right the first time may have a lower success rate
in a teamwork culture. Repetition of the
same errors in multiple projects is greater.
This could also be a symptom of an organization that has unnecessary or
redundant procedures, which in turn are usually concurrent with an organization
having a history of misdirected improvement efforts.
Teamwork
must be promoted organization wide, top to bottom to be accepted and
perfected. According to Yandrick (2001):
managers need to watch for resistance that comes
from elder statesmen in the workplace—the minions who feel protected whether or
not they go along with change. Their
adverse impact can be subtle but significant.
Echoes of “I told you so” may try to surface at the first significant
difficulty, but management at all levels must deter from such remarks. Some members of management may try to
undermine a team approach. (n.p.)
In
order for teamwork culture to succeed, top-level management must not tolerate
this attitude at any level.
Organizations that do not accept the inborn human need for meaning and
purpose, and refuse to transform their processes, limit their members to adapt
to new situations and challenges.
Change
occurs in mid-level or frontline management also. Managers have to transition from command and
control to coach and facilitate. Some
may feel this means giving up power. In
reality, it results in a different type of power. The manager’s thinking should now be
strategically, rather than day-to-day details.
Monitoring and supporting the team’s development now becomes the focus. Managers need to change even before team
members. Coaching the teams now becomes
the manager’s focus. Training managers
to coach and facilitate, rather than supervise, before team implementation can
help make the transition smoother for managers and team members.
Some
companies have gone so far as to form teams from new employees rather than with
seasoned employees. Newer employees
usually have fewer bad habits and other negative baggage. They also tend to be less involved in group
politics or cliques, and are often more open to change.
Teams
must watch for bullies who try to take charge.
According to Yandrick (2001):
bullies are those who seize power and use physical
or psychological intimidation to hold onto followers and dominate others. Managers must appoint and advocate for
members that are consensus builders with a knack for innovative thought,
creative dialogue, and likeability.
Managers also need to introduce and support a strong policy against
violence, aggression, threats, and menacing gestures. (n.p.)
The team leader is a person that can influence
others to act in a certain way. This
employee may need at times to influence his team and provide a vision of what
the organization or the specific task requires.
Organizational effectiveness skills are the building blocks of
leadership. Without them, leadership can
be misplaced or even counterproductive.
There
are some ways to avoid or minimize some of the negative issues that can
arise. Some organizations forming
teamwork cultures have introduced an agreement for all parties involved to
sign. This function is similar to a
“pre-nup.” It
states what behavior results in what rewards or punishments. Some organizations call it a Team Agreement
or an Agreement for Results.
According
to Levine (2002):
suggesting a concept of an Agreement for Results can
provide clear direction for the team before action. The following ten items can clarify and
increase collusion between team members and the organization.
1.
Intent & Vision.
Focus on what you want to happen.
2.
Roles. Define
responsibilities and accountability.
3.
Promises. If everyone
delivers what he or she promises, the desired results will appear. Include a date or “by when.”
4.
Time & Value.
Establish timelines and rewards associated with results.
5.
Measurements of Satisfaction. State clearly and measurably what is expected.
6.
Concerns & Fears.
Solidifies partnership by addressing what is lingering in people’s
minds.
7.
Renegotiation.
Unplanned events may occur.
Renegotiate as a method to solve for unexpected problems.
8.
Consequences. Remind
everyone of promises made and focus on delivering such performance.
9.
Conflict Resolution.
Get back on track as soon as possible while emphasizing the cost of
continuing the conflict.
10. Agreement. Trust must occur on both
sides, a connection and commitment to people and results.
The
Team Agreement is a critical part of making sure everyone has the same vision
before moving into action. The classic
stages of “forming, storming, norming, performing”
are best resolved with an agreement. (n.p.)
When a team is put in place, a lot of uncertainty exists. Productivity may even dip at first. The Team Agreement can alleviate some of the
uncertainty and keep the goal in sight.
Teams
must also be empowered to accomplish the task assigned. According to Ariss
(2003), when the team sees the results of its work implemented, teams will make
future suggestions and improvements that will benefit the company. Empowered
teams use the sense of empowerment to solve new problems and set higher goals,
both professional and personal. (p. 9) The team has to be able to measure its work and how that
aligns with company goals. Without
measurement and accountability, some teams will dwell on non-productive
issues.
Public rewards for
team accomplishments encourage teamwork and team building. It further supports teamwork culture. The
behaviors of people rewarded with promotions or pay increases signal to others
what is necessary to be successful. To
ensure that values are accepted, leaders should reward behavior that is
consistent with the values, goals, and mission of the organization. The reward system indicates what is prized
and expected within the organization.
This reward sends a clear message to the rest of the organization often
louder than words themselves. People are irresistibly attracted to a workplace
filled with the life-giving climate of pride and appreciation. Pride is pleasure in our own competence; and
delight in seeing that our efforts made a positive difference, while knowing we
can never do it all by ourselves. Being
recognized by others strengthens the connections of the team members. Teammates see more clearly how their
strengths contribute to progress and makes combining complementary strengths
more likely in the future.
Keeping
teams motivated is another separate issue.
Motivation can be defined as a state of mind that moves us to
action. The motivation of the team can
rise or fall depending on a variety of factors.
Positive long-term motivation requires positive action. Some of the positive motivating factors are
purpose, challenge, camaraderie, responsibility, and leadership. Team members can help keep each other
motivated by encouraging each other to contribute ideas, resolving differences
to make the situation a win/win situation, help keep everyone involved by
asking members for input and ideas, and using humor as a reminder that we can
all get through the work even if it seems difficult at times. Engaging in success conversations can
increase eagerness to cooperate, trust, and learn; thus keeping the team
motivated.
Purpose
is at the top of almost everyone’s list.
A clear purpose, focus, or mission is needed to sustain long-term
motivation. Team members should find
that the purpose aligns with their personal wants and needs. If job or personal satisfaction is not apparent,
a review of the team’s purpose can be done to realign with job and personal
needs.
Challenge
itself can be a motivator. Some of the
most rewarding team experiences and projects resulted from some sort of
challenge. The level of difficulty of
the challenge must be carefully weighed.
If the challenge is too difficult or perceived as too difficult, the
team may give up before starting. The
same can happen if it is too easy.
Balancing the level of the challenge is a method of maintaining
motivation. It must be achievable. Challenge can create high levels of
motivation while planning the event, and the sense of
accomplishment after the event has been achieved.
Camaraderie
is a characteristic found in the most successful teams. This can also encompass fellowship, trust,
and loyalty. Direct communication is key. Dealing with a
myriad of personalities, temperaments, cultures, values, beliefs, religions,
and behaviors unfamiliar can result in a disjointed group. Designing an off-site activity in an informal
setting is a powerful way to build camaraderie.
Celebrating the steps of achievement can also build camaraderie among
members. Industrial psychologist Abraham
Maslow called this the need for “belonging.”
Responsibility
can be tricky in this setting. Being
given responsibility usually stimulates people and teams, especially when the
team is given ownership of the project.
With responsibility comes the authority to make the necessary steps for
project completion. Teams that have both
responsibility and authority tend to maintain their motivation over longer
periods of time. Research demonstrates that employees who perceive their
supervisors as having high credibility are more positive and attached to their
work and organizations. Trust is
the belief in the integrity, character, and reliability of a supervisor.
Employees have to trust supervisors to treat them fairly, and supervisors have
to trust workers to fulfill their responsibilities. Responsibility can be
de-motivating if the consequences of failure or error are too great. If the company or manager is known for
punishing mistakes, responsibility can be viewed as a de-motivator. High quality performance is difficult to
sustain when fear looms over the project.
Growth,
both personal and team, provides another motivator. When people feel they are learning new
concepts, adding to their skill base, and stretching their minds, motivation
tends to remain high. Leaders and
members should look for ways to add to the knowledge and skill bases of the
team. Education can have a great return
on the investment.
Leadership
plays a great role in the team motivation.
The best leaders create conditions for the team to motivate itself. As motivation is inherently intrinsic, even a
charismatic leader cannot sustain motivation indefinitely. Great leaders have a knack for helping others
see the best in themselves. Great
leaders understand the importance of the team purpose, challenge, camaraderie,
responsibility, growth, and the team members
needs. Their purpose is to provide the
conditions for these to exist.
Team
confidence also has an impact on team performance. Team confidence is a shared belief in its
ability to plan, execute, and achieve the goals set before it. It focuses on the team’s abilities, rather
than the individual’s. The most
influential factor in team confidence is previous success. It is harder to regain confidence than to
build it in the first place. Team
confidence can be maintained by helping team members develop a realistic and
challenging notion of team success. Team
success and team confidence go hand in hand.
Team
success does not simply meaning winning, but emphasizing the positive outcome
of the events such as overcoming setbacks or knowledge gained. Most of us know the invention of Post-it®
Notes came about due to a failed attempt or setback of another project. According to the 3M website (2004):
in 1968, Spencer Silver was a man on a mission. Working
in 3M's Corporate Research Laboratory, it was his job to analyze adhesives and
how 3M could use them in new products. Along the way, he discovered a unique
adhesive that formed clear, sparkly spheres instead of a film. He spent the
next few years shopping his new glue around 3M before Art Fry found a use for
it. Art Fry is the person who put Silver's adhesive on a scrap of paper to form
a better bookmark. He was a new product development engineer for 3M at the
time, but it was while singing in the church choir that he received the
inspiration for Post-it® Notes. (n.p.)
To
foster creativity, 3M encourages technical staff members to spend up to 15
percent of their time on projects of their own choosing. Also known as the
"bootlegging" policy, the 15 percent rule has been the catalyst for
some of 3M's most famous products, such as Scotch Tape and — of course —
Post-it® Notes. Part of 3M successes
comes from the team members taking ownership, pride, and an innovative attitude
in what they do.
According
to Chien (2004):
There
is evidence that performance motivation of employees can be stimulated by the
following most relevant types of incentives: job contents; job enrichment relevant
to size, scope and difficulty of tasks; decision-making competencies; room for
independent action; job variability; ownership; work conditions and
environment; leadership behavior; social consideration; information;
participation; delegation; and career development. (n.p.)
This
can be achieved in a teamwork culture.
According to
Interactions
constitute an organization’s social fabric, the lived values and norms of how
things are done within the organization.
That social fabric in turn either increases or decreases the capacity of
individuals to collaborate, to create new things, to facilitate information
sharing, and to adapt. There is a deep
connection between these small everyday interactions and an organization’s
overall performance. (n.p.)
Pat
Summit, the head coach of the
In conclusion, the
success or failure of teamwork cultures depends on the same thing: people. Improved organizational performance is the
only way to lead to successful business.
Teambuilding and team effectiveness improvement are some of the tools to
make this improvement. Management,
employees, and team members all play a part in the positive and negative
issues, as well as both positive and negative effects of the teams.
References:
3M (2004). Home page. Retrieved
Ariss, S. S. (2003, Fall). Employee involvement to
improve safety in the workplace: An ethical imperative. Mid-American Journal of Business, 18, 9.
Retrieved
Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (1999). Management:
Building competitive advantage (4th ed.).
Cherney, J. K.PhD.
(2002). Appreciative teambuilding: Creating a
climate for great collaboration. Retrieved
Chien, M. (2004,
Mar). A study to improve organizational performance: A view from SHRM. Journal of
Dyer, B. Gupta, A. K., & Wilemon,
D. (1999, Mar/Apr).
What first-to-market companies do differently. Research Technology
Management, 42, 16. Retrieved
Grazier, P. (1999, March). What is teambuilding, really?. Retrieved
Grazier, P. (2003). Teams finding it
tough? Maybe the culture is
wrong. Retrieved
Grazier, P. B. (1997). Overcoming
resistance to employee involvement. Retrieved
Hackman, J. R. (2002, July). New rules for team building.
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Levine, S. (2002). Creating team agreements for results. Retrieved
Mason, D. (2004).
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Modern Management (2003). Teambuilding. Retrieved
Parviz, F. R., & Levin, G. (2003). Is your
organization friendly to projects?. AACE International Transactions, , PM41.
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Random House (2004). . Retrieved
Sparks, D. (2004, Summer). Look for ways to
ignite the energy within. Journal
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About
the author:
Debbie Garrison is the Controller for Lesco, Inc., a regional truck leasing firm in Chattanooga,