September/October 2007
Two Heads Are Better
Ken Blanchard once said that none of us is as smart as all of us. Put a group together, and they’ll be able to tackle almost any problem better than just a single person. But teams can’t succeed unless they have the right tools: a competent leader, trust in each other, and a culture that supports open communication, risk taking, and self-direction. A tall order? Maybe, but not impossible.
This issue of Duck Tales™ is all about teamwork and how to foster an environment that supports teams and helps them achieve their goals. So kick back, enjoy, and be sure you share some of these ideas, because…two heads are definitely better than one.
Teamwork and Trust
Healthy relationships are based on trust, and relationships among members of a team are no exception. Teams lacking trust tend to have more conflicts and competition among members. But when team members trust their leader, that confidence is more likely to spread to other members. In other words, trust starts at the top and trickles down. How do leaders inspire trust to build great teams? Consider these five pointers on trust, from who else but your buddy Trust E. Duck®:
- An open, friendly style. Leaders who are easy to get along with are trusted more. They know it’s better to earn employee confidence than demand it.
- Consideration for others. Earning trust means paying attention to how your behavior affects others. When problems occur, trusted leaders are careful to balance the need to do the job with sensitivity to others’ difficulties.
- Competence. Employees don’t fully trust their bosses unless they view them as competent and able to achieve difficult goals. Leaders who are reliable and good at what they do go a long way toward inspiring trust.
- Careful listening. When others are talking, trusted leaders do not answer cell phones or check their watches. They listen intently to what the other person has to say.
- Candor. Being honest is critical to building trust. When leaders tell others what they want to hear in an attempt to be nice or protect them from the truth, trust is weakened. Leaders who are straight shooters gain the trust and confidence of employees.
Leading Effectively
The most successful teams are the ones with team leaders who know how to inspire and involve team members. They own the results and strive to deliver more than what is requested. One business consultant identifies these measures that team leaders can take to ensure their teams get the desired results:
Support the team. Team members want constructive feedback, recognition, resources, and course correction. They rely on the team leader to give it to them.
Set goals. Goals not only give team members something to work toward, but they unify the team and ensure that team members are organized and focused. Be sure goals are written so that all members understand what is expected of them.
Work from a playbook. Spell out the rules and provide a set of high-performing practices so that all members know how the team operates. Ask team members what they need to meet their goals and get them all involved in finding ways to deliver results.
Assess performance. Observe team behavior to see what is happening. Ask yourself: Is the team operating from the playbook? What am I doing to support or inhibit team members’ work? Where is the team lacking, and what can I do about it?
Make any corrections. If you need to boost team performance, don’t try to get everything right at once. Instead, focus on two or three key behaviors so that members aren’t overwhelmed.
Keep them energized. Once a team meets certain milestones, it may struggle to stay motivated. That’s when you need to identify the next three things that will boost members’ energy and propel them to the next level.
Straighten Up and Fly Right
Teams have become a mainstay in the American workforce, yet many of them fail to accomplish the most basic tasks. Why? Many organizations underestimate the work and challenge involved in creating teams. Here are the most common errors companies make when establishing a work team:
- No commitment. Management must convince themselves, and then their employees, that a team framework is the foundation of their organization.
- Failing to allow enough time. Teams involve a lengthy learning curve and, during that time, productivity and morale may actually decrease. Management must be patient and willing to withstand minor setbacks.
- No transfer of power. Management is often slow to give up their power and decision making to teams. While they assign the teams additional responsibilities, they are reluctant to give them the authority they need to succeed.
- No purpose. Creating a team must be coupled with a specific purpose. If employees are simply grouped together without a concrete goal or objective, they waste valuable work time.
- Insufficient training. Teamwork training involves four crucial steps: explaining the concept, teaching employees “team” skills, training workers in the technical and administrative skills they will need, and teaching employees to do each other’s tasks.
Self-Sufficient Teams
Teams that get results are the ones that are self-guided, relying little on leadership for directives. That can be tricky for both leaders and team members. Some leaders have a hard time letting go, while some individuals are constantly seeking directives. To break the cycle of dependence, teams need these elements, according to Bruce LaRue, co-author of Leading Organizations from the Inside Out:
The big picture. Team members need to answer two questions from the start: What is our mission, and what is my role in supporting the mission?
Expertise. Leaders need to remind team members that they have the expertise and knowledge to solve problems on their own. Then leaders must step back.
Organization. Teams should be expected to organize themselves, coordinate their activities, and focus on a common purpose. Their ability to self-organize will largely determine the outcome of their work.
Anticipation. Teams should consider what resources they need to accomplish their task and what obstacles might get in their way.
Alternatives. When teams encounter barriers, they need to look at the alternatives, not focus on the problems. This empowers teams and holds them accountable for results.
Can-Do Culture
Does your organization’s culture foster teamwork? James R. Fisher, Jr., business author and industrial psychologist, says there are three main types of cultures. How does your organization stack up?
- Culture of comfort. In this culture, managers view themselves as the caretakers of employees. Workers do not take the initiative but instead are encouraged to meet the expectations of their boss. Workers rarely ask questions or solve problems, because they are expected to be conforming and passive.
- Culture of complacency. Managers in this culture give workers lots of perks—good benefits, long vacations, ergonomically designed workstations—in the hopes that they will be loyal and hardworking. But when everything is done for them, employees become dependent on the company for their total well being. This leads to workers who come in late and go home early, workers who do nothing until told, and workers who always have an excuse for why they failed.
- Culture of contribution. In this can-do culture, employees are not afraid to take risks. The old model of supervision is replaced with self-direction. Also gone are time clocks, obligatory meetings, and recognition programs. “People in this culture don’t have to be told they are doing a good job,” writes Fisher. “They know….They don’t need incentives. What motivates them is having control of what they do, being trusted to do a good job, and given support when needed.”
What’s in It for Me?
In an effort to learn more about teamwork, several organizations sponsored a study to learn how people feel about working as a group rather than as individuals. The results were interesting: an individual’s expectations of working on a team often differ from an organization’s expectations.
What do organizations expect? Mainly, they expect teams to work toward a common goal. According to the study, however, individuals see their purpose as more than accomplishing a common goal; they also see it as a chance to enhance individual success. In other words, employees expect teams to benefit them as individuals and as an organization. Most team members also expect to make sacrifice for individual success, whereas organizations expect teams to sacrifice for the team.
Other findings of the study: (1) people’s past experiences with teams haven’t always been pleasant, so many members may be apprehensive about teamwork; (2) employees want to know how being on a team will benefit them personally; and (3) team members want to have individual goals and rewards for meeting them.
Obviously, teams are not created solely to meet individual goals—nor should they be created with the sole purpose of meeting management’s expectations. For a team to be effective, win-win goals must be set, and every team member must be able to answer the question, “What’s in it for me?”
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