Teams in the Workplace and Team Building

Teams and Team Building

  • Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.

  • A team is a group of people with a common, collective goal; a group of people does not automatically make a team.

  • A team should be better than the collective talents of its individual members.

Why Have Teams?

  • The group is more than the sum of its parts.

  • Collaboration and support.

  • Communication.

  • Belonging.

Team Gains Results

  • Various companies have seen improvements in case handling time, cost reduction, output increase, productivity, safety, and defect rates through the use of teams.

  • Self-Directed Work Teams (SDWTs) have shown increased productivity, lower operating costs, enhanced quality, and improved employee attitudes.

Benefits of Utilizing Teams Properly

  • Reduce costs and absenteeism.

  • Increase productivity and morale.

  • Enhance quality.

  • Boosts resume for raise, promotion, or a better position.

Successful Teams

  • Have a clear direction (mission or goal).

  • Have team players.

  • Optimum team size is 5-7 members; effective range is 4-9, can function up to 12.

  • Accountability measures are understood and accepted.

Characteristics of Highly Effective Teams

  • Emotional Intelligence.

  • Good mix of introverts and extroverts.

  • Share and understand their common goals.

  • Make time for humor.

  • Communicate proactively.

  • Strong leadership.

Considerations When Building a Team

  • Determine time aspect (short-term or long-term goal).

  • Determine Scope of Effort.

  • Assess Skills Required for Success.

  • Establish Roles (within the team).

Common Teams in Organizations

  • Functional or Departmental Teams: Address customer needs, solve problems, provide support, promote improvement, and share information.

  • Cross-Functional Teams: Deal with a specific product, issue, customer problem, or improve a process; often temporary with a specific goal.

  • Self-Managing Teams: Gradually assume responsibility for self-direction.

SDWT (Self Directed Work Teams) Elements for Success

  • Top-Level Commitment: Champion at or near the top of the organization.

  • Leadership-Employee Trust: Leaders trust employees to support changes; employees trust leadership to allow risks and decision-making.

SDWT Elements for Success Continued

  • Willingness to Take Risks: Leadership risks change; employees take on demanding roles.

  • Willingness to Share Information: Leadership shares previously secret information.

  • Enough Time and Resources: Leadership provides time and resources for the transition.

SDWT Elements for Success Continued..

  • Commitment to Training: Intensive, long-term training provided.

  • Operations Conducive to Work Teams: Operations include a wide range of tasks where improved skills can enhance production.

Team Collaboration

  • Ice breakers, retreats, and team-building exercises can assist with team collaboration.

Results of Effective Team Building

  • Team functions well with less supervision.

  • Higher levels of collaboration and engagement.

  • Long-term productivity and sustained synergy.

  • Improved mutual growth.

  • Reduced unproductive conflict.

  • Increased morale and communication effectiveness.

  • Effective time management.

Potential Downsides of Teams

  • A poor team is worse than no team at all.

  • Do not start teams without dedicated time and effort.

  • Can be counterproductive.

Why Teams Fail

  • High failure rate.

  • May take a year or more for new teams to reach pre-team performance levels.

  • SDWTs work least well during downsizing.

  • Frustration in sustaining team motivation.

  • Unclear objectives, lack of accountability or management support.

  • Managers limiting effort on teams.

Team Motivation Killers

  • Inadequate Rewards: 28\% of engaged employees would leave for a 5\% pay increase.

  • Awful Office Space: Not nurturing productivity.

  • No Self-Development: Not providing chances to learn.

  • Inefficient Collaboration: Lack of appreciated input.

  • Negative People: Spreading negativity.

More Team Motivation Killers

  • Fear of Failure: Not cultivating an open culture.

  • Lack of Clear Goals: Wasted time due to unknown priorities (63%).

  • Micromanaging Bosses: Preference for unpleasant activities over proximity to the boss (38%).

  • Useless Meetings: Wasted time (3-8 hours per week).

Team Analysis Questionnaire - Key Questions

  • Do team members understand expectations and organizational goals?

  • Are resources known and utilized effectively?

  • Are individual talents used effectively?

  • Is strengths and value understood?

Team Analysis Questionnaire - Key Questions continued

  • Is there an effective feedback process?

  • Are there performance targets to reduce time in goal achievement?

  • Is the team struggling with morale, retention, or miscommunication?

  • Is there a policy for conflict resolution?

Team Analysis Questionnaire - Key Questions continued…

  • Does the team adjust well to change?

  • How are team members encouraged to work for the common good?

  • How are indicators of success evaluated and reached?

Resolution Strategies for Team Conflicts

  • Teach employees how to manage both dissent and agreement.

  • Value and encourage constructive dissent.

  • Do not focus on making everyone like each other.

  • Encourage healthy competition.

Structural Inhibitors to Teams

  • Administrative procedures.

  • Organizational principles.

  • Culture.

Compensation System Considerations

  • Individual and team pay.

  • Few employees work exclusively in teams.

  • Measurements, types of rewards ($, non-$, both), and proportionality.

  • Know employee wants.

Non-Monetary Compensation Examples

  • Days off.

  • Movie tickets.

  • Gift certificates.

  • Training (professional development).

  • Airline tickets.

Recognition Tips

  • Letter to employee's family.

  • Notice in the paper.

  • Lunch with upper management.

  • CEO call to the employee.

  • Parking space.

  • Employee of the month.

Dennis King’s 10 Team Commandments

  • Interdependence.

  • Stretching.

  • Alignment.

  • Common language.

  • Trust and Respect.

  • Shared Leadership.

  • Problem-solving.

  • Conflict management.

  • Assessment.

  • CELEBRATION.

Team Building and Supervision

  • Team building starts with the supervisor who needs to build rapport through coaching and mentoring.

Coaches vs. Bosses

  • Bosses give orders and monitor; coaches lead and motivate.

  • Coaches give clear missions, offer development and training, mentor, and foster mutual respect.

Mentoring

  • Help develop job skills, teach how to get things done, help grow as a team member, and act as a role model.

TEAM Acronym

  • Together: The group must be unified.

  • Everyone: The workload must be shared.

  • Achieves: The goals must be attainable and pro-actively reached for.

  • More: Attempt to surpass your goals through hard work and dedication.

Key Items for Team Building

  • Synergize: Assess strengths and weaknesses, train, bond.

  • Clear Goal.

  • Assessment.

  • Reward.