To improve a team's effectiveness, it is first necessary to
understand the factors that impact its performance. Once
you understand these factors you can determine when and
what team development is needed.
In order for teams to function effectively they must manage
how they work together and how they interact with the rest
of the organization. As a result of his studies, Richard
Beckhard ("Optimising Team Building Efforts", Journal of
Contemporary Business, Summer 1972) states that for teams
to be effective they must manage four areas internal to the
team: goals, roles, processes and relationships. Further
research has identified a fifth factor impacting
performance: how the team manages its interaction with the
organisational environment. Within these factors is a
hierarchy with some factors affecting all of the others.
These five factors become the focus of attention for the
manager who wants to raise team performance, because teams
that effectively manage these areas function more
effectively than teams that do not.
Environmental Influences - the impact of the organisation
and the outside world on team performance.
The organisation creates the context within which the team
functions. The policies, procedures and systems within an
organisation can either support or hinder a team's
effectiveness. An excellent example is the impact an
organisation's reward system has on teamwork.
Organisations typically reward only individual
contribution. Few organizations have found ways to reward
teams.
Signs to look for: The team is physically distant, not
given enough resources to do the job, individuals are not
recognized for team effort.
Goals - what the team is to accomplish
A team exists when members have responsibility for
accomplishing a common goal. An effective team is aware of
and manages:
1. The extent to which goals are clear, understood and
communicated to all members
2. The amount of ownership of team goals
3. The extent to which goals are defined, quantified and
deliverable
4. The extent to which goals are shared or congruent
5. The extent of goal conflict or divergence
Signs to look for: The goals are unclear or not
communicated, everyone is doing their own thing and not
participating in goal setting.
Roles - who does what on the team
Do all members understand what they and others are to do to
accomplish the task? Do they know their individual
responsibilities and limits of authority? In new teams
time should be spent discussing and defining roles and
responsibilities. As the team develops it is typical for
individuals to build expectations and assumptions of others
which are seldom recorded anywhere. These should be
discussed and agreed upon.
Conflict may occur as a result of differing expectations
among team members. Overlapping roles can create conflict,
especially when two or more team members see themselves as
responsible for the same task.
Signs to look for: Responsibilities are poorly defined,
there is a power vacuum, members act independently and
avoid responsibility.
Work Processes - how members work together
Once team members know what they are to do and who is to do
it, they must determine how they will work together.
Typical considerations are:
Decision making - how will each of the team members
participate in decision making. Communication - what should
be communicated within the team, to whom, by what method,
when and how frequently? Meetings - what is the team trying
to accomplish, what subjects are to be covered, who is
responsible for the subject, how will the meeting be
conducted, who should attend? Leadership style - the leader
and the team need to agree the best style to meet the
situation and the leader should be open to receiving
feedback on their style.
Signs to look for: Meetings are unproductive or poorly
attended, decision making is dominated by one or two
people, actions taken without planning or communication is
one way.
Relationships - the quality of interaction among team
members
As team members work together, relationships often become
strained. Members need ways to resolve problems and to
assure that a good working relationship continues.
Sometimes relationship problems occur because of a
difference in values or a personality or management style
clash. Managers may need to take an active role in
soothing relationships during times of conflict. The more
energy that is siphoned off because of bad feelings,
attitudes or strong emotions, the less energy is available
for the team's task.
Signs to look for: Personality conflicts, or members are
defensive or competitive.
Team development is a process aimed at improving team
performance in any one or all of the five factors in the
team hierarchy. After examining your team's performance in
these areas, your role as a manager is to identify where
your focus for team development needs to be.
----------------------------------------------------
Pam Kennett is Founder and Director of Chiswick Consulting
Limited a management consultancy which provides advice and
direction to clients in marketing and human resources. Pam
has more than 20 years experience working with teams and
leadership groups to raise performance. Contact her at
pam@chiswickconsulting.com or visit
http://www.chiswickconsulting.com .
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