A Nine-Point Checklist for Effective Teaming: It Doesn’t Just Happen!
There’s no doubt that teaming is a fact of life in contemporary business. The complexity and cross-functionality of business life require it. But whether you’re talking about your executive team or project teams, you’re dreaming if you think that just declaring a group to be a “team” because they share an org chart makes them a “well-oiled machine.”
So what does make the difference? Here are nine elements that can help ensure a group functions as an integrated, high-performing team.
The 9 Elements of Effectiveness
The important thing here is not just to “assume.” Instead, it’s important to be clear and careful in defining these in a sufficiently collaborative way that ensures group commitment. Remember the old saw: “People support what they help create.”
You’ve assembled this group to apply their collective talents against a given situation. Create and maintain a team atmosphere that encourages the full participation of every member. No “500-pound gorillas” or “wallflowers” allowed!
Conflict among members of a group is inevitable. The point is not to avoid conflict, but to ensure that your group has a way of identifying conflict quickly and resolving it in a manner that maintains good relations while building openness and trust.
Members should ask regularly: Are all team members accepting the shared responsibility to keep the team moving productively toward its goals? Don't let your team sub-optimize its skills and talents.
An effective team doesn’t just “play it by ear.” Instead, it monitors and controls its own behavior, devising mechanisms (schedules, agendas, facilitators) to ensure efficiency and high levels of commitment.
Do members of this group exhibit good listening skills, build on each others’ thoughts, and provide all members an equal opportunity to contribute ideas? If the answer is “no,” you need to set about fixing this imbalance in “air time.”
Effective teams proceed according to consciously-defined approaches to solving a problem or making a decision. They make certain that “what we are doing right now” has the active support of the whole team.
Teams that remain effective over time demonstrate a willingness to move beyond established procedures. They maintain flexibility and an experimental attitude, opening up to new, untried, sometimes even “strange” ideas.
Teams should regularly set aside time for "process checks" to candidly identify elements hindering their effectiveness. Once done, it’s important to put in place the mechanisms that will remove these impediments.
Putting the Nine Points to Work for You
Many groups feel awkward about the prospect of “talking about ourselves,” often characterizing self-examination as “touchy-feely.” If this reminds you of your culture, here is a concrete, business-like way to stimulate conversation:
The Team Assessment Process
- Create a Checklist: Use the nine points above (including definitions) to create a single-page document.
- Add a Scale: Add a 5-point scale (1=low, 5=high) to reflect the degree to which your group fulfills the requirements.
- Distribute: Have group members complete them thoughtfully, individually, privately, and anonymously.
- Compile: Have a trusted member collect and compile the ratings.
- Discuss: Use this concrete data as the foundation for an open discussion about what’s wrong and how to fix it.