leadership blog

Hello, and welcome to Team Leadership. In this program, we'll be looking at ways to develop effective team leadership. We're fortunate to have a diverse array of guests in this program. Carol Tait and Hugh Graham are human resource consultants for Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Also in the program are leadership and team building consultants, Sharon Parker and Paula Washington. We'll meet Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion, Michelle Akers. Another guest is no stranger to team leadership, George Takei. We'll also hear from team building expert, Dennis Goin and former NFL quarterback, Tom Flick. Finally, we have legendary football coach, Don James.

We'll examine a number of situations in which team leadership breaks down. Our guests will analyze those situations and discuss how the team members could be more effective.

One of the reasons why this national team is so successful is that we have so many different players who are strong in different things. And yet, we're encouraged to be creative within our own personality and with our own giftedness on and off the field.

I think the smartest companies are the ones who are saying, let's hear from all the voices at the table, from all levels of voices at the table. And then develop some new strategies to make our company be reflective of that kind of combined diverse team of individuals.

The Star Trek team was made up of people who brought unique qualities, each in their own different way, whether it was ethnic, cultural, function, temperament, personality. We were all different. But we subscribed to a common mission, and a common goal, and mutual self respect.

When I think of a team, the first thing I think about before I think about the composition of the team is whether or not you have a good understanding of what the team's goal or mission is.

I don't get it. Now you're telling us that we're merely adding additional features to what we already have? Just what does this company want to be when it grows up?

This isn't the first time we've changed midstream, you know.

Remember last month? We were assured funding for that new prototype design. When we were halfway through that project, the funding was pulled. What a fiasco that was.

That doesn't have anything to do with this.

I'm not so sure. There's a pattern developing here, and it isn't good.

If we can't deliver what our customers want, someone else well.

The decision has already been made. So you're going to have to learn to live with it, like it or not. Now I want some solutions on my desk by next Wednesday. Any questions? Good.

Does anybody know why this team was formed in the first place?

We don't even have a say in any of the decisions made by upper management.

So much for the new product and service expansion.

No one has even bothered defining our roles and responsibilities for this team.

We don't have any direction because the company doesn't. At least they're consistently inconsistent.

Ain't that the truth.

In the situation that we're covering here with Jackie, she's what I call stove piping. She's giving harsh orders and she's shoving it down straight through the stove pipe. And she expects results on her desk by Wednesday. And the difficult thing is, you don't have a buy in from all the community, the team members.

What's going to need to happen is the team leader is going to have to say, let's sit around the table again. Let's talk and come up with what we all feel is the common vision. Then each of our roles can help support that vision and add strategies, whether it's a marketing strategy, a sales strategy, the engineering analytical strategy. But that common vision, that's going to be the first thing this team is going to have to grapple with.

They need to really step back and perhaps bring in an outside facilitator, perhaps have the leadership who designated that this team should be put together work with them to help them work through all the issues of why they're on this team and what it means to the organization.

The end result is to create the environment. But what you really have to do are set really short-term goals and objectives to get there. And make sure that those are stacked up so that once you achieve those short-term goals that you do achieve the long-term goal.

One of the key ingredients, the things that most people think of when there is adversity, is point the finger. And we want our players to point the thumb.

So often, leaders want people to change. They want people to change when really, the person that needs to change is actually the leader.

High-performing teams need to be empowered to do their jobs. It may be the most important thing, because it allows focus to take place.

Since we formed this team, I've been receiving just as many customer complaints as before. In fact, this month marked an all time high. We're heading in the wrong direction. I want answers, people and I want them now. Jessica?

Don't look at me. I don't have any experience with customer relations.

Surely someone has got to have some information about these issues.

OK. Last month, I suggested some new training ideas to Cheryl in customer service. She gave me a lot of double talk about how approval was needed for the course or how this team didn't have the authority to mandate training. If this improvement to customer service is so important, it has not been communicated to them.

That's no surprise. Cheryl has always been really--

What's the use? They say they want this stuff, but it's just lip service. Not one of our ideas is going to be implemented anyway.

We're not miracle workers. Without upper management's commitment, we're not going to get very far.

Yeah. And I discussed some new marketing and PR ideas with Ken. And it never went anywhere

Ken and the whole market department have been pretty overworked lately. I would've thought that this group would've come up with some suggestions by now. But all you're giving me is a bunch of excuses and no results.

Matt isn't stepping up to the plate. He just really hasn't assumed the team leader role.

It also appears that he hasn't really gone outside the team to the other parts of the organization to

get support.

When you're constantly valuing each member of the team, it's hard for individual members to tear each other down, because we're too busy finding the strengths to build each other up. That definitely is Matt's job. Find those processes that allow everybody to have input and create value.

Self interest will jeopardize a team's performance when you haven't shown people how the team's performance will help their self interest.

I think it's very easy in a team to start to stereotype the other team members. The big danger to this is that it allows you to discount what you're hearing from that other person. And when you start to discount the messages that you're hearing or discount the individual, you're not going to be open to some really good ideas.

When people look for other people to measure up to their criteria for what's right in the world, people never measure up. And it's very damaging to a team.

If there is no respect and there is no belief or trust in the other person's commitment or abilities, the effectiveness of the team is diminished.

So how have your meetings on the new e-commerce and web strategies been going?

Not very well, I'm afraid.

What's the problem?

Where do I start? The sales staff and I are concerned that the new system will not track our commissions correctly. And we won't get proper credit for online sales.

What an ego maniac. All he's concerned about is money.

There could be more system crashes with new software. We're almost at maximum capacity. Anything--

How can he even do his job? He can barely speak English.

Straw who breaks camel's back.

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves? Personally, I think we should put more promotional

efforts into the products that we already have.

I've told you before, I can't sell the stuff. Maybe if you'd have checked with us before development, I'd have more timely products and services that I actually could sell.

Don't give me that. You were in on all the design meetings and I don't remember any of these objections being raised then. If I were you, I'd focus on the high turnover in your department, not point the finger at us.

All right. All right. Enough. We're going round and round in circles with this.

Aren't we missing the big picture here? This new system will enable us to be more competitive. All you seem to be concerned with is sales commissions and technical specs.

Look, the bottom line is, we're missing deadlines on implementing this new system. And I'm a little more than concerned.

Self interest is going to sink this team.

The challenge here with this team is they haven't, number one, allowed people to meet their own needs and discover their own value system and how it's being met. And then number two, how that goes together with a higher value system where we can all win more.

They don't have a respect factor amongst each other. They've got a lot of stereotypes built up. And so when they come together to work as a team, it's hard to do that because they're working through these walls that they've built around themselves.

Helping people understand that they need to start to be open to other ideas is very important-- setting that up front instead of after the fact when you find out that you aren't listening to each other.

The group leader in this situation must bring the people together. And I have always felt that a good session-- and it takes just a little bit of time, it doesn't take a lot of time-- but sit those four or five people down and let me hear you talk. Tell me your story.

Christine can achieve effective buy in by the other team members by working with them individually to show them what's in the project for them, what they're going to get out of this, how it's going to enhance their career, how it's going to help them develop within their own career paths, within their own departments. And how they're going to get recognition.

This is an opportunity if you set up some mentoring partnerships perhaps between the marketing department and the engineering department where those two individuals have to mentor each other.

With any acquisition or merger, one of the key issues you have to deal with are the different cultures.

There is not one way of doing things. And we need each other to effectively use the gifts to accomplish something great.

Regardless of who you are and how diverse you are, what your background your training is, you've got something to offer. And I've got to be willing to listen.

Can you hear us OK on your end?

Coming through loud and clear.

Great. As I indicated in my memo, since the merger was finalized, we need to develop a strategy for consolidating the company systems and come up with some new business development strategies. I got your email, Neil. Thank you. I reviewed your suggestions and I've got to admit that I'm a little worried about some of them.

What's the problem?

Well the information seems to be too focused on technical specs. And there wasn't enough information on the strategic implementation or the financial projections.

How so? I knew it-- What a bunch of bean counters.

Well one of my biggest concerns is that we're going to cannibalize our bread and butter business with the new online business development projects being proposed.

Whatever, Mr. Technophobia. Welcome to the new Millennium. Man, what a dinosaur.

You've got that right.

We've got to offer new products and services or we won't grow.

That might be true, but I'm still unclear what the impact will be on our mainline business. And I don't know if we can afford to initiate that many projects, especially in the time frame that you've specified.

First to market is the name of the game.

Yeah, but if we get spread too thin, then our cash flow will suffer and we won't be able to give our customers the level of service they expect.

There's a price to be paid for constant innovation.

Aren't we cocky?

You're asking us to spend a lot of money based on little more than gut instinct.

Hey, I know this market.

That may be, but the fact is that very few of your existing projects have yet to turn a profit.

Yeah, but the ones that have hit have hit big. Besides, our company must not be doing too bad, or you guys wouldn't have bought us.

Well we didn't buy you to go bankrupt, Neil, that's for sure. I tell you what. Let's table it for now and plan on touching base next week. How does Tuesday next week about three o'clock sound?

Sounds good to us.

Good. We'll talk to you then. Goodbye.

We're never going to get anywhere with these guys.

I know. I hear you.

They just don't know how things are done, do they?

They'll learn.

These two teams, or two companies, clearly don't have the trust level that needs to be there for them to be successful. In order to bridge that gap, one of the two sides, one of the two teams, one of the two companies, is going to have to step forward and say, I'm willing to listen.

Both can benefit by coming together and working as a unit.

If they could talk about risk taking and not talk about the issue of what they need to put forward or how they're going to work as a team, if they could step away, say do a little mini retreat or a

facilitated session, and begin to understand about who they are as risk takers, that would help them see each other differently.

Clearly Tony and Amy have a more conservative financial approach to doing things. And Neil and Beth have more of an open, fluid ideals-oriented approach to things. And as with any acquisition or merger, you've got to balance those objectives. You've got to come up with ways to help people feel comfortable.

What they need to recognize is that each of them can contribute to an overall new strategy that embraces, I think, the strengths of each department and each style.

Some of the key ingredients to encourage a successful diverse group of people is one, to celebrate those differences but to actively search for people who are wired differently, who have different talents.

To promote mutual acceptance of each other requires the recognition that we mutually have a unique contribution to make.

We felt like the five key ingredients to being a good team player were, number one, give 100%, number two, show courage, number three, master your position and your job, and number four, care about the team above all else. And number five was loyalty, love, and respect for the team members that you have.

When you're trying to change an organization and trying to bring in new thoughts, new ideas, new ways of doing things, it's tremendously frustrating to run up against that. But that's not the way we do things here. Barrier.

Jack told me that you came to him and suggested some new marketing strategies.

Yeah. I discussed some ideas with him. Why?

You should have come to one of us first. He was pretty upset and I had to spend most of the morning putting out that fire.

I can't imagine him getting upset over an idea that could really help this company grow into new areas.

The point is that if we would have been informed, we could have come up with a joint strategy and

presented it to him differently.

Right. So my suggestions could have been buried like all the other times? Nothing is getting done. Now isn't the real reason for this team's existence so that we can increase sales and expand into new markets?

The potential costs of your suggestions are too high.

Oh, that's just a convenient excuse. The real reason doesn't have anything to do with cost. It's just basically a lack of support for my ideas.

You haven't been with this company very long. You'll understand things better once you've been here a while.

Why was I even selected for this team if no one's going to follow my suggestions?

All we're saying is to come to one of us next time with your ideas before going outside the team.

And we wouldn't want to rock the boat, now would we?

It's just that these things take time.

We're already over three weeks late on submitting our report. Time is a luxury we don't have.

In order to have an effective team environment, Peter and Chad have to recognize how they're viewing things, the particular prism that they're looking through, how they process new ideas, how they're processing information.

And Connie needs to realize that these guys are terribly threatened by her presence, by her ideas, by her outreach.

Some of the most important things effective team leaders and team members can do are actively listen to others. Many of the team members in the scenarios presented did not stop and listen to each other. Recognize that each team member is a leader and listen to them as a leader. Consistently catch people in the act of doing things right instead of things wrong. Remember, what you focus on expands. And if you're constantly focusing on what's not working, as many people in the scenarios did, what you get is more things not working.

Focus on creating solutions and on what you and other team members are committed to.

Authentically acknowledge other team members for their contributions. Instead of pointing the finger at others, do as Don James suggested. Point the thumb back at yourself. In other words, look to yourself first before blaming others. Take responsibility for what's not working and ask yourself, what action steps can I take to solve this problem?

Do what you say you're going to do when you say you'll do it. Honor and respect the commitments you make to yourself and others. Develop an environment of mutual respect and trust. Effective team leadership is ultimately about respecting and adapting to the differences of others. It's about giving all members of a team an opportunity to contribute and fostering an environment that works for everyone with no one left out.