Teams, Teamwork, and Teambuilding

Introduction

In almost every aspect of our daily lives at work, at home, and in our communities, the concept of teamwork is highly valued and deemed a necessary element that contributes to excellence and high performance in organizations of all kinds. Most of us are involved in numerous task-oriented groups in our jobs, schools, and civic endeavors, such as departments, committees, task forces, boards of directors, sports teams, performing arts ensembles, churches, PTO, and even families. In some teams, we are the designated leader or chairperson, and in others we are members or participants. As social beings we rarely get to act as true individual contributors, and in general, people tend to derive some level of satisfaction from being a part of an effective team.

While most believe that we can accomplish more together than we can individually, it is still difficult to capture the elusive synergy that comes from good communication, high trust, coordination, and mutual support. We talk a lot about teamwork (or the lack thereof) and seem to understand what constitutes "effective" teamwork. We all know the sayings – there’s no “I” in Team, many hands make light work, and Together Everyone Achieves More, but instilling teamwork in our organizations still can be a challenge. Inspirational quotes, posters, and bumper stickers abound, and leaders try to encourage teamwork through a variety of means from teambuilding interventions and elaborate training programs to self-directed team structures and reward systems, but somehow teamwork continues to evade us.

Whether we are a designated leader or a team member, we can all contribute to the success of teams on which we serve. Executives and managers, however, must consider some challenging questions when deciding how to improve teamwork in their organizations. They must not only understand the nature of teams and how to develop teamwork, but they must have a strategy that “fits” their organizational needs. It’s not good enough anymore to just throw programs and slogans “against the wall and hope that something sticks.”

It starts with the top management team – they must understand and practice teamwork principles, and coach others in improving communication, collaboration, conflict resolution, and group decision-making skills. Research is clear that outstanding leaders “walk the talk” and model the desired team behaviors and values often espoused in statements of “core values,” codes of conduct, or vision statements. It comes down to creating a “culture” that encourages, develops, and supports teamwork behaviors.

What are some clues that teamwork and cooperation need improvement?

Some symptoms may include: lack of accountability and responsibility, people seeking to blame or scapegoat others, interpersonal conflict, lack of trust, complaining about others’ performance, and a general attitude of “Us versus Them.” There may be unhealthy competition and self-interest, withholding information as a way to manipulate, and a view that “if others look bad, it will make me look good.” Human Resources issues may emerge, like motivation, absenteeism, grievances, turnover, discipline problems, or union organizing campaigns. There may be performance problems, like missed deadlines, quality problems (e.g., rework, scrap, and waste), mistakes or accidents, regulatory compliance issues, or unhappy customers.

What can executives, business owners, or managers do to improve teamwork, communication, coordination, trust, and overall performance?

The key lies in understanding the needs and planning a strategy for change that starts with the management team itself, but here are a few suggestions:

• Learn and teach management and leadership principles and practices.

• Evaluate the functioning of the organization against benchmarks of organizational “excellence.”

• Self-assess the organization, teams, and individuals and develop a change and improvement plan.

• Clarify, model, and reinforce behaviors and values that contribute to teamwork.

• Improve HR processes – job analysis, hiring, training and development, performance appraisal, labor relations, safety and compliance, comp and benefits, and employee engagement.

Types of Teams

There are many types and levels of teams in most organizations. We tend to use the term loosely, referring to the whole organization as a “team,” functional departments as teams (e.g., Operations, Finance, HR, Marketing, Engineering), cross-functional teams based on work processes that affect multiple functional entities, and special task forces or ad hoc committees to focus on specific organization-wide issues (e.g., Safety, Communication), to name a few. Even in a small or medium-sized business, teamwork can be a complex topic, but regardless of the size and structure of the organization, it is critical to think through the approach to developing teamwork. The last thing you want to do is overreact and begin implementing “solutions” to improve teamwork, such as costly and elaborate training programs, teambuilding interventions, or drastic reorganizations.

Most importantly, it is best to consider the existing team structure and needs, and build on it rather than forming a variety of committees or task forces aimed at improving teamwork. Keep in mind, more teams does not mean better teamwork. In fact, it will mean more meetings and administrative tasks, or more work, for an already-burdened manager and workforce. “Doing” teams for the sake of teams is not recommended.

One way to think about teams, teamwork, and teambuilding is by looking at the degree of specialization and coordination required. I first learned about the “Specialization-Coordination Matrix” below from Dr. Robert J. Koenigs of the SYMLOG Consulting Group – he defines Three Basic Types of “teams” -- a Team, Group, or Bunch. The distinction may help clarify the needs of your team and determine the best approaches to “teambuilding” initiatives.

According to Bob,

“The definition of a team has changed somewhat over the years with the advent of technology, as have activities associated with increasing the effectiveness and cohesion of the team. Teams can take on many forms, and their level of interaction and coordination with other members can also vary widely.”

Team – Members who are interdependent and need to collaborate (co-labor)

These are “teams” with multiple functions or specialties requiring high coordination and communication on a series of critical tasks, and mutual reliance on the contributions of members.

Examples: A football team, an integrated high-speed production line, an executive management team of a large or medium-sized company, the board of directors of a not-for-profit agency, an operating room staff, or a military troop.

Group – Members who are dependent and independent and need to cooperate (co-operate)

These are “teams” with fewer specialized functions, but still a high need for a coordinated effort.

Examples: A rowing team, a slow-speed production line, or a sales force.

Bunch – Members who are independent with little need for others in accomplishing the goal

These are “teams” with varying degrees of specialization, but little need for coordination, communication, and collaborative interaction to carry out their work.

Examples: A bowling team, a large call center, or cashiers at large grocery store.

Specialization-Coordination Matrix (Team Sports Example)

In the illustration, football is an example of a team with highly specialized positions and tasks, and also a high need for for coordination - everyone must perform their specialized job on every play in concert with others simultaneously. A bowling team, on the other hand, has a low degree of specialization and coordination between members - they are mostly independent. While a track and field team may have a variety of specialties or events, there is little need for coordination, other than a relay race. Synchronized swimming is a good example of little or no specialization, but an extremely high degree of coordination.

Teamwork

Teamwork is described in many ways, but usually it includes characteristics such as a common mission, clear roles and responsibilities, open and honest communication, trust and respect, mutual support, unity and harmony, and a high degree of coordination. Dictionary.com defines teamwork as:

“A cooperative or coordinated effort on the part of a group of people acting together in the interests of a common cause.”

While teamwork is important to most organizations and typically included in any statements of “Core Values,” as an objective it can be a difficult target. It requires a long-term commitment and constant nurturing on the part of senior, mid-level, and front-line managers in any organization. In fact, most organizations in any industry view teamwork as a way to gain a competitive edge and as an essential element in performance improvement. With all else equal, good teamwork usually makes the difference between success and failure.

It is no wonder that business leaders strive to develop teamwork as a critical aspect of their organizational “cultures.” It is a worthy goal, and all kinds of “teambuilding” activities are undertaken by executives and managers in an effort to maximize the performance of their “most important asset” – PEOPLE. There are innumerable ways to instill teamwork, structured or unstructured, formal or informal, and light-hearted or intense, but in any case the aim is to fundamentally improve relationships, communication, cooperation, motivation, and morale.

Teambuilding

How do business leaders or executives decide on what teambuilding initiatives to pursue?

First, they have to identify the business needs and symptoms driving the effort – the bottom-line performance goals and the “people issues” that inhibit high performance – conflict, infighting, absenteeism, turnover, and poor communication. Second, they must be willing to acknowledge their roles as leaders in contributing to the problem. If the Senior Management Team does not operate effectively as a team, they cannot expect teamwork in the organization.

Typical Teambuilding Activities

The options are unlimited for “teambuilding” – there are pizza parties, ropes courses, go-cart racing, softball games, bowling, “ice breakers,” periodic meetings, leadership training, motivational speakers, going out to dinner, holiday parties, company celebrations, recognition programs, volunteer service activities (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life), games and trivia contests, special projects – inventory, housekeeping day, structured group decision-making exercises, and personality typology descriptions and surveys.

Purpose and Objectives

No matter what you decide, consider the purpose, objectives, and a way to extract learning points afterward to apply more effective team skills back on the job. Whether you design the activity yourself, or use consultants to assist, just be clear on your intentions and expectations. Is it just to get to know each other better, or to “blow off some steam” and have some fun? Is it to “break down barriers” and improve coordination? Is it to recognize or reward for a major accomplishment, milestone, or special effort? Is it to dig in deeper to address how we interact, communicate, and give each other feedback, or to resolve some intractable conflict in a critical team? Is it part of a broader effort to change the “culture” and behavioral norms, and improve performance?

And finally, “So what?” -- the ultimate question about the implications for change and improved teamwork back on the job. If nothing changes, then you may have just wasted money, and possibly worse, exacerbated existing problems or created expectations and added frustration. Choose wisely and plan your teambuilding efforts with defined objectives and change goals, and strive to hold yourself and management team accountable to the same standards.

Summary

If you perceive a need for better teamwork in your organization, you are probably right. If your organization is already a “well-oiled machine,” then you probably believe that teamwork and communication can always improve. Whether your team just needs a little “tweaking,” or your organization is engaged in a full-blown transformation and “culture” change, it is important to think through your teambuilding plan as a business owner, executive director, or manager.

Take a well-targeted approach like a precision rifle rather than a shotgun approach with a broad scatter shot. Provide a context for teambuilding efforts by tying it to individual and organizational performance goals and measures, make it an integral part of the strategic planning process, consider the existing departmental structure and reporting relationships, and engage the management team and all employees in quality improvement, efficiency, and work process analysis.

As a senior leader in your organization, it is important to make informed decisions on teamwork development and teambuilding initiatives, and develop clear culture change objectives that match with desired performance outcomes. Teambuilding is an act of leadership and unification, and it cannot be bought or delegated – it is up to senior management. You might consider finding a trusted and competent consultant or leadership coach to help you clarify the organizational needs and develop a customized change management and improvement plan.

Keep working on developing teams and teamwork, and remember that you and your own team are the role models and key “teambuilders.” Good luck!

#Teams #Teamwork #Teambuilding