Building Effective Teams : Principles and Practices

1. Building Effective Teams: Principles and Practices GRACE Hamlet Canosa, Ed.D. Vice President for Education Columbia Union Conference LOVE

2. Citations/Bibliography • The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High PerformanceOrganization (Katzenbach & Smith) • The Teamnet Factor(Lipnack and Stamps) • Team Building: A Structural Learning Approach(Mears and Voehl)

3. Citations/Bibliography • Organizational Teams(Mears) • Holy Bible(KJV)

4. Biblical Foundations: An Exploration Effective team-building is built on biblical principles. Citing examples from Scripture, outline at least 8 biblical principles that are foundational to effective teaming (give the principle and the example/text).

5. Henry Ford’s Idea of Teaming “Coming together is Beginning; Keeping together is Progress; Working together is Success!”

6. Jesus as a Team Leader • Consider the Scriptures. What biblical evidence cites fundamental principles of teaming in the manner in which Christ dealt with his disciples? • What do you believe those principles to be?

7. Activity:The ___ Team speaks ... • In each group, come up with your best definition for “team” • In addition, outline what your group believes are the necessary conditions for an effective ___ team to exist.

8. What is a “team?” Teams are two or more people who must coordinate their activities to accomplish a common goal(s). Teams are a way of organizing people to support inter-dependence and cooperation that requires close coordination among team

9. What is a “team?” members. Team performance includes both the outputs produced by the team as a whole, as well as the contribution of individual team members to the success of the team.

10. Team Development: Types

11. Team Development: Types

12. Team Development: Types

13. Team Development: Types Principal Principal asks people to take responsibility for their own actions and the collective team interests

14. Hierarchy imposed control specialization dependence formal channels commands appointed leaders vertical interaction Teaming self-control generalization independence voluntary relations consultation natural leaders lateral interaction From Hierarchy to Teaming

15. The Team Performance Curve High-Performance Team Performance Impact Real Team Potential Team Working Group Team Effectiveness Pseudo Team Performance Impact

16. Teams ... Purpose throws an anchor into the future. It sets forth the end-point of the journey and is the internal source of motivation that brings a group alive! Teams cohere through shared purpose!

17. Thought to Ponder Successful teams just “don’t happen.” They are carefully planned and supported. Here are some conditions for team success:

18. Team Skill Requirements for Success • Technical and/or Functional Expertise • Problem-solving and decision-making skills • teams must be able to identify the problems and opportunities they face, evaluate the options they have for moving forward, and then make the necessary trade-offs and decisions about how to proceed.

19. Team Skill Requirements for Success • Interpersonal Skills • Common understanding and purpose cannot arise without effective communication and constructive conflict that, in turn, depend on interpersonal skills. These include,risk-taking, helpful criticism, objectivity, active listening, giving the benefit of the doubt, support, and recognizing the interests and achievements of others.

20. What are the conditions for Successful Teams ? • Participation - everyone has something to do and to contribute. • Shared Purpose - everybody “owns” and agrees to the work to be done. • Communication - information is shared freely and openly. • Coaching - is available as requested or needed.

21. What are the conditions for Successful Teams ? • Future-focus - members “let go” of the past to discover the future. • Innovation - making change and creative solutions are valued. • Responsiveness - directing efforts towards students and families. • Rewards - including education and information, help support the work.

22. Thought to Ponder Success for teams is essential but what are the real elements necessary to build a collaborative team environment?

23. 1) Common Purposes & Goals Without a goal(s) there is no team. Ideas for creating a common goal include • review your mission, vision, goals/objectives, constitution, and vital documents of purpose • discuss and identify the reasons why the existence of teaming is essential • allow each team member to express his/her commitment

24. 1) Common Purposes & Goals • create mottoes, symbols, awards, or posters that portray the team as one unit • use the common purpose to prioritize the team actions (done collaboratively between the administration and faculty/staff)

25. 2) Trust Each Other Without trust - there can be NO true team! • BE HONEST! • work to eliminate conflicts of interest • avoid talking behind each other’s back • trust teammates (you must trust - before you are trusted by others!) • give teammates the benefit of the doubt (if you have questions - ASK!!!)

26. Activity:The ___ Team speaks ... • We often have a challenge in differentiating between true and false statements relating to others. • Let’s see how good you are in making the differentiation between such statements!!!

27. 3) Clarify Roles Knowing everyone’s role and being familiar with the responsibility of those roles create efficiency and flexibility. So ... • Review team members’ roles frequently • relate team member expectations to the team’s overall purpose • clarify responsibilities when action planning

28. 3) Clarify Roles • learn what others do on the team • figure out ways to help each other

29. 4) Communicate Openly and Effectively Miscommunications can cause hard feelings and undermine the success of the team. Improve communication by ... • Erring on the side of over-communicating • seek to understand all angles • take responsibility for being heard and understood

30. 4) Communicate Openly and Effectively • Work to clear up misunderstandings quickly and accurately • reinforce and recognize team member efforts

31. Communication Process Intent Sender (feelings) Message (verbal/non-verbal) Active Listening (feelings) Listener Response

32. Constructive Feedback Guidelines • Give positive & negative feedback • Understand the context. • Know how to give feedback • be descriptive • don’t exaggerate • speak for yourself

33. Constructive Feedback Guidelines • Know how to receive feedback • listen carefully • ask questions for clarity • acknowledge valid points • carefully consider the points • don’t get angry • give thanks for the opportunity provided by another to facilitate your personal growth

34. Constructive Feedback Guidelines The most common mistake in giving “constructive” feedback is giving only negative feedback. People like to feel good about themselves and what they do. Accentuate the positive; the positive is appreciated and more likely to produce desired results.

35. 5) Balance the Team’s Focus Finally, team members need to recognize that they should measure and monitor the products and services the team provides as well as the team’s internal dynamics and relationships. Shape balance by ...

36. 5) Balance the Team’s Focus • Review and evaluate the effectiveness of team meetings (see handout) • hold team celebrations for achieving results • value and praise individual effort • design individual performance goals that emphasize both results and teamwork • assign certain team members to monitor task needs and others to monitor relationship needs

37. What is “Synergy?” Synergy is “the interaction of two or more agents/forces so that their combined effort is far greater than the sum of their individual efforts: Illustration: 1 + 1 = 3

38. What is “Synergy?” In an organizational sense, synergy is a cooperative interaction among parts of a corporate organization that creates an enhanced combined effect (from the Greek word sunergia meaning “working together.”

39. What are the elements of Team Synergy? • Listening and clarifying - • anticipating where the conversation is going • objectively weighing the information being presented • periodically reviewing and mentally summarizing what is being said • paying attention to the non-verbal behavior • Supporting - encouraging people to speak up and creating a positive climate where

40. others will feel free to offer ideas. In a defensive climate, individuals become preoccupied with their own security rather than the growth of the team as a whole. A positive climate is created by truly believing in the fact that everyone is important and can make a contribution to the team. Everyone therefore is treated with respect and all ideas offered are considered, without trying to control or manipulate outcomes. Let’s not “shoot first and ask questions later,” but rather ask first - then proceed with the information!

41. What are the elements of Team Synergy? • Differing and Confronting - • the ability to present conflicting ideas to the group without threatening any individuals. Focusing comments on factual issues and avoiding personality judgments. • Quality- • a personal commitment to excellence, accepting responsibilities, a willingness to do quality work, and paying attention to details.

42. What are the elements of Team Synergy? • Acceptance - • believing and acting on the fact that each team member brings a potentially valuable mix of skills to the team. • Feedback - • open and honest communication

43. The Synergy Formula E = Q x A x F Effectiveness = Quality x Acceptance x Feedback Synergy is based on the fundamental importance of relationships!!!

44. Activity:The ___ Team speaks ... • Quietly choose two colleagues and privately assess each, using the handout. • Be sure to answer each of the questions asked. • Be prepared to share - honestly!

45. Thought to Ponder Every team has challenging members. Let’s consider some strategies to deal with these “challenging” members.

46. Talkative Team Member Suggestions: • Have an appointed team member point to a specific team member and ask, “We haven’t heard from you. Do you have any ideas? • The team leader could state, “I’d like to hear what others have to say.” • Teammates should voice concern when they observe a lack of balanced participation.

47. Dominant Team Member Suggestions: • The team leader and other team members must reinforce that no ideas are “sacred” or “off limits.” • Remind the team of the importance of seeking consensus. This cannot occur unless everyone’s ideas are given a fair hearing. • Talk to the individual before the next meeting, expression his/her appreciation for expertise, but allowing others’ opinions.

48. Reluctant Team Member Suggestions: • Ask direct questions, such as, “Mary, what do you suggest?” • The team leader should seek to have other teammates solicit the ideas of the reluctant member. • Reluctant team members may have to be removed from assignments if their reticence to contribute adversely affects team function.

49. Argumentative Team Member Suggestions: • Get the adversaries to discuss the issues away from the group. • Point out the disruptive effect of arguments. • Push the team members and the adversaries to establish ground rules for managing their discussion. • If nothing works, disband the team (committee) before too much time and effort is wasted.

50. What about Attitudes and Teaming? Attitude is “an internal state that influences an individual’s choices or decisions to act in a certain way under particular circumstances.”