| Team Selection | | | | those responsible for managing an improvement team. |
| If you were selecting a basketball team, what criteria | | | | A leader is more effective than a supervisor is in this |
| would you use for the selection of players? If an | | | | case. This is because a leader gets their power from |
| academic team were being selected, what would your | | | | people being willing to follow (a team environment) |
| criteria be? If the selection of a process improvement | | | | while supervisors get their power from higher levels of |
| team were the objective, what criteria would be used? | | | | management (a command and control environment). In |
| | | | fact, a supervisory approach to team management will |
| There are three main types of members: regular, ad | | | | prevent success. Process improvement is a "What do |
| hoc, and resource members. The regular members | | | | you think?" activity not a "Do as you are told" activity. |
| attend all meetings, unless advised otherwise, and | | | | Team Member Behavior |
| participate in all team activities. Ad hoc members | | | | Some types of team member behavior will hinder a |
| participate only when the team requires their expertise. | | | | team's progress. An example might be the person |
| Lastly, there are resource members. Their meeting | | | | who is there because it is part of their performance |
| attendance is at the discretion of the team leader. | | | | evaluation. This person is not there for the team. They |
| These team members are sources of information, | | | | are there to service their own needs. This person will |
| resources (time, money, etc.), or coaching. | | | | usually find pleasure in hindering team progress with |
| The second rule has to do with the specific talents of | | | | arguments that have no substance or by not helping |
| the members. A process improvement team should | | | | with action items. |
| include a process owner, a process expert, a budget | | | | The "card player" is another example of an ineffective |
| and accounting member, someone from engineering (if | | | | team member. This person is quietly paying attention to |
| applicable), and maybe even a stakeholder (customer). | | | | the ebb and flow of power. They align themselves |
| It can also be helpful to place persons on the team | | | | with the winning side on issues and rarely express their |
| that may work against you if left out. Being a member | | | | real opinions. It is all about keeping themselves on the |
| will give them buy in. | | | | correct side (the prevailing point of view) of issues. |
| Third, a team should have a common purpose. This | | | | This kind of participation is more political than |
| common purpose comes from building a common | | | | constructive. As a result, their contribution can bias the |
| identity. The team should know what the business | | | | results of team activities such as scoring matrices, |
| expects from them, as well as the known roadblocks | | | | brainstorming, and multi-voting. |
| and limitations. This can become sticky. What should a | | | | An especially dangerous attitude is associated with the |
| team leader do if he has a member who is trying to | | | | person who is there to represent their boss. This |
| sabotage the team's work? This is not an uncommon | | | | person is following orders. They will express the views |
| situation. | | | | of their boss rather than their own opinion. When this is |
| Team Dynamics | | | | a means of controlling the team, there will be problems. |
| Positive team member behavior involves respect. This | | | | This boss' opinion can be valuable as long as it is not |
| respect is built upon a willingness to show | | | | subversive. The danger for the team is when the truth |
| consideration and appreciation for others of the group. | | | | is suppressed or conclusions are biased because |
| In fact, showing respect for others is a cornerstone of | | | | someone in a position of power is protecting or |
| a stable society. With it, there is progress and synergy | | | | attacking something that the team is working on. |
| (alignment). Without it, there is stagnation and | | | | Conflict |
| disintegration. | | | | Dealing with conflict is an important team function. Not |
| The team environment is a micro-society. A team that | | | | only is conflict unavoidable in a team environment, it is |
| is respectful of others, and the team as a whole, will | | | | desirable. The team should cherish conflict that results |
| have the best chance of success. The appreciation of | | | | from diversity of opinion. The team leader will need to |
| diversity of opinion is the starting point of positive team | | | | intervene when the conflict becomes personal or |
| dynamics. The point of putting a team together is to | | | | destructive. The bulk of the responsibility for this lies |
| have a diversity of opinion. All opinions and ideas have | | | | with the team leader, but some responsibility lies with |
| value and contribute to developing a best solution or | | | | the other team members as well. |
| result. To be successful, the team members should | | | | A set of ground rules will help the team prevent |
| recognize and celebrate diversity of opinion. This | | | | conflict from dragging it away from its mission. The |
| means looking for the useful and positive in everyone's | | | | first rule is that conflict will be taken off line when it |
| comments and questions. Agreeing to disagree is the | | | | becomes a problem. During a meeting, this may mean |
| adult method of dealing with conflict. | | | | taking a break, changing the subject, or both. This |
| This is how a team gains consensus. It is also a means | | | | allows the conflict to be isolated from the rest of the |
| to allow diversity of opinion to exist and drive the team | | | | team. Before reconvening, the warring parties must |
| forward. By agreeing to disagree, members do not | | | | agree to disagree or to develop a plan to address |
| have to let go of their opinions to move forward. | | | | their differences at another time. |
| Another important aspect of respect within a team is | | | | Another rule is to obtain an agreement from all team |
| attendance. The members have to be present in both | | | | members to take a team perspective during conflict |
| body and mind in order to contribute toward the | | | | situations. The point is that the team's focus is not on |
| team's success. If a member is absent, that person | | | | individuals. At an adult level of understanding, it should |
| does not contribute and slows the team's progress. An | | | | be clear, that in most cases, what is good for the |
| unengaged member presents a similar problem. | | | | team is also good for the individual. It is not, "What's in |
| Attendance ties in with completion of action items. | | | | this for me?" Instead, it should be, "What's in this for |
| Since teams use tasks and timelines to plan for | | | | us?" |
| success, action items become the vehicle for team | | | | A team also needs ground rules for conflict outside of |
| progress. The team assigns action items to a | | | | meetings. Conflict outside of meetings can derail the |
| responsible person and a due date is set. This makes | | | | efforts of the team as effectively as conflict during |
| the team's progress predictable and the distribution of | | | | meetings. Undermining teammates, or the team's work, |
| resources easier to control. When members do not | | | | with persons who are not team members will sub |
| take action items seriously, the team cannot function. | | | | optimize the team's efforts in favor of individual goals. |
| When a team is functioning correctly, everyone is | | | | Team issues are the team's business unless the team |
| contributing. Contributing means participation, voicing | | | | leader feels that the situation is becoming |
| your opinion, and adding your brainpower to the team's | | | | unmanageable. Then the team leader can go outside |
| efforts. One moment you are giving information, the | | | | of the team for help. |
| next you are listening, and the next you are negotiating. | | | | Dealing with conflict is all about respect. A team that |
| The resulting high energy level speeds the team's | | | | has individuals who do not show mutual respect to |
| progress. It is also more fun. | | | | their teammates will not be effective. From a team |
| Team Leadership | | | | leader perspective, there may come a time when they |
| The team leader plays an important role in making | | | | have to remove a member from the team. This is a |
| sure that all team members contribute. This may mean | | | | severe action and is a last resort. Making an enemy of |
| asking someone's opinion, or slowing down a team | | | | a former team member will create internal and |
| member who is too dominating. In either case, every | | | | external repercussions for the team. |
| team member's dignity is important. The responsible | | | | The point to all of the above is that the team must |
| person on a team is called a leader for a reason. This | | | | keep their eye on the ball. The team that keeps its |
| is because the leader is expected to lead and | | | | focus has the best chance of success. Keeping their |
| manage, not supervise the team effort. This implies | | | | focus means controlling the pressure to spend time on |
| that exceptional leadership skills are necessary for | | | | individual or political concerns. |