European Business Improvements

Entry Date: 180308

During six sigma training we often refer to teams. We recognise that we can’t do everything alone, so we suggest employing teams. However, if we ask, “What is a team?” we get many answers.
If we were to ask team members for a characterisation of their team, we would most likely be faced with many subjective descriptions, rather than meaningful definitions.

However, it is commonly thought that there are 4 distinct characterisations to a team.

Firstly, a team should be much more than a group of people working together. Many companies use natural work-groups, which are groups of people that simply work together. However, these are not necessarily a team, nor do they necessarily work together as a team. Teams are not just about the structure that they take. The natural work-group might simply be a group of people who work together. A committee is simply a group of people who work together to see what they can achieve, usually, by way of compromise. Often such people working together have little idea of each others skills, strengths, abilities or interests. A group of people pushed together for the sake of a task does not in itself make a team.

Secondly, a team must share a common purpose that is absolutely crystal clear to each and every member of the team. Each individual team member knows and recognises that to attain the goal; the combined efforts of the whole team are required. Many organisations either do not have, or fail to communicate their common goal. If employees are asked what the goal is they don’t know! Try asking team members if they know what their team goal is. Careful listening often reveals a lack of clarity. The team is there to achieve their target using all the skills and abilities that the team has. The team is there to win.

Thirdly, and to many people’s surprise, team work rarely just happens by itself. Team work is actually hard work, and it requires constantly stimulating. This is one of the facets of a good team leader. A good leader will inspire and communicate the team goals and purpose. The idea being to make the team goal one of over-powering importance: a goal that the team cannot fail in. Indeed, one they dare not fail in.

Finally, a real team has something intangibly indefinable about it. Call it a “feel,” or “team spirit.” Members of the team are open and honest with each other, they speak their minds, and the team accept it in the spirit that it’s meant. Mistakes are openly discussed, with the prime objective of making sure that they don’t happen again; not to appoint blame. The team care about each other as individuals and as team members. The team has a sense of pride, individuals are proud to belong to this team; this belonging actually motivates the team. They discuss the team both inside and outside their work place.

So, the characteristics of a good functional team are:
• Far more than a group of individuals just employed or working together.
• A know and understood common goal.
• Constantly stimulated by the team leader.
• A “team spirit” and a true sense of belonging.

To see examples of good team and team work, one needs look no further than sports teams or a group such as the Red Arrows.
Below is an attempt to define what comprises a good and functional team:
There is mutual trust between all the members of the team. All members can state their views and differences openly without fear of ridicule or retaliation and permit others to do the same. No one on the team will "cut the other guy's throat."

There is mutual support between the team members. There is help readily available from others within the team, and this help is given freely without the fear of hidden agendas

Communication is open and honest. There is no being cautious or guarded about communication. Because of the mutual trust and support between the team members, they are at ease saying exactly what they are feeling. When they communicate, they know that the rest of the team will listen and will work hard to understand.

Team objectives are laid bare for all to see. Objectives are not be assumed by the team (or any individual) until the objectives are clearly recognized and understood by all members.
Conflict is seen as necessary and desirable. The team don’t suppress these and don’t ignore them. Conflicts are seen as normal and natural and get worked through by the team.

The individual abilities, knowledge, and experience are fully utilised by the team. They accept and give advice, counsel, and support to each other while recognising individual accountability and specialisation.

Team members accept the responsibility for keeping discussions relevant and for the integrity of the team operation. Each member accepts the same responsibility. They don't need a chairperson or other devices for control.

There are individual differences and these are respected. The team don't push each other to conform to central ideas or ways of thinking. They work hard at keeping their "team climate" free, open, and supportive of each other.

If one is to examine any successful team, there will more than likely be most of the elements listed above. But some teams don’t reach this stage. So what makes a team even better? What can make a team improve?
This particular question has frustrated football managers just as much as business managers since time immemorial. It is possible to assemble all of the right skills and abilities and appear to have, (on paper at least) a top world class team. But then that team doesn’t perform in reality quite as well as it did on paper. Individuals who had previously performed very well in previous environments simply fail to deliver. If one looks at the often horrendous costs (especially in sport) of bringing the team together in the first place, there is unlikely to be much sympathy from the fans or the managing director if the team fails to work.

So how does one ensure that the team performs? There are many teams that fail to deliver, what can be done about the non performing team? What is the vital missing component?
One might well ask questions:-
• Is there a personality clash between the members of the team?
• Is the team biased one way in the skills department?
• Is the management style right, in order to motivate this particular team?
• Do the team dynamics work?

The answer to improving our adequate, but not “great” performing team could be any one of the above or a complex combination of them all. The permutations of these issues are almost endless, and fixing things could end up as a trial and error exercise. Obviously this is not a real world option, there is insufficient time. So what could be done to fix things and have the team deliver the promise that it originally displayed on paper?

The answer lies within the team itself. The team needs to analyse its own structure, noting how it works. It needs to accurately analyse the strengths and weaknesses of itself, and those of the individual team members, noting the role(s) of the individuals. This needs a very speedy root cause analysis, with remedial action being developed and implemented as rapidly as possible. Self awareness obviously plays a major part in this. It is common for team members not to see themselves as the other members see them. It is common for people to see themselves as assertive, whilst others see them as bullies. It is quite possible for the bully to see the support members as being non co-operative, when in actual fact it is his attitude that pushes them that way. A team needs a balance of all types to thrive, and each type needs to understand all others.

If one performs a team audit, the team culture will be uncovered. The audit will also facilitate the examination of the team members by way of behaviour and role, enabling any shortfall to be identified. An accurate audit will also uncover the team’s reaction to change, thus permitting the changes required to be planned with confidence. A team audit should permit identification of the issues very rapidly.
An audit may be used when:
• The team is not performing as well as it ought to be.
• A culture change is required, sometimes because of external influences.
• Team membership changes

It must be remembered that teams are living things. Things are constantly changing, circumstances, environments, members etc. Once a team is performing, constant vigilance is needed to keep it that way.