9/27/10...Following my entry of the best team meeting ever, I guess it was inevitable to experience the worst team meeting. Once again the ole' Bell Shaped Curve raises its ugly shape. It is not so much that these meetings were the worst because I am exaggerating, but it is clear that team dynamics shape the performance of a team. Show me a well balanced trusting group of individuals and I will show you a team that is performing on a high level. But what makes this group perform and another flounder?
When teams are floundering, I am noticing that the team is not trusting of each other. They are not coming together and working as a team; instead they work as individuals to accomplish tasks apart from the team. Team dynamics, which includes team composition, plays a huge role in this. The "baggage" people bring to the team plays a role, probably more so than anything else. There almost needs to be a "redemptive" moment before the team actually comes together and begins working as one.
This topic needs further explanation going into the future. But here are two potential solutions I want to note, if only for myself.
* Create a team building event (either work or non-work related that has to be build trust in each other). The avenues here are finding an outside resource that specializes in this, or creating an internal event that challenges the team to a new level, and thus forces them to work together to accomplish the goal.
* Conduct a brainstorm with the team having each member contribute to why the team is floundering. For one team I just led, this was very powerful and eye opening. The good thing is the feedback from team members were legitimate and now the team has a great plan going forward to get out of the floundering stage.
No comments:
Post a Comment