CLAC 2006 Frederick P. Schmitt Teamwork Strategies, Inc “ Effective Teamwork is a Competitive Advantage”

Team Defined: Two or more individuals who share agreed goals and processes and voluntarily contribute their professional and personal skills, knowledge and abilities to achieve team results and align their self-interests with the team. Two or more individuals who share agreed goals and processes and voluntarily contribute their professional and personal skills, knowledge and abilities to achieve team results and align their self-interests with the team.

The Aligned Organization Alignment means: Alignment means: “We all understand and we agree.”

Key Elements of Aligned Organizations Strategic Direction Strategic Direction Where are we going? Where are we going? What is our direction? What is our direction? Why go there? Why go there? What is our vision? What is our vision? What is our plan? What is our plan? What are our core values? What are our core values? Who is going with us? Who is going with us?

Goals and Priorities Goals and Priorities What do we need to accomplish? What do we need to accomplish? What are our overall goals & priorities? What are our overall goals & priorities? How do we measure success? How do we measure success? How are our goals compared with others? How are our goals compared with others? Are we in agreement, between us, about what is important to focus on? Are we in agreement, between us, about what is important to focus on? How clear are these goals and priorities down in the organization? How clear are these goals and priorities down in the organization? How are we going to evaluate progress? How are we going to evaluate progress?

Roles and Accountabilities Roles and Accountabilities & Intersections & Intersections Who is on the team - who is the leader? Who is on the team - who is the leader? What is my role – what is yours? What is my role – what is yours? How do we work together? How do we work together? Who am I accountable to? For What? Who am I accountable to? For What? Who owns what decisions? Who owns what decisions? How do we support each other? How do we support each other? Where are the intersections – handoffs and boundaries between us? Where are the intersections – handoffs and boundaries between us? What expectations should we have of each other? What expectations should we have of each other?

Operating Protocols Operating Protocols How are we expected to work together? How are we expected to work together? What are the rules that guide how we operate as individual performers – as a Team? What are the rules that guide how we operate as individual performers – as a Team? How do we communicate, hold meetings, How do we communicate, hold meetings, make decisions and resolve problems and conflicts? make decisions and resolve problems and conflicts? What behaviors are OK or not? What behaviors are OK or not?

Organizational Relationships Organizational Relationships Who are you? Who are you? What do you bring to the team – strengths or development needs? What do you bring to the team – strengths or development needs? What do we need to know about each other so we can work together with few conflicts? What do we need to know about each other so we can work together with few conflicts? What are our ‘hot buttons’ or preferences for how work gets done and how we might collaborate? What are our ‘hot buttons’ or preferences for how work gets done and how we might collaborate?

Personal Relationships Personal Relationships Can we trust each other…like each other? Can we trust each other…like each other? Can I depend on you? Can I depend on you? How shall we build and sustain mutually beneficial relationships? How shall we build and sustain mutually beneficial relationships? WIIFM – “What is in it for me?” WIIFM – “What is in it for me?”

Team Development Stages STAGE 1 STAGE 1 Getting Organized & Testing Getting Organized & Testing Cordial - reserved Cordial - reserved Hesitant & wary Hesitant & wary Membership is being considered Membership is being considered Clarifying direction, goals, roles & accountabilities Clarifying direction, goals, roles & accountabilities Setting expectations Setting expectations Establishing relations Establishing relations Exploring trust Exploring trust Dependence on leadership Dependence on leadership

The 1 to 10 Rule For every one minute – hour – day you spend upfront clarifying you spend upfront clarifying Strategy and Direction Strategy and Direction Goals and Priorities Goals and Priorities Roles and Accountabilities Roles and Accountabilities Operating protocols Operating protocols Organization Relationships Organization Relationships Who are you and I… Who are you and I…

Every minute – hour – day Every minute – hour – day YOU INVEST YOU INVEST clarifying and aligning your team clarifying and aligning your team Will SAVE YOU Will SAVE YOU 10 times the amount of time later on cleaning up the assumptions that will be made and will lead to conflicts…. 10 times the amount of time later on cleaning up the assumptions that will be made and will lead to conflicts….

STAGE 2 STAGE 2 Competing & Infighting Competing & Infighting Differences emerge Differences emerge Lack of clarity – confusion Lack of clarity – confusion Power & control issues Power & control issues Unproductive – time wasted Unproductive – time wasted Blame – finger pointing Blame – finger pointing Personality clashes Personality clashes Team abilities questioned Team abilities questioned Results unsatisfactory Results unsatisfactory

STAGE 3 STAGE 3 Realigning – Reorganizing Realigning – Reorganizing Evaluating - assessing Evaluating - assessing Confronting issues Confronting issues Re-contracting roles & accountabilities Re-contracting roles & accountabilities Providing feedback & coaching Providing feedback & coaching Establishing culture & commitments Establishing culture & commitments Refocusing priorities & actions Refocusing priorities & actions Defining operating protocols / processes Defining operating protocols / processes Building trust and cohesion Building trust and cohesion

STAGE 4 STAGE 4 High Performance High Performance Achieving Business Results Achieving Business Results Operating collaboratively Operating collaboratively High levels of trust and synergy High levels of trust and synergy Mutually supportive relations Mutually supportive relations (See 10 key characteristics) (See 10 key characteristics)

Characteristics of High Performing Teams Characteristics of High Performing Teams 1. Team strategy, direction and goals are clear and supported by members. 2. Team members are technically & functionally competent for tasks and willing to fulfill their roles. 3. The various roles, accountabilities and interdependencies within the team are clear.

4. Team members are committed to achieving team results. 5. The leadership, communication and decision-making processes are clear and applied. 6. Team members share ownership and accountability for results. Members exercise the license to address any issue concerning how the team operates. 7. Team members are confident addressing conflicts within the team. They are candid and work openly toward mutually agreed solutions.

8. The team routinely assesses progress and results, evaluating how the team operates and members participate. 8. Trust is demonstrated by mutual support and acceptance of diverse skills, perceptions and personalities working in synergy with one another. 8. Results are achieved.