21 st Century Principals Institute Copy March 2009

When Great Minds Don’t Think Alike, Good Things Happen West Virginia Institute For 21 st Century Leadership March 2009

How do you Interpret the title of this presentation?

Why Different Viewpoints Matter Challenge our assumptions Contributes to creativity Presents different viewpoints Helps you identify potential barriers Reinforces that there is not only one way to accomplish a goal

Four Elements That Are Essential For High Functioning Teams Common commitment and purpose Clear performance goals Complementary skills Mutual accountability

Three classifications of teams Teams that recommend things Teams that make or do things Teams that run things

Highly Effective Teams represent a set of values, which include  Encouraging listening and responding constructively to views expressed by others  Encouraging conflict  Giving others the benefit of the doubt  Providing support  Recognizing the interests and achievements of others

Teams vs. Working Groups A team is not just any group working together. Groups do not become teams because someone calls them that Working groups are a function of what its members do as individuals. A team’s performance includes both individual results and “collective work products.” A collective work product is what two or more members must work on together. Working groups come together to share information, perspectives, and insights; to make decisions that help each person do their job better; and to reinforce individual performance standards. But the focus is always on individual goals and accountabilities Working group members don’t take responsibility for results other than their own Teams differ from working groups because they require both individual and mutual accountability Teams produce specific work products through the joint contributions of their members. This makes it possible to achieve performance levels greater than if the members of the team operated independently

Characteristics Of High Performing Teams  The key to a team is common commitment, not common viewpoints. Without it, groups perform as individuals; with it, they become a powerful unit of collective performance  Teams develop direction, momentum, and commitment by working to shape a meaningful purpose  Successful teams shape their purposes in response to a demand or opportunity put in front of them. As principals you create the demand/opportunity

Characteristics Of High Performing Teams  The best teams invest a tremendous amount of time and effort exploring, shaping, and agreeing on a purpose that belongs to them both collectively and individually  The" purposing” activity continues throughout the life of the team. Teams that fail, fail because they do not develop a common purpose  The best teams also translate their common purpose into specific performance goals  Transforming broad directives into specific and measurable performance goals is the first step for a team trying to shape a purpose that is meaningful to all team members

Characteristics Of High Performing Teams  Establishing specific performance objectives for each goal facilitates clear communication and constructive conflict within the team  The combination of purpose and specific goals is essential to performance. Each depends on the other to remain relevant and vital  Clear performance goals help a team stay on track and hold itself collectively accountable to that goal

Skill Sets Of Effective Teams Teams must develop the right mix of skills. Skill requirements fall into three categories: – Technical or functional expertise skills – Problem solving and decision making skills – Interpersonal skills and personality types: Conformists Outliers Radicals Rationalists

Technical or Functional Expertise Teams must have the specific expertise related to the task at hand. It only makes sense to have special education professionals on the team if the purpose of the team centers around special education

Problem Solving and Decision-Making Skills Teams must be able to identify the problems and opportunities they face, evaluate options and moving forward, and then make necessary trade-offs and decisions about how to proceed – Teams need members with these skills to begin with Do you have problem solvers on your current teams?

Interpersonal Skills And personality Types Common understanding and purpose cannot take place without effective communication and constructive conflict, which in turn depend on interpersonal skills and personality types. These skills include: – Risk taking (one of the most underestimated skills of leaders and teams – Constructive criticism – Objectivity – Active listening

Team Accountability Team accountability is about the promise teams make to themselves and others, promises that underpin two critical aspects of effective teams: – Commitment – Trust When people work together toward a common objective, trust and commitment follow. In turn, teams enjoying a common purpose and approach inevitably hold themselves responsible, both as individuals and as a team, for the team’s performance – This sense of collective accountability also produces mutual achievement in which all members share

Assessing Your Teams Examine the teams that currently exists in your school. Using the information provided, assess the effectiveness of the team based on the following questions

Key Questions To Ask Your Teams  Does the team possess the four elements of a high functioning team?  Which of the three classifications of teams does the team you have identified fall into?  Does the team embody the values of a high functioning team?  Is the team you have identified really a team or a working group? How do you know?  Which of the characteristics of high performing teams does the team have?  Does the team have the skill sets of a high functioning team?  Does the team have clearly established norms?  Does the team practice the accountability traits needed to be successful?