M18_C1

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

Chapter #1 | Sort your cards. Setting the foundations for an effective team.

Your hand has been dealt and now you need to sort your cards and make them work. Which suit is strongest for you to play here? Have you got enough strength in your hand to account for your weaknesses? How will you use both to your best advantage? Just like sorting your cards, you need to have a good understanding of the different strengths, weaknesses and personalities within your team and how they can be leveraged to achieve your team goals. Leading your team starts by really understanding what you are together for, and asking yourself, “What is our team purpose?” Once you have that, it’s all about determining the roles and responsibilities of each individual and how they fit together as a group. Sort your cards right and you're on your way to a winning streak. By the end of this chapter you will be able to: Understand what a team is and what makes them effectiveDevelop a common understanding of team purposeWork with team members to establish their roles, responsibilities and accountabilitiesDevelop an organisational chartCreate a team charter

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

While the right style of team is crucial for the success of all organisations, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to building your team. Whether it’s in the workplace, on the sports field or in your local community, team building requires a keen understanding of people – and the differences between them. You’ve got to know their strengths, weaknesses and what gets them excited to work with others. What this all means, is to build a great team, you need to be a great leader. But how about we start by getting to know what a team is?

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

In every team, several different roles exist. The roles are determined by factors such as business needs, personalities, strengths, weaknesses and prior experiences. For example, some team members will ‘set the pace’, others will ‘look after detail’ and some may ‘drive the results’. In effective teams, each member will enhance the overall performance of the team and complement each other’s strengths. Let’s take a look at some of the different types of teams that exist.

A team is a group of people who are committed to a common purpose. They are empowered to set goals, solve problems and make decisions. A true test of a team is whether they value the team’s combined contribution, and know that they can achieve more when working together. This shared purpose is what makes the difference between a real team and a group of individuals who just work together. While an element of friendly competition amongst team members can be healthy, organisations benefit most when everyone sees the value of each other’s success as just as important as their own. You play a critical role in encouraging your team to collaborate – focusing on team goals, and emphasising the value of how teamwork maximises effectiveness.

Sarah is four years old and sitting outside with her Dad while he cooks dinner on the barbeque. He has to grab something inside so he says, “Make sure you don’t touch the barbeque Sarah, it’s hot.” As he gets inside he hears a scream. Guess what happened? Of course, Sarah has touched the barbeque. He thinks to himself, “She just doesn’t listen, maybe she’s learnt her lesson now.” Is there any way things could have turned out differently? Sure, Dad warned Sarah that the barbeque was hot, but did she understand that it being hot would lead to her hurting herself if she touched it? Probably not. Providing context around the ‘why’ may seem tedious, or like it should be common sense, but that isn’t always the case. Context connects people to the purpose for, or impact of, their actions. The more you can connect people with the ‘why’ the more likely they are to be motivated towards an outcome or required action.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

As the team grows, it’s likely you’ll need to revisit the roles and responsibilities that sit within it. Each person that joins the team will have their own unique knowledge, skills and experience that they bring to the group. Adapting the roles and responsibilities of people as they join or leave the team, is integral to being able to leverage each person’s strengths effectively and achieve goals as required. You’ll need to think about the skills and knowledge required to perform each role. You’ll also need to consider the development gaps you have the capability to support – and the ones you don’t – based on the timeframe and workload. Nobody likes to have change happen ‘to’ them. We all want to feel like we’re a part of the process. As a leader, it’s important to consult with your team when establishing the roles and responsibilities of each individual. They may have skills or experience you don’t know about that could be utilised more effectively or see potential roadblocks before you do. After all, they are the ones doing the work so they should understand the reality of the day-to-day a little better than you. When providing feedback to individuals on the outcome of their roles and responsibilities, try to do so one-on-one. You don’t want people to be surprised by the role they are delegated. If their expectations do differ, but they’ve already been assigned their role or responsibilities; they may feel embarrassed and express some emotion. This may not only have a negative impact on your relationship with them, but also on how they relate to the other members of the team. Having an honest conversation in private with each team member will build your trust with them and provide you with a better outcome.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

An organisational chart is diagram that details the internal structure of the business. It’s most commonly used to understand reporting lines, working relationships and the intended flow of information from a business, department or team perspective. Developing an organisational chart for your own team is a great way to identify exactly what roles are needed and provide clarity of who specifically sits in each role. It’s important to note that even though the business itself may have one type of organisational structure, you can create a team structure that works best for you. As the leader, it’s your call on the way you set up your team to get the work done effectively. Let’s take a look at the different types of organisational structures.

PERFORMING

ADJOURNING

The team begins to settle into a rhythm. Once here, you’ll be able to see more team cohesion, as individual needs become less of a priority. The team purpose becomes clear and everybody begins to work towards a common goal. Processes are followed and the work is planned. Start to monitor the level of performance of each team member and slowly step back from being directive. It’s time for the team to begin taking accountability.

A member leaves the team or the whole team is disbanded (for example a project team once the project is complete). It’s crucial for the leader to provide careful explanation and support to the group to allow them to adjust. If one person has left the rest of the team are likely to feeling some type of sadness, which may impact performance. Minimise the negative impact this has on your team through, for example, team building days to build the team bond and create cohesion in a new dynamic. If the existing roles and responsibilities within the team need to be adapted as a result of one person leaving, the team have the potential to cycle back to the forming stage once again.

NORMING

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

STORMING

The team has just been established and are working out what’s required of them and how they work together. People are generally ‘too polite’ as they figure out the group dynamic and look to avoid conflict in an effort to form new relationships. The team begin to understand processes, policies and procedures and seek to understand their roles and responsibilities. Provide strong direction and guidance.

The team is more strategically aware of, and driven towards, the achievement of group goals. They are focused on the tasks required, with very little directive interaction from their leader. Start focusing on monitoring and developing the team further, in order to maintain and grow the level of performance. The leader just delegates and oversees the work.

Psychologist Bruce Tuckman developed the well known theory, ‘Tuckman’s stages of group development’ to provide leaders with a good understanding of the the paths most teams follow, from establishment to high performance. His theory describes the type of group dynamics that can be expected at each stage, and the actions leaders can take to help facilitate the progression to the next.

Team goes into a conflict phase, where each attempts to establish themselves within the group. Individuals move beyond politeness as they focus on themselves and frustrations start to show. It becomes easy to identify those dominant in the group and those who are more likely to sit back. The leader must manage healthy and unhealthy conflict accordingly. Focus the team on establishing team purpose, role clarity and task achievement.

FORMING

A team charter is a document that outlines team purpose, structure, processes and expectations. It’s basically a way of establishing that your team are all headed in the right direction towards a common goal. Developing the team charter is a collaborative process. You want your team involved – they’ll be more likely to adhere to what’s documented, be engaged in the work and understand what’s required than if you simply explain it to them after you’ve created it yourself. Depending on the type of team you're creating the charter for, the team sponsor might be involved too. For example, if it’s a project team the project sponsor will most likely want to be involved, however if the team is self-directed you might just update the department manager on the types of expectations included in the document rather than the detail. The team charter should be created when the team is formed and reviewed to ensure its relevance once or twice a year. This is another way of connecting your team with the common purpose we talked about earlier. The way you go about constructing the team charter should reflect the way you want the team to work. It doesn’t have to be a formal process, an informal brainstorming session will be just fine. Let’s have a look at what to include in your team charter.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

Take a look at some more ideas around establishing your team’s workflow.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

Congrats on getting through your unit to this point! So what have you done in this chapter? Well, you’ve:Reviewed what a team is and what makes them effective Looked at how to develop a common understanding of team purpose Identified strategies to work with team members to establish their roles, responsibilities and accountabilities Looked at how to develop an organisational chart and its role in establishing team purpose Looked at ways to create and utilise a team charterSo what now? We recommend you put into practice some of the new skills, techniques and principles you’ve just learned. This is the best way we know, to ensure you know what you need to be successful on your journey – know what we mean? Now, let’s get into the next chapter!

These are empowered, autonomous teams that function, in their truest sense, without supervisory authority. A self-directed team is as much a team as any other, but it has a unique management structure – no supervisor. The role of the supervisor is substituted by all members of the team. They plan and execute the work – day in, day out – carrying out direction set by senior leaders. Leader builds relationships; sets processes and communication channels; provides goals, expectations and feedbackTeam works from whatever location needed and communicates using phone/internet

These teams are becoming increasingly more common in the current work environment. They require qualified team members who are self-motivated and capable enough to perform their role with minimal supervision. As a leader, building strong working relationships with this type of team is important. Leaders provide vision but not direction; they observe progress but also empower them to make their own decisionsTeam communicates, sets responsibilities, plans, controls operations, and takes corrective actions

These team members are part of the same level of the work hierarchy but work across different areas of expertise. These teams are formed with an objective that allows team members across the organisation to exchange information, develop new ideas, solve problems and coordinate complex projects. Leader needs to foster a sense of unity, manage team relationships, and allow others to leadTeam uses varied expertise to solve problems and exchange information

The types of teams formed by an organisation really depend on what it wants to achieve. These team structures are now more frequently used to achieve organisational goals.

In every team, several different roles exist. The roles are determined by factors such as personalities, strengths, weaknesses and prior experiences. For example, some team members will ‘set the pace’, others will ‘look after detail’ and some may ‘drive the results’. In effective teams, each member will enhance the overall performance of the team and complement each other’s strengths. Let’s take a look at some of the different types of teams that exist.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

Let’s hear from some team members about what it’s like to work in a team.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

Being transparent in how your team’s work aligns with – and drives you towards – the achievement of the organisation’s mission, vision and values, allows them to understand how their role impacts the broader business goals. They know how the tasks they complete day-to-day contribute to the success of the business. The team recognises their work is valuable and are more likely to produce high quality work efficiently. You might think it’s common sense – of course their work is important to the business or else they wouldn’t have a job! But, you can’t assume that they are able to make that connection. It’s up to you as a leader to reiterate how the work contributes to the achievement of the company objectives. What does your team need to know to have a shared understanding of team purpose?The mission, vision and values of the business and how their work aligns to the achievement of theseIdentification of the team’s customers both internal and external, including what they are expected to deliver to customers and how to go about itMeasurements of team successHow the team’s results impact other teams and departments within the business

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

As the leader of an effective team, your conversation around team purpose should be ongoing. Reiterating the message means it’s always at the front of the team’s mind and are more likely to be consistent with their performance and cohesive in the way they work together. Let’s take a look at some instances that lend themselves to establishing team purpose.

Team building days can often feel like a waste of time with team members thinking, “Why are we here?” Establishing team purpose at the beginning gives meaning to the day and allows the team to understand why strengthening the relationships with each other is so important. You’ll help them to figure out how to most effectively work together to achieve a shared goal outside of the working environment, as well as within it.

Whenever a new project or task is introduced into the team, take some time to talk about how it contributes to the broader goals of the business. This will play a strong role in motivating each individual towards a common goal. Everybody will begin the work with the same objective in mind.

When celebrating success explain to the team what their achievements mean for the wider business. Their sense of purpose and achievement will feel a whole lot greater when connected to something bigger.

A good habit to get into upon completion of any project or heavy workload is to review the lessons you learnt along the way. When reviewing the lessons learnt, establishing ‘why’ is so important. Looking at what the lesson means for the performance of the team and the business is more likely to spark a change in the way the team completes the work or behaves in the future.

One-on-one meetings Begin the consultation process with a one-on-one meeting with each team member. Take time to discuss their skills, experience and level of performance. You’ll gain a good understanding of their personal work goals both short and long term. Each team member will appreciate your interest in their development and the role they want to play in the team. Make sure this meeting is more about you listening to them rather than talking. Be sure to ask lots of questions! Team meetings Where roles or responsibilities only need to be adapted slightly, a group meeting is a great way of consulting. For example, when someone leaves the team and the workload still needs to be managed while recruitment takes place, the team can be integral to workload planning. Ask the group questions about the current workload and the functions that team member performed that they feel are crucial to the daily operations of the group. The meeting should provide you with some great insights into the work that needs to continue and how this can be divided up effectively.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

A more engaged team They feel valued as their input has been taken into account by their leader. You’ll find they are likely to have a higher commitment level to their job. Further insight into the realities of the work You can learn a lot about the efficiency of the team from the team. They might be able to provide insight into the types of roadblocks they experience with their work and what is required to overcome them. Or, it could be that some of their responsibilities are no longer relevant to the current workload and don’t need to be performed by anybody. An understanding of how people can be best utilised As the leader you might find that your team have skills, knowledge or experience you weren't aware of that could be used more effectively.

A hierarchical organisational structure details the level of authority each individual has in relation to another. Pretty much everybody is a subordinate to someone else – unless you’re the CEO. This type of structure is commonly used in large businesses, where the number of employees means levels of management and authority need to be embedded across all departments. This structure is generally depicted as a pyramid, with the number of people at the top of the structure lower than the amount on the bottom. The most ‘power’ sits with the smallest number of individuals. The hierarchical structure is quite transactional where each person is directed by their line manager. From a team perspective your organisational chart will have yourself as the manager at the top, possibly a few supervisor roles and the majority of your team members underneath them. You’ll generally have the majority of your team members pass their work through the supervisors for approval. You might have meetings with your supervisors regularly to find out how the work and team are progressing. However, you’re probably a bit further removed from understanding the day-to-day tasks of team members that report to different leaders within the team.

Reporting lines are clear Roles and responsibilities of each team member are clear and documented There are clear progression paths for employees Each person is promoted as a specialist within their area

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

The lines of approval are so long that it takes a long time for plans to turn into action Each department or team tends to look out for their best interests over that of the wider organisation Salary costs increase due to the layers of management Team members can become rigid in completing only what’s required of their role

When to use a hierarchical structure:If you have a very large team the clear reporting lines of a hierarchical structure may be necessaryWhere the work is process based and doesn't require much creativityWhere the work is compliance based, for example, of a confidential nature requiring clear direction

When to use a flat structure:Where there is a smaller number of people within your teamWhere the flexibility of people performing different roles is requiredWhen creativity is integral to the team. You’ll want a range of people involved in decision-making processes

Team members are more exposed to, and therefore become more skilled in, decision making and strategic thinking With less reporting lines, the turn around time between approval and action is much quicker Team members feel valued as their opinions are sought out and taken into account Removing the number of mid-level managers decreases the salary cost across the business

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

Where reporting lines aren’t clear employees become confused about who is responsible for what The large number of team members encourages a lot of generalists who can flex to perform different functions – but may leave you without specialists Team members may feel they need clearer direction The specific roles and responsibilities of each individual may be unclear. Where a specialist is required it may need to be outsourced at a high cost

A flat organisational structure has a low number of people employed in management positions. The emphasis is on creating a collaborative, self-directed team that need little supervision. The wider team is encouraged to be involved in decision making processes. Management tends to be more consultative with the broader team. The flat structure can be transformational in that each person is often required to flex and perform different duties. Creativity often is encouraged in flat structures. From a team perspective, a flat organisational structure will generally only have one manager. The rest of your team are likely to sit beside each other. You’ll generally have a good idea of the types of tasks your team complete day-to-day although, you don’t have to get involved too much. The team itself is pretty self-directed and your time with them is most likely around consulting in order to make decisions, supporting them to get the job done or dedicated to their development.

AGREEMENT The goal of the team charter is that it establishes a strong scope for each team member to understand how their role fits within the wider team and the way they are expected to go about the work. In order for this goal to be achieved it’s important that each member of the group is in agreement with the contents of the document. If the collaboration process has been effective then this shouldn’t be much of a problem. Each team member should sign the document to acknowledge their understanding of what’s required of them. It’s then circulated to the wider team so each person has a copy.

COMPOSITION AND ROLES Here we detail the team structure, including the roles and responsibilities of each team member. This is to ensure each person is clear on what’s required of them and how their role fits into the team as a whole. It also establishes lines of communication. By this stage, you’ve hopefully consulted with each team member individually around their role specifics. Having those conversations individually will allow people time to express concerns and emotions privately, while this process of documenting them as a team simply becomes a formality.

Looking for a team charter example? Or maybe a little more information about what you could include in yours? Check this one out here.

EMPOWERMENT AND AUTHORITY This section outlines the boundaries in which team members can go about the work. You’ll want to include the level of authority the team or individuals have to make decisions as well as those they will need to seek approval for. Depending on the type of team you might also need to outline here how much of each person's time should be dedicated to the mission. For example, if the team is a project team, they need to be clear on how much of their time is expected to be dedicated to the project as opposed to their usual duties.

CHAPTER PROGRESS ••••••••••••••••••

OPERATIONS Operations are all about the performance of specific tasks within the team. This means any policies or procedures relevant to how the the team carries out tasks are detailed in the operations section. It could include a list of behavioural expectations created with the team or a process for completing a task. At this stage you also need to outline processes for any issues or challenges that may impact team operations so include a risk assessment and contingency plan, as well as the process for monitoring the team’s progress towards the mission. A conflict resolution plan should also be included here as any team conflict can impact on operations.

RESOURCES AND SUPPORT List any resources and support required by the team. This includes physical resources, budgets and any training to be provided. If subject matter experts are required, a list of people available to assist is also helpful. Providing the team with clear expectations as to what they can use and when, minimises any confusion around company assets. For example, if team members are issued with a company credit card detailing when and how they are able to use it will minimise any inappropriate expenditure.

CONTEXT Context is all about setting the scene. You want to define where the team fits within the organisation and how it contributes to the achievement of the mission, vision and values of the business. It’s also worth including the team’s customers – both internal and external and the expected output to each one.

MISSION AND OBJECTIVES The mission is where we get more specific about what exactly we are looking to achieve. A mission is an overarching statement that clearly outlines what the purpose of the team is. You then want to take this statement and develop some specific and measurable objectives for the team to meet. When establishing your objectives, follow the SMART method. Ensure that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. You’re establishing just what success looks like.