Some of the best team development occurs when the team is in its day to day work, using an external facilitator to help them process team issues, change behaviors, shift perspectives and ultimately achieve their goals more effectively and with less unnecessary conflict.

Team Leadership

Much of organizational life involves working with others-either in a team or cross-functionally. So it pays to spend time understanding the dynamics of a group or team – and working actively to improve its functioning.

Effective team members:

• know their role on the team
• can confront team members skillfully and respectfully
• understand the goals and objectives the team is striving to achieve

Team Scenario:  Matthew

Matthew is managing a large division. His managers are having trouble doing shared, strategic work. Instead, meetings are consumed solving tactical issues. In addition, certain team members dominate the conversation, others shut down, and important information is routinely suppressed from the discussion.

Executive Coaching Approach

1. Initiate a candid conversation with the team leader to better understand the team issues.
2. Conduct individual interviews with all team members.
3. Work with the team to clarify important team elements including:
   1. • Roles and responsibilities
      • Team norms and team expectations
      • Communication tactics
      • Accountability metrics
4. Track progress
5. Transfer effective techniques to the team for sustained use

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Melodie Howard’s firm, In Perspective Consulting, focuses on designing and executing sustainable systems for development. Her particular specialties are: succession planning, corporate values, performance management systems, senior leadership competency development, executive coaching, 360o feedback and talent management. Melodie’s previous experience includes serving as the Group Director of Organizational Development for leading international re-insurance company, Partner Reinsurance, Ltd., based in Hamilton, Bermuda. She continues to work with them on a retained consultancy basis. Prior to her role at PartnerRe, Melodie spent 16 years at the Center for Creative Leadership in both operational and profit and loss responsibility roles. Melodie received her Master’s of Science in Organization Development from Pepperdine University in August of 2000 and a B.S. in Psychology from Guilford College in 1980. You can find Melodie’s profile on TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Today’s topic is team chemistry – what makes a team click?

Geoff: What makes a team “click,” when the team is achieving its goals and working well together?

Donna: When the overarching goal is compelling enough to sustain commitment and effort, when the customer (internal or external) is satisfied with the product or service, and when the team members are satisfied with their product or service and also believe that the team members are working well together.

Donna: What do you think makes a team “click?”

Geoff: For me, there are three things.  The first is self-discipline and team discipline of all the members.  They must believe in and follow the team rules and regulations agreed upon in the team charter.  Second, the team must aspire to greatness and finally, it must keep its collective eye on the prize.  So – discipline, passion, and focus help teams click.

Donna: What is a good example?

Geoff: In the modern era of sports, the Chicago Bulls NBA basketball teams. This team exemplified these three elements.

The team was disciplined in its offensive and defensive schemes, developed by Tex Winter, one of the coaches, and in their collaborative effort to play a team-oriented defense. They never varied from their philosophy and worked hard to improve their skills.

Everyone on the team aspired to greatness. Michael Jordan wanted to be the best player on the planet, Dennis Rodman the best rebounder, and Scott Pippin the second best player on the planet. Phil Jackson, the coach and leader, aspired to be the best coach and every player worked at improving whatever skills they possessed.  They worked hard at being the best team they could be, and they all tried to win every single game they played.

And finally, they kept their collective eye on one goal…the NBA Championship.

Donna: And how did they all do, both individually and collectively?

Geoff: Extremely well on all counts. Jordan is said to be the best basketball player of all time, even though I personally feel it was Bill Russell of the Celtics. Rodman is also said to be the best rebounder and Scott Pippin was voted one of the 50 greatest players of all time. Phil Jackson has tied Red Auerbach, of the Celtics, with 9 NBA titles, and the Bulls won 6 Championships in 7 years. The one year they did not win, Jordan was playing minor league baseball.

Donna: That’s a great example that illustrates your three elements of a successful team.  In many respects, whether it’s an athletic team or a corporate team, the same principles apply for  teams that “clicks.”

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Yes! You may use this article by TCA Executive Coaches Donna Riechmann and Geoff Grenert in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Donna Riechmann has held executive positions in large corporations as well as being president of her own consulting firm. She’s held adjunct positions at the University of Illinois, Duke Corporate Education and the Center for Creative Leadership.   Currently, as a partner in the consulting firm Leadership Solutions LLC, Donna has designed and implemented leadership development programs and complex change management strategies for many corporate, government, and non-profit clients. She has international consulting and research experience in several  countries, including Bermuda, Bosnia, Canada, People’s Republic of China, and the United Kingdom. Donna holds B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina.  Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Geoff Grenert (Leadership Solutions LLC), the son of a two-sport professional athlete and Hall of Fame basketball coach, brought the lessons of teamwork and coaching into both his own athletic career and his business life. An entrepreneur, Geoff founded two package delivery companies and an investment partnership, and heco-founded a leadership and team development consulting firm and a not-for-profit community service group. Geoff’s executive coaching, leadership and team development work includes individual coaching through programs at Duke University Fuqua School of Business and the Center for Creative Leadership. The team development exercises and assessment instruments he co-designed are used throughout the U.S. and Europe. Geoff’s coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Here’s what they had to say:

Donna:  If you were giving advice to a new team leader, what would you tell the person to be sure to do to get off to a good start?

Geoff:  It depends on whether or not the leader is able to choose the members of his team, whether they will be assigned to him or if the team is already in existence.

Donna:  Why is that important?

Geoff:  Well, let’s say that the team exists and is not performing well. This will affect how he initiates himself as the leader. Let’s say it is a new team, and department heads will assign members. He may have little say regarding the caliber of each new member and the experience they bring. What if he is able to hand pick his team? All of these scenarios bring with them a different set of issues to be dealt with.

Donna:  So what you’re saying is that your advice would be different for each circumstance.

Geoff:  Yes and no. I would give the same advice but with varying degrees of emphasis.

The first thing a leader should do is meet with the entire team, face to face. Video conferencing and teleconferencing does not work for this phase of new team startup or team development. The leader must take the reins in person, and everyone on the team must make the same commitment in time and effort. This agenda for this initial meeting with the new leader includes an introduction of the leader and all of the team members, the creation of a collective vision and mission statement, the assignment of roles and responsibilities, and expectations for and of each team member, with emphasis on the importance of collaboration, one team voice, and especially accountability. Each team member will be accountable to him or herself, the team and the leadership.

I would advise the leader to have every member of the team, agree with all of the terms of the team charter and to sign the charter. Future team members will be expected to agree with and sign the same charter.

Geoff:  Donna, if you were giving advice to a new team leader, what would you tell the person to be sure to do to get off to a good start?

Donna:  Three things.  It may seem obvious but it doesn’t always happen – that a team leader clarifies the mission or goals of the team and how they fit within the larger organizational picture.  The team leader has to have alignment around team goals.

Second, if you do nothing else, take time for the team to set up ground rules or “norms” about how they will work together.  This should answer questions like when and how often they will meet, what they expect about participation in and outside of meetings, what their expectations are about quality and timeliness, how they will balance the team’s work with individual work, how they will support each other, what their decision making process will, and how they will hold each other accountable.

The third piece of advice is to be crystal clear about roles and responsibilities.  Set aside time for a team meeting early on to discuss who is doing what and what they will be accountable for.  Each team member should know exactly what is expected and how work will be evaluated.  Determine if there are gaps or overlaps in responsibilities and agree how to resolve them.

Geoff:  So we agree that getting a new team off to a good start is critical to success, and the team leader plays an important role in structuring the start up and getting everyone on the team engaged.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Donna Riechmann has held executive positions in large corporations as well as being president of her own consulting firm. She’s held adjunct positions at the University of Illinois, Duke Corporate Education and the Center for Creative Leadership.   Currently, as a partner in the consulting firm Leadership Solutions LLC, Donna has designed and implemented leadership development programs and complex change management strategies for many corporate, government, and non-profit clients. She has international consulting and research experience in several  countries, including Bermuda, Bosnia, Canada, People’s Republic of China, and the United Kingdom. Donna holds B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina.  Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Geoff Grenert (Leadership Solutions LLC), the son of a two-sport professional athlete and Hall of Fame basketball coach, brought the lessons of teamwork and coaching into both his own athletic career and his business life. An entrepreneur, Geoff founded two package delivery companies and an investment partnership, and heco-founded a leadership and team development consulting firm and a not-for-profit community service group. Geoff’s executive coaching, leadership and team development work includes individual coaching through programs at Duke University Fuqua School of Business and the Center for Creative Leadership. The team development exercises and assessment instruments he co-designed are used throughout the U.S. and Europe. Geoff’s coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.