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Tools and Techniques for Building a High-Performing Team

Lois Raats, M.Ed.

Debra Bannister, MBA, PMP

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

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Learning Goals / Agenda

Explore the three essential components of team development that create employee ENGAGEMENT – the 3R’s

Examine in depth the intrinsic human needs involved in each component

Explore concrete ways to facilitate engagement by meeting these intrinsic needs

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Exercise: IcebreakerDescribe the best project team you’ve

ever been on. What team behaviours helped to make it the best?

Describe the worst project team you have ever been on. What team behaviours helped to make it the worst?

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Gallup researched these questions:

What do the most talented employees need from their workplaces?

How do the world’s great managers find, focus, and keep talented employees?

What are the core issues that distinguish a great workplace from all the rest?

Source: Marcus Buckingham, First Break All the Rules

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Great workplaces have higher:

PRODUCTIVITY

PROFITABILITY

RETENTION

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

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Strong workplaces have greater a

percentages of employees who are

fully ENGAGED in their work.

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How does a project team leader manage a successful project?

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How does a project team leader coach a successful project? PEOPLE

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What is ENGAGEMENT?

Employees who are engaged are:

PASSIONATE – they care about their work

COMPETENT – they do a lot well

LEADERS – they have a sense of ownership and accountability for their work

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ENGAGEMENT

Three categories of employees: ENGAGED

NOT ENGAGED

ACTIVELY DISENGAGED

Source: First, Break All the Rules, Marcus Buckingham

26%

55%

19%

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How to Kill Engagement BODY LANGUAGE -Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic

WORDS -Discount idea / contribution -Discount the contributor – character assassination

ATTITUDES-Would take too much energy-Only one way-Tried before and failed-Not the way we do things around here

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How to Kill Engagement cont’d

PRACTICES

-Non-meaningful feedback, or no feedback

-Inconsiderate of people’s outside lives

-No time for proper training

-Task-oriented, assuming people will adapt

-Communication unclear, indirect, or dishonest

-No time to know your people

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MANAGE (tasks)

● What, content

● PMBOK – I, P, C, C

● Driver / Thinker

● Tell, teach

● Delegate

● Task

● Lead by managing

context, crises,

results

COACH (people)

● Who, process

● PMBOK - E

● Influencer / Supporter

● Ask, facilitate

● Collaborate

● People

● Lead by managing

strengths, energy,

opportunities

Manage vs. Coach

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The 3R’s of PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

1. RELATE

Intrinsic Needs:

“Mom” factor

HEART

Basic Trust

Attachment

Mirroring

Affirmation

Belonging

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Symptoms of a Lack of Relationship:

Personal Symptoms Anxiety, indifference, apathy, isolation,

disappointment, disillusionment

Team Symptoms Lack of trust, lack of respect, no personal

effects visible, “silos”, cliques, apathy, lack of humour, low energy, high turnover, gossip, sabotage

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Diagnosing RELATIONSHIP (Gallup Questions)

Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

At work, do my opinions seem to count?

In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

Do I have a good friend at work?

Source: Marcus Buckingham, First Break All the Rules

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Team Activities and Exercises that Facilitate RELATIONSHIP

Goals of exercises:

Develop trust

Generate energy

Foster passion

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Exercises for building RELATIONSHIP:

Ice-breakers

High-participation techniques

Hopes, Fears, and Norms

Obtaining Buy-In (pairs)

Other factors: eye contact, humour, physical space, size of interactive group

Coaching Conversations

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Exercise: Obtaining Buy-inWhat are the two largest factors that

prevent me from fully participating / engaging in my current project?

What supports and conditions need to be in place so that I will give this task or project my full attention?

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2. RESOLVE

Intrinsic Needs:

“Dad” factorMINDClarity

CompetenceControl

Mgt. of Boundaries / Expectations

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Symptoms of a lack of RESOLUTION:

Personal Symptoms: Stress, anxiety, sense of failure or

incompetence, long-term: low self-esteem

Team Symptoms: Low morale, lack of trust, poor communication,

confusion, duplication, anger/sarcasm, gossip, tribal warfare - individuals vying for same space

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Diagnosing RESOLUTION (Gallup Questions)

● Do I know what is expected of me at work?

Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

Source: Marcus Buckingham, First Break All the Rules

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Team Activities and Exercises that Facilitate RESOLUTION

Goals of Exercises:

Reduce anxiety and stress

Minimize conflict

Clarify roles and responsibilities

Increase competence and morale

Increase likelihood of project success

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Exercises for RESOLVING Name the problem

Generate a common vision

Define mission and objectives

Plan roles and responsibilities

Coaching Conversations

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Facilitating Consensus for Resolution

Straw votes Modify and reframe Create combinations Air reservations Reassess and re-evaluate Take a break Trial runs 

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3. RESPOND

Intrinsic Needs :

“Community” factor

SOUL

Transcendence

Bigger picture, longer-term view of work

Leadership

Accountability

Personal investment

Legacy

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Diagnosing RESPONSEability (Gallup Questions)

Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?

Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?

This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Source: Marcus Buckingham First Break All the Rules

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Outcomes of RESPONSEability

Job gets done People motivated to work People care about each other Take personal responsibility for team success Contribute positively Determined to persist and succeed

RESPONSEability = Passion + Competence

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Team Activities and Exercises to Facilitate RESPONSEability

1. Rules of Engagement If there was only one “rule of engagement” on

your team, what would it be? Why?

2. Coaching Conversations: Individual

-Identify individual strengths

-Identify gaps and set goals for learning

-Identify and plan for career development

opportunities

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Coaching for RESPONSEability

Coaching Conversations

…3 Roles for a Team Coach

1. Facilitate [facilitate = to make easy; to free from difficulty or impediment]

-trust and respect

-information-sharing

-shared accountability and responsibility

-sense of community

-leveraging of individual differences

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Coaching for RESPONSEability cont’d

2. Teach-understanding of the business-goal-setting and self-organization-conflict resolution

3. Lead -model desired behaviors – walk the talk-model open and honest communication

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Summary