Best Out of Your Team Guide

7/30/2019 Best Out of Your Team Guide

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Continuous Improvement & Benchmarking

How to Get the Best Out of Your Team

A Guide for Team LeadersIn any team process, success depends on the effective management of both thecontent of the team’s work and the process the team follows in getting it done.

Content involves the "what" of the problem - what are the issues, what data isneeded, what are the causes, and so on.

Process addresses the "how" questions - how are the issues dealt with, how isthe meeting proceeding, how did discussion take place, how were decisionsarrived at.

Attention to both content and process are important if the team is to be effectiveand reach its goals.

Clarityof

Process

Clarity of Content

The team’s responsibility is to focus on the problem (Content) while theTeam Leader’s and Facilitator’s responsibility is to focus on how the teamworks (Process).

When people become heavily involved in a problem they usually focus their efforts so intensely on the content of the problem that they forget about the teamprocess.

124018335.doc Created: 20-Oct-04 Revised: 14-Mar-05 © 2004 ADB Institute 1 of 26




The result of this is that the team process often breaks down, becausecommunication breaks down and everyone pursues their own problem solvingpath rather than a joint path. The team flounders and progress either slowsdown or halts, with team members becoming discouraged from contributingfurther.

A facilitator is included in each team to help prevent this breakdown by managingthe structure of the meeting while remaining neutral and allowing the teammembers to concentrate on the content of the meeting.

Team Leaders and Facilitators are first and foremost organizers andcommunicators. Their responsibilities include:

Keeping the discussion focused on the topic and moving along. Intervening if the discussion breaks up into several conversations. Making sure that no-one dominates the discussion and that everyone gets

involved. Encouraging active listening and two way discussion Bringing discussions to a close. Ensuring that the team follows the improvement process. Making sure that meetings are documented and communicated to

appropriate people. Training team members in the tools of problem solving.

There are many other good reasons for using teams to achieve continuousimprovement. It is generally found that teamwork:-

Leads to a superior result compared to thatfrom most individuals.

Increases employee involvement.


Process

vs

Content




Inspires more effective teamwork outside the team, that is, back at theworkplace.

Improves productivity. Improves communication and understanding of others’ roles

Leads to greater job satisfaction and motivation. Helps individuals grow and improve their skills. Helps create a ‘team spirit’ throughout the whole organization.

The team approach is most powerful when:-

The task is non-routine The task is complex There are diffuse issues involved There is a need to involve people from a variety of areas The issues concern several departments

Not all teams are successful, in fact there are many failures. What makes thedifference between a successful team and one that fails? Experience teaches usthat to be successful, teams must :-

q Be focused on well defined, achievable goals.q Have the right mix of people.q Have time to work on the issues.q Make team work a priority.q Be backed by committed management.q

Have excellent communication.q Have good information, and base decisions on facts.q Follow the improvement cycle.

The Team Leader is an essential element of any team, and plays a major role inhelping the team to achieve its objectives.

When people meet as a team they unconsciously assume a “team role” whichcan be characterized by the following different types of behavior role.

Doers

ThinkersCarers

Leaders

Successful teams contain a balance of membership made up from the four different types of team contributors. The characteristics of each role are listedbelow.





Doers are action people! Doers can’t wait to get things done and often come tothe meeting with a solution already in mind. Doers are totally concerned with thetask at hand (content) and often forget about the process. Characteristics of thetypical Doer are:-

Tend to be forceful and dynamic.

Urge the team to get on with the task in hand and to stick toplans and schedules.

Like to get straight to the point.

Push ahead and get the job done when progressis slow.

May get irritated with people who are vagueor not serious about the task.

Thinkers are the ideas people. They are good at producing carefully consideredideas and weighing up ideas from other people. They rarely have a lot to sayand often have to be encouraged to contribute. Characteristics of the typicalThinker are:-

Contribute original ideas.

Enjoy analyzing situations and weighing upalternatives.

Are careful not to jump to conclusions.

Carefully consider ideas, weigh up and improveideas from other people.

Can quickly see what is wrong with unsound ideas.

Like to think things through before doing something.

Carers

Carers think about people and the team. Carers are good at being aware of team relationships, and particularly tensions, within the team. They focus on

teamwork and often counterbalance the doers and thinkers in a team. Carerstypically:-

Use humor to ease tensions and maintain good relationships.

Are always ready to back a good suggestion in the common interest.

Avoid getting involved in conflicts.

Tend to seek approval and support from others.





Are good at noticing when someone in the team is feeling upset.

Work well with a wide range of people.

Tend to be open about their feelings.

Tend to change their minds after listening to others’points of view.

Leaders

Leaders are concerned with the task at hand, the content, as well as the processthe team is going through. In many ways the team leader is like the facilitator except that they also get involved with the details of the task at hand, the content.

Leaders can be appointed, however a leader often emerges naturally in a team.Depending on the situation, different people may lead the team depending on thecircumstances and issue s facing it. The hallmark of a good team leader is theability to use a range of leadership styles (eg: participative, autocratic) dependingon the situation. Actions of a typical leader are:-

Making sure objectives are clear and agreed to by theteam.

Ensuring that everyone is involved.

Focuses the team on the issues it ought to face.

Steering the team to consensus.

Using the appropriate leadership style to suit theoccasion.

Successful teams

Every person on a team has a naturally preferred role, however this maychange with circumstances. The most successful teams are those which have a

combination or balance of each of the roles.

While most people have an ability to play a number of the roles, they usuallyhave a preference for one or two of them. In a situation where another teammember has already taken their preferred role, most people are able to play their second or third preference. If these are “taken”, the team member may feel





uncomfortable and create difficulties for others, or they might slip into a“spectator” position.

Teams need balance, with a combination of individuals possessingcomplementary strengths.

In particular, the following attributes help team balance:

– the nominal leader is respected by the group; – the team has one very creative and clever team member; – the rest of the team has a fair spread of intellectual capacities; – there is a spread of personal attributes which offers a range of team

role coverage (and minimizes the risk of people competing for thesame role);

– there is a good match between the team members’ preferred roles and

their nominated tasks; – the team has an ability to adjust for imbalance (eg. there is an informal

mechanism available for role-swapping if the tasks are not aligned withpreferred roles, perhaps through working in pairs on tasks);

Teams can fail because of outside influences. For example:

– a team with a vague charter or unclear goals is bound to struggle – team perpetuates the existing difficulties of the organization culture

(eg. indecisiveness, turf battles between their Department heads,defeatism), regardless of the “balance” of individuals.

All teams go through a series of stages in their growth. By understanding whathappens in these stages, a facilitator is better prepared to deal with anysituations that may arise.

Five stages have been identified in team growth, which can be labeled asforming , storming , norming , performing and adjourning .

Forming is the first stage where people move from the individual status to thegroup-member status. It is characterized by great uncertainty and anticipationabout the group’s purpose, structure and leadership. People will also have manyconcerns about why they were chosen and how they will cope with their normalday to day activities. Typical team member characteristics include:

Hesitant participation and guarded responses





A desire to air concerns about the team’s purpose,and expectations of them

Complaints about the company, the project and how

they were chosen Closely watching other members’ behavior

During the forming stage the facilitator should act to set the team members atease by:

Making sure they get acquainted

Being sensitive to their needs

Listening actively to their concerns

Providing clear directions and support

Giving intensive training in team building, awareness and tools & techniques

The Storming stage is one of conflict withinthe group. As the team begins to realize howdifficult the task is, team members may feelconcern about the chances of success, becomeimpatient with progress and feel resentmentabout the amount of time involved. They mayresist collaboration & rely on personal andprofessional experience to make decisions,not the team process.

Typical team member characteristics during the storming stage include:

Conflict between team members

People appear confused and meetings often seem to go in circles

Grandstanding or “one-upmanship” occurs

Members appear disinterested or apathetic

During the storming stage, facilitators and team members need to recognize thatit is part of the normal team process, and that during it the team will need to workon establishing means of resolving disagreement and of focusing on commongoals. The facilitator can assist by:





Being positive and informative

Reassuring the team that this stage is normal

Deal openly with conflict

Keep the team on track and avoid going over old ground

Deal with any workplace pressures which may be impacting members

The Norming stage is one where the group starts to come together andeveryone works as “a team”. Team members feel a sense of belonging and astrong sense of camaraderie usually develops amongst members. Team work is

put into perspective alongside their routine job tasks and members begin to feel asense of personal accomplishment .

Typical characteristics of team members duringthe Norming stage are:

Members show interest in each other, jokingand humor is common

Sharing and discussion become the norm

Conflict is uncommon

Members actively seek to help each other

At this stage the Team Leader and the facilitator can assist the team by:

Taking a more back seat role and allowing the team more control, particularlyif a natural leader has emerged

Ensuring that any one member is not over burdened

Providing training and technical expertise when needed

Ensuring that over enthusiasm does not result in the team taking on more thanit can handle

The fourth stage is Performing. At this point the team structure has becomefully functional and accepted. Even if team members leave and are replaced, theteam has an identity of its own and continues. Team members better understandthe project & each other, problems are diagnosed, solutions chosen and changes





implemented in an atmosphere of trust and creativity. Decisions are madethrough true consensus and the team has excellent communication with the restof the organization.

Typical team member characteristics during the performing stage include:

Intense loyalty among team members develops

Enthusiasm is high, members become confident

Team tasks can take priority over routine jobs

Team members can become frustrated if outside influences slow their progress

They can become over ambitious and want to tackle related issues which areoutside the scope of the project

The facilitator’s role starts to change stylefrom encourager and promoter to one of restrainer and “keeping a level head”.Typical tasks for the Team Leader and thefacilitator include:

Ensuring that the team’s information needs are fulfilled

Anticipating and removing roadblocks

Providing training and technical expertise when needed

Keeping team roles and responsibilities in perspective

Ensuring the team remains within the scope of the project

Encouraging positive team behavior

Reducing the facilitator’s involvement

Adjourning is the final stage for most teams in a Continuous Improvementprocess. At this stage the team prepares to disband. High task performance isno longer required, instead attention is given to wrapping up activities. Team

member responses vary at this stage but can include:

Celebration of the teams accomplishment

Depression over the loss of camaraderie and friendship

Desire for the team to continue and tackle another project

Lack of activity now that the exciting tasks are over





The Team Leader and the facilitator must be attentive to the needs andsensitivities of each member and can assist by:

Ensuring the team celebrates their success

Following up on any unfinished wrap up tasks

Encouraging team members to volunteer for other project teams

As organizations embrace employee involvement through the team approach,people skills and group dynamics become major factors in the success of anyimprovement process. The facilitator is a key player in managing teams andensuring they work well to achieve their desired goals.

Getting people involved is one of the most important activities a facilitator willhave to do. Every member on a team has a lot to offer in helping the team reachthe best solution, however team members will only contribute their knowledge inan environment of trust and openness.

Ground Rules

The Team Leader and facilitators task is made much easier if there is a set of team ground rules to refer to and guide the team and facilitator. Ground rulesshould typically include:

what is acceptable behavior in meetings how meetings will be run how team members will be expected to interact which decision making approaches they will adopt and when, rules for communication, a strategy for conflict resolution and even dealing with problems

All members should be involved with and agree on the ground rules. Theyshould be accessible, even displayed prominently, and used by the facilitator

whenever necessary to remind members of the rules.

With the ground rules as a guiding framework, the most important skills inencouraging team members to participate effectively are:

Effective meetings Team communication





Encouraging participation Decision making Dealing with conflict Resolving common team problems

SKILL 1: EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

Team meetings are the most common place where all team members cometogether. Unfortunately most people have experienced more unproductive thanproductive meetings and so they usually dislike them or tune out during themeeting. Other people sit in awe through a meeting, not saying much if anything,maybe not sure of the rules, sometimes intimidated by other louder members or sometimes just plain shy in a group, even a group of people they normally work

with.

If the team meeting is the most common place where the team gets together,then it is critical for the success of the team that its meetings are as effective andefficient as possible. Effective meetings don’t just happen, they take some skilland plenty of planning.

The five rules for effective meetings are:

Plan

Inform

Prepare

Structure and Control

Summarize and Record

Rule 1 - Plan

Each meeting should have an objective. If it doesn’t, seriously question why youare spending the time to meet. Plan the place and time, taking into account theneed for an appropriate team meeting environment.

Rule 2 - Inform

Make sure everyone who needs to be at the meeting receives an agenda wellahead of the meeting date. This particularly applies to team members who wereabsent at the previous meeting, as well as any special invitees.





Rule 3 - Prepare

Prepare for the meeting by following up between meetings to ensure all actionsare under-way. If some activity or data required for the meeting is not available,

consider canceling the meeting until the material is ready.Draft an agenda. This should preferably be done at the end of the previousmeeting.

The agenda should not just be a list of topics, it should include:

The date, time and place of the meeting. The major topics with a sentence or two that defines what is involved and

why it is being discussed. Who is going to lead the discussion surrounding each item. An estimate of the time needed for the discussion.

A structure so that all items are classified according to whether they requirediscussion, a decision or are for information only. It is common to listdecision points first, followed by discussion items and finally informationitems.

Rule 4 - Structure and Control

The facilitator has a major role to play in controlling the meeting process andkeeping it structured. The facilitator’s responsibilities include:

q following the agenda as planned.q keeping the meeting focused and moving, ie, managing the process.q intervening only if the discussion gets off the track or grinds to a halt.q making sure everyone is involved and no-one dominates.q bringing discussions to a close. If the time allotted in the agenda expires, the

facilitator can ask the team if it wants to continue the discussion at theexpense of other items or defer the discussion to another time.

q minimizing interruptions. Stick to the 100 km rule which says that no oneshould be called from or be disturbed in the meeting unless the reason is soimportant that it would occur even if the meeting was 100 km away. Thismay need to be communicated several times before people get the message!

Rule 5 - Summarize and Record

At the start of each meeting the facilitator should ensure that someone is takingminutes. This can either be an assigned person for the purpose (the secretary)or the task can be rotated around the team members.

Minutes should not be a voluminous tome, they be brief but to the point andfocus on:

key subjects and main points raised





decisions made actions agreed (by whom and by when) items deferred to a future meeting items agreed for next agenda

A pro-forma meeting record is included with theses notes.

At strategic points in the meeting, and particularly if a discussion has gone on for some time, the

facilitator should summarize progress thus far.

SKILL 2 : TEAM COMMUNICATION

Communication is central for productive teamwork. Although nearly every personfeels that he or she communicates well, the fact is that about 70% (Cole) of mistakes in the team process are often caused by poor communication.

The Process of Communicating

The process of communicating is depicted below:

Message

Feedback

Sender Receiver

Noiseor

Barrier

q The sender has an idea to be communicated

q The idea is converted into a messageq The message is sentq The message is receivedq The receiver work out what the message meansq Sometimes, the receiver sends feedback to the sender





Channels of Communication

The message can be sent via two main channels:

q Verbal channels, which includes conversations, directives and speeches

as well as written reports, memo’s etc.q Non-verbal channels, which includes body language, pictures, graphs,

symbols, etc.

Each has advantages and disadvantages. Verbal channels are fast and easy touse but require greater attention from the receiver and are more susceptible tomisinterpretation of words used.

Non verbal channels convey more information more accurately, but are slower to use andrequire more planning by the sender. Non verbal channels can also be unconsciouslyconveyed through body language and appearance, and may sometimes be at odds with theverbal message.

Barriers to Communicating

The process also involves barriers which impede the process. Barriers can be:

qPhysical noise and environment, such as a noisy room, distracting views,distance (phone conference);

qSocial or ethnic, such as language differences, ethnic background;qRank or status in an organization, these can be transmitted by symbols (eg, in an

office) as well as body language (eg, hand shake) and words used;qPower barriers, such as filtering information (need to know basis);qDepartmental barriers, such as competition for resources, traditional antagonism;qJargon, such as acronyms or technical words that others may not be familiar

with;qReceiver not receptive;qPersonal barriers, such as filtering the message, personal conflicts or differences

between two or more people, personal health of either sender or receiver, other priorities unrelated to the team;

q Anger, which may arise when people feel strongly about preferred positions.

Overcoming the Barriers

Overcoming the barriers to effectivecommunication requires:

For the Team:





qrecognizing that barriers existqsetting the sceneqreinforcing the team ground rulesqunderstanding where the other person is coming from

qputting the team process first

For the Sender:

q focusing on the most appropriate channel for communicatingqobtaining feedback

For the Receivers:

q listening activelyqseeking clarification

Recognize that barriers exist

The first step in effective communication is for each person to recognize thatbarriers do exist, and then actively focus on overcoming them. This can beaddressed as an issue to be solved by the team, particularly when it is first setup.

Set the Scene

The environment must be conducive to good communication. Noise and other physical barriers can be eliminated by careful planning ahead of meetings.

Reinforce the Team’s Ground Rules

Team ground rules, usually set up when a team first meets, should focus onovercoming barriers to communication. For example, agreeing to listen toeveryone, giving everyone a chance to speak, recognizing that everyone hassomething to offer, agreeing that every person is equal within the teamenvironment, even if they have different status outside the team.

These ground rules must be revisited regularly to remind team members thatthey exist. The facilitator should raise them during a discussion if the rules are

being broken.

Understand the Other Person

Showing empathy is trying to understand the other person’s point of view. Whileyou do not have to agree with it, understanding why a person takes a particular position helps reduce barriers and find common ground.





Put the Team First

Putting the team process first means working cooperatively to achieve a resultacceptable to all team members. The most acceptable result might not be your personal first choice, but it is one you are willing to support and implement.

Focus on the Most Appropriate Channel of Communication

Most teams traditionally use the verbal channel to communicate because it is theeasiest. However, this means the messages are not communicated in the mosteffective manner. It also means there is a risk that the non-verbal channel, bodylanguage, can be at odds with the message if it is not focused on. Try and use amixture of verbal and non-verbal communication.

Obtain Feedback

Feedback is critical to confirm that the message received was the same as thatsent. Feedback is most likely to be effective when:

q the speaker asks for feedback, rather than having it imposed on them;q when the feedback is helpful, and given in a positive manner to improve a

situation or idea;q when the feedback is specific rather than general;

q when the feedback is obtained to ensure clear communication.

In a team situation, the Team Leader and the facilitator can check that themessage was received as intended by asking the receiver to relate the messageback to the sender in his or her own words. The facilitator can also use thistechnique to ensure the group has a common understanding by asking theminute taker, or any other member, to summarize the discussion so far.

Listen Actively

Listening actively aids the communication process by reducing the effects of barriers and noise. Listening actively means:

q Using positive and open body language, give the speaker your whole attention;q Giving feedback and clarifying anything you are unsure about;q Showing empathy, reflecting the speaker’s mood or feelings;q Not talking too much or interrupting the speaker;q Listening to the whole message;q Looking for positive points and being open to new ideas.





Seek Clarification

If you are not sure about your understanding of the message, or if the facilitator thinks one or more team members may not be sure, restate the message in theform of a question, eg: ‘Do you mean .......’. This helps both speaker and listener clarify the message.

SKILL 3: ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION

Setting the Scene

People will only become involved in discussionswhen they can do so in a non-threatening and open

manner. Team members must be assured thateverything they say will contribute in some way and thattheir contribution will not be criticized or judged as rightor wrong. There must be no hidden agendas.

The ground rules for team involvement must be set andagreed upon by the team early.

The Team Leader and the facilitator have a crucial rolein setting the scene for involvement by:

Assuring everyone that they havesomething

positive to contribute; Using humor when possible to makepeoplemore comfortable; Not hurrying the process; Banning criticism of any one idea; Asking the whole group first rather than pickon an individual;


What agreat idea




Actively listening so that members feel thatwhat they are saying is valuable; Using positive body language.

Asking Questions

The Team Leader and the facilitator can become assist involvement of teammembers by asking appropriate questions. However they must remember thatthe objective in asking questions is to obtain involvement, not answers to aparticular question, ie process versus content!

There are many ways to ask questions and depending on the situation and thegroup, some may be more preferable to others. The facilitator must learn to askthe most appropriate questions which will stimulate discussion and get everyoneinvolved.

There are three categories of questions that can be used to gain greater participation of team members:

? Open Ended

? Feedback and Clarification

? Closed

Open Ended questions are the most powerful type and the one that should bemost frequently used by a facilitator. Open ended questions are useful becausethey stimulate thinking, encourage discussion and discourage people from taking

a firm stance too early in the discussion. They typically begin with the words“how”, “what” or “why”. Some typical examples are:

q How do you feel about this?q What are some alternativesq Why do you think that happened?q How can we prevent this from happening again?q What data do you think we need to collect?

Feedback and Clarification questions are necessary at certain times throughout

a meeting to bring a discussion to a close or to take a pause and ensure thateveryone is still clear on what is being discussed. Typical examples of questionsaimed at feedback or clarification are:

“Now let’s just sum up what we’ve been discussing”

“Then if I’ve understood correctly you mean ....”

“Could we just take a moment and summarize our position”





Closed questions result in Yes / No or short response type answers. These

answers give very little information and don’t result in much discussion or involvement. Close ended questions should be used sparingly, usually to clarifya point. For example:

“Has this issue been explained clearly?”

“Who was the supervisor in charge?”

Use Unbiased Questions

It is very easy for the Team Leader or the facilitator to lead or bias the discussionthrough the questions that are asked. Questions should be general to encouragediscussion, not directed towards a specific answer or even in the direction thefacilitator may favor. For example “Is the problem caused by the computer?” is aspecific question. The computer may be one of the factors but there may beothers. A more general approach might be “What may be causing the problem?”

Bias may also occur if the Team Leader or the facilitator comments on thediscussion and prefaces it with “I think...” or “What about...”. In these cases theteam may well favor the easier route and follow the facilitator’s suggestion or theymay consider the facilitator more knowledgeable and so follow that line of thinking. This is particularly an issue if the facilitator has a high position in theorganization.

What to do if no-one answers

No response could be due to several reasons. The team may be tired and notfocused on the discussion. Alternatively they may not understand the question or someone may have something to say but they are shy or reluctant to getinvolved. Actions the Team Leader or the facilitator can take include:

q Look for non-verbal signs, body language such as leaning forward, eye contact or looking around the room for others to speak first. In this case ask one person’sopinion directly.

q Reword the question or ask if it needs clarification.

q Pose the question to the group and hold a long pause, while looking around thegroup (don’t fill the silence with your own follow-on remarks).

Focus the Discussion

Record the team’s progress on a white board or flipchart. Using a visual recordof the progress encourages involvement by focusing the team members on thecurrent discussion. It also helps by acting as the team’s memory of past actions





and discussion. Recording also encourages participation because it acts as avisual reminder of each member’s involvement. Using individual handouts or notes for each person is not as effective and should be avoided whenever possible.

The most common tool for recording is the white board and the flip chart. The flipchart is useful because it is more portable that the white board and can be used virtuallyanywhere, the pages from past meetings can be displayed on walls thus making pastdiscussion and actions visible to all. If a white board is used, an electronic version hasthe advantage that the pages can be printed and each member copied.

Advantages of recording progress are that it:

i Gives a sense of progressi Helps generate ideas because past ideas

are visible throughout the meetingwhich allows people to build on them.

i Keeps the team focused on the discussioni Allows latecomers the opportunity to catch upi Can act as the minutes of the meeting (although a minute taker is generally

more effective)

Tips for using a white board or flipchart

ÌHave a major heading per pageÌUse large writingÌUse dark felt marking pens

ÌUse participants exact words or agree asummary with them

ÌUse abbreviations liberally eg > (greater) <(less than)

Ì Attach filled sheets to walls so that they arevisible, or copy white board screens toeach participant

Who should be the Recorder

The Team Leader or the facilitator can be the recorder however if there is a lot of activity

and the Team Leader or the facilitator needs to focus on the discussion then a teammember should be appointed. To increase involvement, the position of recorder can berotated, however ensure that the person has the appropriate skills before asking them towrite in front of the rest of the team.

SKILL 4: MAKING DECISIONS





Working as a team means making decisions. There are a number of ways to makedecisions in a group, each method having advantages and disadvantages in terms of thelevel of commitment to the decision and the time it takes to reach a decision. Decisionmaking styles range from unilateral decisions, where one member makes a decision on

behalf of the group, to consensus decisions, where all members are prepared to supportthe decision.

Generally, when the decision is an important one, consensus decision making is thepreferred method because true consensus has the support and commitment of all teammembers. Consensus does not mean that the decision has to be unanimous, it meansthat the whole team has participated and everyone is satisfied that a workable decisionhas been reached. Its disadvantage is that it generally takes longer and requires moreskill to achieve.

Unilateral decisions, and others where the whole group does not support the decision,have the advantage of usually being faster methods however they also have lesscommitment to the decision than the consensus method.

Deciding which style to use will vary with the situation, and the need for commitmentversus speed.

Unilateral MinorityDecision

Majority TrueConsensus

FalseConsensus

Source: J Adair

Method Used to Make Decision

Level of Commitmentto the

Decision bythe Team

To ensure that each team member is clear about the decision making process, the teamshould agree some ground rules for decision making:, such as:

• defining when to use consensus, and when other methods are acceptable;• agree a test for consensus (eg; check to see if anyone is unsure about

decision);• agree to use data as a basis for decisions.





SKILL 5: RESOLVING CONFLICT

New team members often express concern about the possibility of disagreement andconflict occurring in the team. Although conflict is rarer than most people anticipate, theteam does need to have some guidelines on how to deal with it.

Most "conflict" occurs in the form of disagreements between team members,often on matters of the direction the team should follow.

Disagreement is a natural part of the process of finding solutions to problems; if you follow these guidelines, the team will be more productive:

Treat conflict as a group issue (ie don't attack the individual - attack theproblem).

Consider disagreement natural, and a sign of creativity.

Resolve through openness.

Restrict disagreement to issues, not personalities.

Resolve through a search for alternatives, not by apportioning blame. Concentrate on what is happening in the group now, not the past.

Control the emotional climate by sticking to facts and focusing on theteam's common goals.

Conflict within a team can lead to greater understanding and creativity,provided it does not threaten or stifle team members.

Intervening with individual team members

When a team member causes disruptions or problems, it is best to deal with the situation

and not ignore it. Allow some time for the behavior to improve, but if it doesn’t, take theperson aside and raise the issue. Bear the following points in mind:

• Don’t open with an attack such as “You seem to have a problem”, or you may findyourself on the defense.

• Get all the facts - draw out the participant, to establish in your own mind what theproblem is and how to deal with it.





• The direct approach may or may not be effective, depending on the level of rapportbetween the you and the team member. It should be used with skill and caution toensure the participant is not alienated.

• An attempt should be made to convey to the team member that their point is

understood, but since others do not say the same thing, they need to re-think their objections. In any case, they cannot continue to disrupt the team.

• The risk involved in the discussion increases with the level of intervention by the

facilitator or team leader:

SKILL 6: DEALING WITH COMMON TEAM PROBLEMS

Floundering...

Symptoms:

No progress is being made; the team feels "lost" - it may be unclear aboutthe task or overwhelmed by its size. The team may be continually revisitingold ground without progressing, because consensus is not being supported.

What to do:

Review the plan and the steps in the problem solving process. Review missions and objectives. Find out what is holding up the team (data, knowledge, support,

feelings...). Step back from the detailed tasks and agree on the "big picture".

Overbearing team members...

Symptoms:

Overbearing behavior by a team member. Sometimes this is a result of oneteam member having higher rank or specialty technical knowledge notshared by the rest of the team.

What to do:

Agree with the team that no area is sacred or closed to investigation. Agree with the "authority" beforehand that the team should be allowed to

make its own way. The team leader can discuss with the person outside the meeting and

seek cooperation and patience. Emphasize the need for a fact-based, methodical approach.

Attribution...





Symptoms:

Team members attribute motives to people with whom they disagree or don't understand.

What to do:

Reaffirm agreement to follow a methodical, fact-based approach.

Domination by one or two team members...

Symptoms:

One or two team members reduce the others' chances to contribute, bydominating all the team's discussions.

What to do:

The team leader should structure the discussion to encourage equalparticipation.

Use Nominal Group Technique in Brainstorming sessions. Practice "gate-keeping" to control the length of contributions.

Have the team agree on the need for balanced participation.

Reluctance...

Symptoms:

Some team members make little or no contribution to the team.

What to do:

Structure participation to include everyone. Divide the project into individual assignments and reports. Practice "gate-keeping" to bring out contributions.

Rushing...

Symptoms:

Unsystematic and wasteful effort, resulting from an imposed urgency, either from outside the team or from team members' impatience.

What to do:

Agree to follow the methodical approach, without skipping steps.

Discounting ...





Symptoms:

Team members feel discounted, when the team ignores or discountssomething important to them.

What to do:

Train in active listening Support the discounted person.

Unquestioned acceptance of opinions as facts...

Symptoms:

Opinions, offered confidently, take on the status of acceptance by the teamas "facts", without any supporting data.

What to do:

Seek sources - is data available? Question (politely). Have the team agree on the importance of a fact-based approach.

Digression...

Symptoms:

The team regularly gets off the track.

What to do:

Use a written agenda with time estimates for each item.

Write topics on a flipchart or whiteboard for reference during the meeting. Direct the conversation back on track.

Feuding team members...

Symptoms:

Team members use the team as a forum to conduct their own personalarguments against each other.

What to do:

Get the adversaries to discuss the issues outside of the team's time.

If necessary seek help for them to agree some rules on how to managetheir disagreements





Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Toolkit are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), or their Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADB and ADBI do not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this CD-ROM and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use.

Terminology used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.

Best Out of Your Team Guide

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