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Contents Fundamental 1:

The Evolution of Great Teams

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Fundamental 2:

Motivating and Empowering Others

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Module 2: Leading Successful Teams

Fundamental 1:

The Evolution of Great Teams

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Connector Activity

Establishing those big relationships

"Leadership is a resource for the team not a privilege for the incumbent” Robert Hogan

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Consider the impact you have on others.

How you connect with them? How you stimulate their

thinking and impact on their energy? Much of our ability

to engage lies in our ability to build big, strong relationships that help you get

the job done.

Can you think of one such ‘big’ relationship?

What characterises this relationship?

What do you do to nurture it?

Reflection

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Now think of someone you would like to have a ‘big’

relationship with

What do you think is the difference between the impact intended and

the impact felt?

What do you think you can do to move them to a level of committed engagement?

Reflection

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Vision of a Team

Have you ever been part of a really great team?

What was different about this team?

How can we, as a team, create those kinds of feelings here?

What would we commit ourselves to?

Activity

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TEAM EVOLUTION – THE 7 STEPS

Teams go through a number of key stages in their lifespan. Understanding each of these

stages is vital for leaders who hope to get the best out of their team.

Step 1 Orientation - Why am I here?

Step 2 Trust building - Who are you?

Step 3 Goal / Role clarification - What are we doing?

Step 4 Commitment - How will we do it?

Step 5 Implementation - Who does what, when, where?

Step 6 High Performance

Step 7 Renewal - Why continue?

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Step 1 Orientation - Why am I here?

Resolved:

Purpose

Fit

Membership

Unresolved:

Disorientation

Uncertainty

Fear

When we walk into a strange group for the first time, the question most likely to be on our

minds is “Why am I here?”

For a team to be effective we need to know the team’s charter or mandate, otherwise we

are likely to lose interest and motivation. Even in familiar groups our first concern is

remaining convinced that there is a reason for our involvement.

If the group doesn’t have a sense of purpose we could all waste tremendous energy trying

to resolve issues and wondering where we all fit in.

The keys to orientation

Purpose: Team members understand what the group is formed to do, when they see it

as an acceptable challenge and when they realise their purpose is important to the

organisation.

Personal fit: Team members see the value of what the team is doing and care enough

about it to want to be part of it. They feel that they belong on the team and have a

contribution to make. They are also satisfied that the team is using their skills and

abilities well, and that their work is meaningful to them.

Membership: People feel included by other members. They have a sense of ownership

and identify with the group’s work and they feel a pride of involvement in the team’s

enterprise. They feel accepted by others in the team and believe that the success of the

team depends on them.

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Signs of unresolved orientation concerns

Disorientation: Team members are confused about what the team is supposed to do or

what contribution they are supposed to make. Activity is aimless, restless and

unfocused. They are likely to focus on their own personal agendas. What am I doing

here remains a real issue.

Uncertainty: Members are extremely tentative in their approach. They spend a lot of

time debating about their purpose or dealing with the reluctance of some members to

move forward in an uncertain situation. The possibility that the team is not moving in the

direction the organisation intended is always in the background.

Fear: Members display a lot of anxiety because they don’t know what to do, and

whatever they choose to do, they don’t know if it will meet the needs of their other

stakeholders. Without any clear purpose, they feel they have little chance of being

successful since they don’t know what success is. Fear of failure and fear of the

unknown may combine to paralyse a team into inaction.

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Step 2 Trust building - Who are you?

Resolved:

Mutual regard

Forthrightness

Spontaneous interaction

Unresolved:

Caution

Mistrust

Façade

Once we have identified our sense of purpose, the next question is to know who else is

involved. We all privately ask, “Who are you?” of strangers. Our hidden concern is knowing

what will be expected of us by others. If agendas are revealed and expectations shared,

trust builds. But some may remain cautious and keep a façade.

As issues in this stage are handled, mutual regard and forthrightness build. The tell-tale

sign is a spontaneous flow of information and exchange among members.

The key to trust building:

Mutual regard: Team members view another as reliable, competent and trustworthy.

The climate is positive. People are non-manipulative and mutually supportive. Team

members take one another and what they say at face value, there is little questioning of

the motives of others.

Forthrightness: A primary expression of trust is the willingness to be open and free in

dealing with other group members. Forthrightness involves disclosing relevant

information, free sharing of data, and group members saying what they see, think and

feel. Team members are direct and up front with each other, with little reason to hold

back.

Spontaneous interaction: Personal feedback is given directly. Team members aren’t

overly concerned about making a mistake or offending someone else in the group, so

they can speak freely.

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Signs of unresolved trust concerns:

Caution: Where there is little trust, team members think hard before they speak. They

play things close to their chest and don’t take many chances within the group. They are

reluctant to put their head above the parapet. They are wary about leaving themselves

vulnerable to other team members or having to rely on them for support. Look after No.

1 is the order of the day.

Mistrust: Team members assume that others are unreliable. They don’t have their best

interests at heart and would put self-interest above the team’s interests. They tend to

suspect the motives of others and are sensitive to hidden agendas.

Façade: There is a distinct difference between what team members really think and feel,

and what they say. A brave front or false smile often hides real anxiety or anger about

what is going on in the group. Team members are uncertain about where they stand

with one another because they don’t share their genuine thoughts and feelings.

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Step 3 Goal / Role clarification. What are we doing?

Resolved:

Explicit assumptions

Clear, integrated goals

Identified roles

Unresolved:

Apathy

Scepticism

Irrelevant competition

With more personal issues handled, we can focus on sharing information and clarifying

goals. “What are we doing?” we ask.

Clarifying our group’s charter by identifying specific deliverables or objectives constrains

our process. We don’t always agree. People mix personal and organisational goals, and

we aren’t always supporting each other. Sorting these out prepares the way to commit to a

way of working. Sometimes research and study are needed.

If no progress is made in clarifying what is going on, apathy and irrelevant competitiveness

will be the clues. When we begin by asking for organisational decisions and expressing

common agreements about roles, Step 3 concerns are being met.

The keys to goal and role clarification:

Explicit assumptions: The team can recognise areas of agreement and confirm them,

and notices areas of difference and reconcile them. Having a clear philosophy sets the

stage for a team to select goals and set priorities.

Clear, integrated goals: Before a team can effectively join in action, its members have to

share an understanding and agreement about what the team is trying to do. The key is

to have specific goals that team members see and support, so they know just what

they’re aiming for and they can tell when they hit the target. A well-informed goal is the

primary draw on the team’s energy.

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Identified roles and responsibilities: Once a team has identified all the things that have

to be done for it to reach its goals, it has to be clear about who is responsible for each

activity or function. Sorting all of these responsibilities out defines the role that each

member will play. Roles include not only task responsibilities, but also authority to take

action or make commitments on behalf of the team.

Signs of unresolved goal / role concerns:

Apathy: If team members can’t see the targets they are shooting for or don’t feel

involved, their interest level will be low and they won’t invest much energy into their

work. If goals are roles are confused, team members will tend to be ‘semi-detached’ and

only do what is absolutely necessary.

Scepticism: When goals aren’t clear, team members take everything with a grain of salt.

They suspect that their leaders don’t know what they’re doing, and so they question or

resist any decision to call to action. If members disagree with the team’s stated goals,

they question the wisdom of those who set the team’s course.

Irrelevant competition: In the absence of clear goals and roles, team members may

amuse themselves by playing games, challenging authority and nit-picking arguments.

All of these are ways of resisting the team moving in an unwanted direction, playing an

undesired role, or making a point in an activity that may otherwise seem pointless.

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Step 4 Commitment - How will we do it?

Resolved:

Shared vision

Allocated resources

Organisational decisions

Unresolved:

Dependence

Resistance

The critical stage in our group’s life is the point at which it must commit to action. “How will

we proceed?” members want to know.

We must all agree on some overall direction. High performing teams connect with a shared

vision at this stage. But constraints are also greatest now. Resources must be allocated. A

method of working and making decisions must be agreed. Training, level of effort, and

responsibility trade-offs come to the fore.

Commitments made will result in a surge of energy and a ‘turn’ towards accomplishment.

At this point it’s important to remember that the significance of subsequent stages depends

on the goals of the team and level of interdependence required to meet them. Some teams

are simply tacking one specific problem, and will disband after a Step 4 decision. Others

need to produce on-going results.

The keys to commitment:

Shared vision: A concerted effort by the whole team means everyone needs to know

clearly where the team is heading. Excellent teams have a clear vision of the future for

themselves that defines their contribution to the stakeholders and how they see

themselves and are seen by others. This shared vision sets the direction for all their

work and gives it a real focus.

Allocated resources: The test of an organisation’s commitment to a team is to provide

the resources required. The challenge for the team is to use its resources well, to set

clear priorities, and to make the most of what it has.

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Organisational decisions: To excel, a team not only needs to know where it is going, but

how it is going to get there. This includes understanding how decisions are made, how

control and influence are shared, how communication flows, and what norms and

ground rules will guide the team’s work. Settling all these issues gives shape and

structure to the team’s work, and enables it to focus its attention on the work at hand.

Signs of unresolved commitment concerns:

Dependence: If team members aren’t fully committed, they may in effect disown

responsibility for what the team is doing. Their response might be to leave all decisions

and responsibility to the team leader, or a couple of members. They may take

responsibility for particular tasks but not for the overall result. Their attitude might be:

“Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it. I just work here.”

Resistance: Lack of commitment could be reflected in general resistance to whatever

the team is doing. Team members may constantly play devil’s advocate, question,

complain and snipe at any suggestions to move forward. It’s an antagonistic and slightly

hostile culture.

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Step 5 Implementation - Who does what, when, where?

Resolved:

Clear processes

Alignment

Disciplined execution

Unresolved:

Conflict / confusion

Nonalignment

Missed deadlines

As work begins, timing and sequencing becomes our overriding concern. We ask: “Who

does what, when and where?” The clearer the overall organisation is to us, the more

individual creativity can be applied on specific tasks during implementation.

There are many ways to achieve this kind of integration, but all involve aligning on a clear

order of work and systems for communicating progress. Conflict, confusion and missed

deadlines indicate lack of resolution of these issues. Team productivity and discipline

indicate Step 5 issues have been met.

The keys to implementation:

Clear processes: People on the team know how things are to be done. Standard

operating procedures have been defined where they are needed. The sequence of

activity is clear, especially where team members depend on one another to complete

one task so that the next one can begin. There is a system to plan and schedule work,

and to monitor its progress.

Alignment: Work is seamless. Activities of various members blend together easily with

few instances of duplication or contradiction in their work. Internal communications

among members are sufficient; timing is good and work progresses in an orderly way.

Disciplined execution: The team stays on track; there is a feeling of mastery and things

being under control. Work is focused and energy is rarely wasted on trivia.

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Signs of unresolved implementation:

Conflict/confusion: Team members aren’t sure what to do, how or when to do it.

Sometimes there is overlap, other times there are huge yawning gaps. Team members

aren’t always singing from the same hymn sheet. A lot of time is spent reinventing how

things are to be done, redoing work or catching up with things that should have been

done but were overlooked.

Nonalignment: The activities of team members clash rather than blend smoothly. Team

members may not even know what the others are doing when they need to know.

Changes of plans aren’t communicated to everyone and things tend to fall through the

cracks. There seems to little order or smoothness in the way activities fall out.

Missed deadlines; these are caused by confusion about responsibilities and timing or

poorly allocated spread of work. One missed deadline leads to another. The team may

soon be working in without a meaningful or understood time frame at all.

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Step 6 High Performance

Resolved:

Flexibility

Intuitive communications

Synergy

Unresolved:

Overload

Disharmony

Our team masters it ways of working so that we can focus our attention on subtle

communications, the market place, and our quick responses to breaking events.

High performance is that state of flexibility, synergy and intuitive communication which

grows from mastering earlier stages and being open to the effects of team chemistry,

timing and luck.

This stage is not stable. New members and excessive reorganisation can literally prevent it

from happening. Overload and non-attunement of members can require a return to earlier

stages.

The keys to High Performance:

Flexibility: Staying attuned to the environment, making adjustments as needed,

anticipating and even predicting events. Because they have such mastery over what

they are doing, they don’t have to concentrate so much on technique and procedure.

They can let their creativity flow and respond quickly to events.

Intuitive communications: Team members develop a sixth sense, which lets them

anticipate what the others need, and respond to it. They operate effectively without

detailed communications and know one another’s preferences and styles. They are

supportive in their interactions, and can easily stand in for one another.

Synergy: The result is greater than the sum of the parts. Synergistic teams tend to

break the boundaries – they go beyond the aggregate abilities of individual members,

exceed

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Expectations and overcome situational constraints. They know how good they are, and

others around them know it too.

Signs of unresolved High Performance concerns:

Overload: Sometimes teams take on too much. They don’t have a good sense of their

limits – even High Performing teams have them! They may overload the system that

may have carried them to High Performance. A team may also become so preoccupied

with itself as a team, become so focused on the process and internal communications

that it loses sight of what it’s about.

Disharmony: It is difficult to sustain high performance indefinitely. As goals are

achieved, members’ interests change, a new vision is created, roles change and a team

may lose the harmony it once had. A high performing team may simply become

discouraged that it doesn’t always sustain the same performance level and backbiting

creeps in.

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Step 7 - Renewal - Why continue?

Resolved:

Recognition

Change mastery

Staying power

Unresolved:

Boredom

Burnout

High performance teams lose their edge or complete their tasks and inevitably ask, “Why

continue?” Earlier answers to key concerns no longer fit. People arrive and leave and the

group alignment can change. Burnout is a common result of not renewing focus and a

vision while keeping up a high performance pace.

But when a team commits to learning and renewal, congruence of teams and their visions

over a long period is possible. Renewal might consist of setting aside time for team

practices or having special annual celebrations of completion and realignment. Often it is

the link with another cycle of team process which begins back at orientation, moving

through trust and goals back to commitment. In a team-based culture, this journey

becomes richer and easier as members anticipate issues and deal with them from

conscious competence.

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The keys to Renewal:

Recognition: When team members or the whole team produce valuable work, someone

should say so and honour it. That may be the organisation, team leader, or the

members themselves. The recognition may be in words or a reciprocal gift.

Change mastery: Teams which last have to be adaptable. They change with the times,

confront new challenges, experience turnover in membership and deal with shifting

conditions. Teams need to accept change as inevitable and welcome it as refreshing

and growth producing rather than resisting or complaining about it. The most successful

teams anticipate and prepare for change.

Staying power: Teams have to find ways to keep themselves fresh and energetic.

Teams with staying power frequently revisit their overriding purposes and make sure

they keep them in sight. A key to staying power is pacing, and taking the time to pause,

renew and regroup.

Signs of unresolved renewal issues:

Boredom: Once a team has become successful, reproducing the same success is less

rewarding. Some of the challenge is gone, the problems that were once engaging are

now solved, and things may become routine. People may just start going through the

motions, relieved for a while that things are easier, but eventually they get bored and

need new goals and challenges to keep them engaged.

Burnout: Success may breed success, but it also attracts work. Teams may make more

commitments than they can keep, or take on (or be assigned) more work than they can

do. For a while, a team may run to keep up, working long hours, pausing infrequently

and taking little time for reflection. Sooner or later, the effects of wear and tear show up,

members start to burn out and performance deteriorates.

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Where is your team?

Take a few moments to reflect upon each of the steps

in the evolution of the team.

Where do you think your team at work is right now?

Notes:

Reflection

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Module 2: Leading Successful Teams

Fundamental 2:

Motivation and Empowering Others

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Motivating and Empowering your Team

Introduction

Your ability to motivate others will influence your credibility and success as a leader.

Individuals are motivated by different things and it is important to consider individuals

needs when designing or allocating work tasks. Understanding what motivates individuals

can be achieved through effective dialogue (refer back to the Effective Communications

module and aim to apply some of the techniques covered). In addition, it is important to

consider your own behaviour and approach as a leader and role model, to ensure that you

are a source of motivation, rather than a potential obstacle to this.

This module considers some of the myths around motivation, and considers motivation as

very much an individual concept; individuals are motivated by different things. The module

provides a model for conceptualising motivation, and provides strategies for how, as a

leader you can aim to build motivation in individuals, aiming to satisfy their individual

needs and ensuring they are considered and listened to.

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Motivation Myths

People should be able to motivate themselves.

Everyone is motivated by the same type of rewards.

People are motivated by the same things all the time.

If I can’t pay a person more, there is not much else I can do to motivate them.

Motivating others is one of the best examples of situational leadership. You need to

understand what motivates each person rather than trying to have one standard reward

system which you apply to all. People do respond positively if rewarded appropriately (and

perception of what constitutes ‘reward’ will vary from person to person, and will vary in

perceived importance).

Motivation Myths

Consider the Daniel Pink video ‘The surprising truth about what motivates us’.

What motivation myths did this challenge?

How could this apply to your own motivation challenges?

Discussion

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A Model of Motivation: Zenger and Folkman’s Passion Concept

An interesting theory is Zenger & Folkman’s Passion Concept, from The Extraordinary

Leader. According to this theory there are 3 critical factors:

1. Competence – what you do well

2. Passion – what you like to do

3. Organisational needs – the activities that support the Organisation’s success

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The Power of Convergence

According to this model, the motivational “sweet spot” is achieved when both an

individual’s passion and competence are aligned with the requirements of the job. As a

leader, you need to consider the ways in which you can help ensure this is the case for

your staff.

Various scenarios can occur with individuals; you need to be able to identify which

scenario you are faced with and then motivate the individual accordingly. The scenarios

are presented below:

The Rookie

Rookies need to develop skills in areas in which they have a passion and in which the

organisation has a need

Motivate Rookies by offering skill building opportunities.

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The Chore

When the individual sees the activity as a “chore” he/she is unlikely to give his/her best

effort

Consider how you can ignite some passion for the activity or offer extrinsic rewards.

The Hobbyist

The hobbyist needs redirection

Towards other activities that provide value to the organisation

To other roles that might better value the activity

To satisfy this motivation outside of the workplace

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Considering Motivation

Consider Zenger & Folkman’s Passion Concept, and the three different

scenarios (Rookie, Chore, Hobbyist) presented above.

- Have you achieved your own “sweet spot” at work? If not, what would

- Help you to achieve this? What is currently missing and how might you

fill the ‘gap’?

- Can you identify individuals in your team who may fall into each of the

three

- Scenarios (Rookie, Chore, Hobbyist)?

- What can you do to help motivate the ‘Rookies’?

- What can you do to help motivate those who see work as a ‘chore’?

- What can you do to help motivate those who see work as a ‘hobby’?

- Are individuals’ talents recognised and capitalised on?

Notes:

Personal Reflection

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How to Motivate Others

Everyone has different motivations

Motivations may change over time:

– From basic, low level needs to higher level needs

– Needs change as people progress through life stages

Remember to have an on-going dialogue with each person so you know what is

important to them at this stage in their career.

Listen for clues from everyday actions and words.

Learn what intrinsically motivates each person.

Aim to match people to the things they are passionate about.

Differentiate rewards:

– Recognition

– Promotions

– Challenging assignments

– Interesting projects

– Involvement and contribution into more meaningful things

Get the right rewards to the right people at the right time.

In summary, listen for clues as to a person’s passion and intrinsic motivation, and assign

tasks accordingly. Find ways to provide extrinsic motivation for tasks that are chores.

Note:

Intrinsic Motivation: This is the form of motivation you have within yourself that comes

from a passion or interest in doing a particular task well, regardless of receiving outside

feedback, recognition or rewards. The task is in and of itself rewarding.

Extrinsic Motivation: This form of motivation relies on external forces, such as rewards or

recognitions, praise, avoidance of reprimand, etc., without which the person would not be

motivated to perform.

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Pitfalls to Building Morale

Morale is an important aspect for maintaining high levels of motivation in the team. Some

common pitfalls to building morale, which you should always aim to avoid, are:

Taking personal credit for your group’s success

Taking work away from people who aren’t doing it as quickly or exactly the way you’d

like

Putting the most domineering person in charge of a team or work group

Playing favourites

Ignoring poor performance

Talking negatively about team members in front of other team members

Raising your voice, yelling, or showing anger

Nagging

Threatening

Giving only negative feedback

Micromanaging

Summary

Your ability to motivate others will influence your credibility and success as a leader.

Remember to be sensitive to the situation and context, aim to find out what motivates each

individual person through effective dialogue, and aim to satisfy their individual motivational

needs. In addition, reflect on your behaviour as a leader and role model; ensure that you

are a source of motivation, rather than an obstacle.

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Bringing out the Best in People - Multipliers versus Diminishers

(Wiseman and McKeown, 2010)

Some leaders stifle the contribution of their team members. They drain all the intelligence

and capability out of their teams because they need to be the smartest, most capable

person in the room. They shut down the contribution of others, and make others feel

worthless, ultimately stifling the flow of ideas.

At the other end of the spectrum are leaders who, as capable as they are, care less about

their own status and are more concerned about fostering a culture of intelligence in their

teams. Under the leadership of these “multipliers,” employees don’t just feel smarter, they

become smarter. They push people to be their best and believe that everyone has

capacity to flourish.

Multipliers and diminishers fall into a number of common types:

Diminishers

The Empire Builder: Hoards resources and underutilises talent

The Tyrant: Creates a tense environment that suppresses people’s thinking and

capabilities

The Know-It-All: Gives directives that demonstrate how much he or she knows

The Decision Maker: Makes centralised, abrupt decisions that confuse the organisation

The Micro-manager: Drives results through his or her personal involvement

Multipliers

The Talent Magnet : Attracts talented people and uses them to their highest potential

The Liberator: Creates an intense environment that requires people’s best thinking and

work

The Challenger: Defines an opportunity that causes people to stretch their thinking and

behaviours

The Debate Maker: Drives sound decisions by cultivating rigorous debate among team

members

The Investor: Gives other people ownership of results and invests in their success

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Discussion: Managing Styles

On your tables consider the diminishers in your own

organisation

How do you normally deal with them?

How can you become more of a multiplier?

Activity

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Reflection Activity Embracing the future

“The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating.” John Schaar

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Consider your future journey as a leader.

What is the biggest and scariest opportunity you face?

What can be gained from embracing this opportunity?

How are you going to tackle this opportunity head on?

What are you going to do differently after today?

How will people see a change in your impact as a leader?

One insight I have had about myself

Reflection