Teams and Teamwork: Championship Teams

Chinook LS 2From Individual to more than the sum of the parts!

Teams exist to reach a goal.

Mike Davies, MD FACPMark Murray and Associates

Teams are made up of People

• We all “look” different

• We all think differently– We all decide using different principles– We take in information differently– We relate differently

• We ARE different!

• Effective teams KNOW each other!

People are Different

Intention

Style

Behavior

People come to workwanting to do the right

thing

This is the “big filter”

i.e. the brain

Result of intentionfiltered by the brain

and subsequentbehavior: words and actions

What is your “style”?

• Are you concerned about the protection, growth and welfare of others?

• Are you concerned about accomplishing a task, organizing people to achieve results?

• Are you concerned things are right – thought out, objective, and ordered?

• Are you concerned about being flexible, responding to the welfare of the group?

Interpersonal Styles

Direct Persuasive Loyal Cautious

Demanding Impulsive Predictable Practical

Risk-taker Self-promoting Team Person Analytical

Adventuresome Trusting Serene Orderly

Decisive Helpful Possessive Persevering

Competitive Emotional Supportive Methodical

Enterprising Idealistic Accepting Conventional

Self-confident Detail Avoider Compromising Conscientious

Quick to Act Achiever Indecisive Reserved

Forceful Caring Humble Organizer

Red or “Directive”

Major Focus:Controlling the environment – “Do it and do it

now” or “I’m in charge.”

Basic Needs: Authority, challenges, prestige, varied activities, difficult assignments, logical approaches, opportunities to advance.

Fears/Concern: Being taken advantage of; losing control of the situation; boredom; being tied to routine; appearing weak or soft.

Seen Positively As:

Independent Decisive Efficient Competitive

Seen Negatively As:

Dominating Abrasive Pushy Touchy

Red Advice

If you’re a Red, consider:Developing more patience with other peopleLearning to negotiate with othersDeveloping greater awareness of other people’s needsParticipating more with others

If you’re working with a Red, consider:Being clear, specific, brief, to the pointSticking to businessComing prepared – requirements, objectives, support materialPresenting material in a logical formatProviding alternatives/choices for making “their” decisionIf disagreeing, take issue with facts not peopleSupporting rather than directing or orderingDeparting graciously

Blue or “Expressive”

Major Focus: Focusing energies on others.

Basic Needs: Social recognition, wants to be popular, needs people to talk to, likes freedom from control and detail, works best in favorable work conditions, needs recognition of abilities, wants to help others.

Fears/Concerns: Being blamed for things going wrong; having people be upset with them; not being liked; public humiliation.

Seen Positively As: Dramatic Enthusiastic Creative

Seen Negatively As: Excitable Impractical

Blue AdviceIf you’re a Blue, consider:

Being more objective in making decisionsDeveloping more organized, systematic approaches to tasksImproving follow-through by attending to key detailsLearning to be more directHaving better control over use of time

If you’re working with a Blue, consider:

Planning interactions which support interactionAllowing time for relating/socializingTalking about people and their goalsTasks/assignments are followed –up best when in writingAsking for opinions/ideasProviding approaches to implementing actionsProviding testimonials from people seen as important or prominentOffer special, immediate and extra incentives for willingness to participate

SilverMajor Focus: Cooperating with others

Basic Needs: Status quo, security, time to adjust, appreciation, identification with the group, work patterns, limited territory, areas of specialization.

Fears/Concerns: Situations where nobody knows what is happening; confusion and instability; lack of clarity on expectations.

Seen Positively As:

Supportive Dependable Agreeable Loyal

Seen Negatively As:

Dependent Subjective Pliable Manipulative

Silver AdviceIf you’re a Silver, consider:

Learning to handle change betterBecoming more assertiveIncreasing comfort with open conflictVarying routines occasionallySpeaking up when concerned or bothered

If you’re working with a Silver, consider:

Starting however briefly, with a personal commentPatiently draw out personal goalsListening – Be responsivePresenting information in a non-threatening mannerWatching for areas of possible disagreement – flight rather than fightIf disagreeing – watch for hurt feelingsClearly defining individual contributions (preferably in writing)Providing guarantees that decisions will minimize risks

Green or “Analytical”

Major Focus: What is the “right” or correct way.

Basic Needs: Security, no sudden changes, personal attention, exact job descriptions, controlled work environment

Fears/Concerns: Unwarranted personal criticism; criticism of what they have done; spontaneous displays of feelings

Seen Positively As:

Industrious Objective Orderly Precise

Seen Negatively As:

Indecisive Rigid Picky Stuffy

Green AdviceIf you’re a Green, consider:

Developing more comfort with emotionally charged situationsLearning to value informal interactions with othersAdjusting standards to the needs of the environment

If you’re working with a Green, consider:

Approaching in a straightforward manner – stick to businessBuilding credibility by offering pros and cons to suggestionsDoing what you say you will doPresenting an implementation plan with timetablesAssuring no surprisesIf agreeing, provide follow-throughIf disagreeing, make an organized presentationGiving time to verify reliability of actions

Goals

• What do these teams have in common?– Basketball– Football– Curling– Blue Chip Companies

• Can the goal be met alone?– If yes, no team needed– If no, need a team

People are Different

Intention

Style

Behavior

Intention Style Behavior

Decrease delay for an at appointments

RedTask accomplishment

People organization

•Competitive•Telling

BlueConcern for others

•Supportive•Asking

SilverConcern for welfare of group & flexibility

•Democratic•Consensus•Asking and telling

GreenConcern for right and wrong

•Reliance on Data and Information•Asking and telling

The Challenge of Teamwork

• How do we deploy the people we have - each with their unique talents & strengths to achieve the best results?

• How do we understand and leverage the team in times things are going well, and in times they are going poorly?

• How do we work TOGETHER?

Interdependence

• Level of interdependence defines a team

• Low = Baseball– “Perfect” Game = 27 strikeouts; only 2 people

needed. Others “stand around”– Other players are “defense”. Only few

needed at one time– Conflict between any two players not likely to

dramatically influence all other players

Interdependence, cont..

• Moderate

• Football– A given play needs unique skills of only

several offensive players and several defensive players to foil

– Conflict between any two players may interfere with the goal

Interdependence, cont..

• High

• Basketball– All move constantly– All have chance to score– Teams working “together”

can beat teams with individual talent

– Consequence of conflict is serious

. .

. .

.

Team Interdependence Summary

Low Med Hi

Baseball Football Basketball

Movement

Action

Occasional Intermittent Constant

Value

Creation

2 Few All

Conflict Consequence

Low Med High

Max

InterdependenceBases

LoadedBroken

PlayConstant

Team Development

• Baseball– Practice individual skills

• Batters, Pitchers

• Football– Practice small group skills

• Offense, Defense, Special Teams

• Basketball– Practice all together

Developing Vs. Development

• Team development = static image– Recruiting right people – now “go do your

jobs”

• Developing teams is HOW WE INTERACT– To cause to become fuller, larger, better

(Webster)– Search for championship status never ends

Teamwork

• Avoid conflicts• Constant stress• Crisis orientation• = Less energy for job

• Resolves conflicts• Understanding• Proactive orientation• = More energy

Poor Good

Job not getting done as wellas it could be

It feels like job is getting done

well

R e c ru it .... .. . .. . .. .S k ills

U nd e rsta nd .....S e lf.... .O the rs

G oa ls/O bje c tive s

R o les /E x p ec ta tio n s

. . . .C o nflic t M a na ge m e nt

H o w it F e e ls

E ne rgy

Where does good teamwork start?

No single thing more important than the goal

Observation: “I now realize how much of the overall success dependson people discovering for themselves what goals to set and what to do to achieve them.”

“Why Good Projects Fail Anyway”- HBR Sept. ‘03

Questions

• “I often wonder what is the basic reason for being here. It seems….spend energy doing things not consistent with what I think is our main purpose….”

• “The team’s basic overall objectives are very clear….all effort is directly related to getting these key goals accomplished…any question….is resolved by referring back to our basic objectives”

Do we have our goals clear?

Goal Clarity

0

1

2

3

4

5

Oct

NovDec

Jan

Mar Apr

May Ju

n Jul

Aug Sep Oct

NovDec

Jan

Feb Mar Apr

High Low Mode

Goals

• Team Core Mission Statement = Reason for Existence. – Family “live happily ever after” (mission)

• Where and How? (aims or goals)– Winter Trip (where and when – practical)

Plan

• Write down the “reason for existence”

• Write down what evidence exists the mission statement is achieved…..

Goals to Consider

• Our aim is to do at least XX visits per day• Our aim is to insure the health and well

being of the panel of patients we have agreed to serve

• Our aim is to see anyone who comes to the door

• Our mission is to see any patient who presents between 8 and 4 on M-F

Summary

• Teams are made up of unique individuals• Innate styles often “spin” the same intention

different ways• Understanding your team’s styles is the first step

in teamwork• Now teamwork is the INTERACTION between

the individual members toward a goal• No single thing is more important to the success

of the team than…..clear overall objectives and goals.