| The power teams can be equated to draft
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| | just a favored few?
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| horses. One can pull 5,000 pounds, but
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| | Are people being heard?
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| together they can pull 30,000. Yet too
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| | Do people listen as much as they talk?
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| often teams are implemented as an end
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| | Texas oil tycoon H.L. Hunt said that he
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| versus a means to an end. Teams have, in
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| | learned most of what he knew by
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| some circles, become a trend, implemented
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| | listening! Healthy teams are made of up
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| "because it's the thing to do."
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| | of people who have as much to hear as
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| While teams can create dynamic results,
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| | they have to say.
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| poorly implemented teams can produce
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| | A critical part of communicating is
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| disastrous results.
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| | listening to what's being said so that
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| The purpose of this article is to provide
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| | you can respond to input with information
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| a checklist on how well your teams are
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| | that is appropriate in terms of both
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| doing. Here are some ideas for renewal.
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| | content and spirit. And sometimes, an
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| Renewal doesn't come from carefully
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| | effective listener is all that another
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| written words, framed and hung on the
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| | person needs to clarify their thoughts or
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| wall. Renewal comes from your actions,
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| | release frustration.
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| the way you spend your time day in and
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| | Do people make the mistake of trying to
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| day out. Let's look at five indicators of
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| | listen and do things at the same time?
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| team health.
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| | Does body language indicate that people
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| Mission
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| | are open to input and non-judgmental?
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| Is there a clear purpose? Is everyone on
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| | Is there an open and trusting environment
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| the team engaged in a common goal? Is the
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| | in which people are given a fair hearing
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| team focused on the original objectives?
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| | for their thoughts and ideas?
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| What has changed since we started? Do we
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| | Is There a Rumor du Jour?
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| need to modify the original team charter
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| | A subtle but solid indicator of team
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| or operational guidelines?
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| | health is: how still are the jungle
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| Problem vs. Solution Orientation
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| | drums, how quiet is the rumor mill?
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| Are your problems more important than
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| | Healthy teams operate in an environment
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| solutions? Healthy teams spend more time
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| | where issues are openly discussed and no
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| working on solutions than defining
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| | one is excluded from the discussion.
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| problems. What's the difference? In a
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| | Individuals can inspire long lasting,
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| world of finite resources (time, energy
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| | positive result by what they do not say
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| and money), the more you concentrate on
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| | in casual conversations. An Enlightened
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| analyzing problems, the fewer resources
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| | Leader models this behavior by only
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| you'll have to develop solutions that
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| | speaking what is true, what is kind, and
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| will propel your team forward. How much
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| | what is useful.
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| time does your team spend on these
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| | Do people speak in whispers around the
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| positive activities: Deciding how to
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| | copier, coffee pots, or water coolers,
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| close the gap between where the team is
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| | giving others a negative feeling about
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| now and where it wants to be
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| | what they're discussing?
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| Understanding what the team does best
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| | Are team members kept abreast of
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| Determining how successes can be built
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| | important issues and are concerns openly
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| upon for greater success
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| | addressed in regular meetings so that
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| Avoid "The Swamp"
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| | rumors aren't necessary?
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| Healthy teams celebrate success as soon
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| | Work Environment
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| as it happens and as often as it happens.
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| | A lot of searching has gone into defining
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| All too often the purpose, scope, or
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| | the kind of environment that enables
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| tasks of a team change, leading to an
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| | people go to work at peak performance.
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| environment that can be unfulfilling
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| | What percentage of the day is your team
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| because the target changes. We've heard
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| | actually performing at its peak? It would
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| this dynamic called "the swamp."
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| | be unreasonable to expect a sustained
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| Not every champagne moment needs to be
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| | performance of 100% effort, but what can
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| celebrated with a bottle of bubbly! But
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| | be done to make the environment more like
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| even small results deserve a moment of
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| | the one you've envisioned?
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| recognition, and the team can be rewarded
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| | Is everybody clear and following the
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| for successes during the journey.
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| | team's operational guidelines for each
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| This fosters continuous improvement,
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| | individual? Are people empowered? Does
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| encourages their continued efforts, and
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| | each person understand his or her role in
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| leads to higher performance because they
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| | accomplishing the objectives? Do they
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| see that their efforts won't be taken for
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| | have what they need to succeed?
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| granted. Celebration confirms the
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| | Review your values; is there mutual
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| sometimes taken-for -granted fact that
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| | respect for every individual and is there
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| success doesn't just happen; it's the
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| | a high degree of trust and openness?
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| result of initiative and follow through
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| | After reviewing these Team Health
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| on the part of team members. Look around
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| | Indicators, you may want to change some
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| your office: Does your team track daily
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| | things in your workplace. That's OK!
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| accomplishments on a prominently
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| | Healthy teams are in a process of
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| displayed sign where people can share
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| | continuous improvement. Follow the
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| their results? Does your team start
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| | principles of Enlightened Leadership and
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| meetings with a review of recent
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| | our team will enjoy a long and healthy
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| successes? Does your team recognize
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| | life.
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| accomplishments by all team members, not
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|
