A prevailing characteristic of organizations and human systems is hierarchy.
BY MICHAEL F. BROOM, Ph.D. | CEO, Center for Human Systems
Research consistently points out that 65 to 85 percent of teams are dysfunctional. How could that be when teams are the fundamental building block of organizations? We will explore why that’s so in another article. For this one, we will explore three keys that will help your teams be the powerhouse you need them to be.
The three keys are:
- Level the playing field.
- Develop team-based solutions.
- Emphasize accountability.
Level the playing field
A prevailing characteristic of organizations and human systems is hierarchy. Understanding where we stand in it is essential to most of us. We defer to those above us and expect those below to defer to us.
Some examples: In technical organizations, technicians defer to engineers, who defer to scientists. In profit-making organizations, those in non-revenue-generating departments defer to those who are. Of course, those with lesser rank defer to those with greater rank. In some organizations, those with greater tenure are deferred.
Those we defer to speak up more, and we attend to them more. We accord their thoughts and opinions more weight when it’s time to make decisions. I have a friend who would say that’s simply the law of the jungle!
The result is that teams benefit most from the wisdom and intelligence of those we defer to. The knowledge and intelligence of those who defer are lost to the team and the organization.
Teams that access and use all their members’ wisdom, experience, and intelligence would create significantly greater potency. It is time to level the playing field so all can play to the best of their abilities.
One way to level the field is what I call the Big Share. It’s an exercise to allow each team member to share their story. Having each person respond to the questions below is one way to stimulate those stories.
The Big Share Questions
- Where were your ancestors from?
- What impact does that still have on you?
- Where were you born? Raised? What impact does it still have on you?
- What was your family like? What impact does it still have on you?
- When was the 1st time you realized you were different in some significant way? What impact does it still have on you?
- What is the connection between your history and your current profession?
- What have been your professional milestones?
- Other important things you would like us to know about you?
The stories of human beings are all around the theme of growing up within some set of circumstances and overcoming some struggles while accomplishing several milestones.
We know the characters’ stories in novels, movies, and TV shows move us. We feel a kinship with them. We rarely know the stories of those we team with. We need to watch less TV and listen more to each other’s stories.
Hearing each other’s stories levels the playing field. We are much more prone to appreciate those who have told us their stories. We’re often curious to know more.
We long to tell our stories. In sharing them, we release the tension of having not shared them. That frees us to take part more freely and deeply within our teams.
We spend years with teammates whose stories we assume we know. That’s true of many families as well. But rarely have they had the opportunity to share their stories with us in any meaningful depth.
We think we know them, but we don’t. We know each other through knowing their stories. How else? In our families, we lose touch with each other’s stories without realizing it.
Do some version of a Big Share if you would like to see your team get stronger than it is. It will cost you a few hours. It’s a cheap price to pay for a stronger team.
Three significant caveats:
- Let each person speak without interruption.
- Be sure that everyone understands that the choice of what they share is totally theirs.
- Suggest they not share anything they do not want others to know.
Develop team-based solutions
Many team-building exercises do a fine job of pointing out the value of team support and team problem-solving. Unfortunately, the lessons learned rarely carry over into the daily team operation.
More helpful, have your team:
- Identify the technical and teaming issues that are hindering getting work done.
- Develop solutions to those issues via consensus from a level playing field.
Not successfully addressing team issues is why research consistently determines that teams are not working well. Typically, searching for solutions involves fault-finding and finger-pointing, aggravating the problems rather than resolving them.
To have a more successful process, curtail the fault-finding. Instead, focus on what would resolve the issue and prevent it from occurring in the future. Move the focus from the past to the present, then to the future.
Developing team-based solutions calls for strong leadership
- Address each issue to a conclusion before taking up another.
- Do not allow team members to interrupt each other.
- Ensure each person feels fully heard.
Keep consensus decision-making from degenerating into seeking unanimity. Ask those not in agreement if they are willing to proactively support the consensus even though they don’t think it’s the best idea since sliced bread. Rarely they aren’t willing to do so.
Consensual solutions take advantage of every team member’s wisdom, experience, and intelligence. Teams implement such solutions smoothly because of the agreement of full support. That’s powerful teamwork!
Emphasize accountability
Agreements that we keep working. Not keeping agreements causes upsets and other problems. Accountability supports the former and mitigates the latter. Accountability often has a negative connotation. When it begins with rewarding agreements that are kept, it is at its most potent.
Good accountability recognizes and honors individuals who honor their commitments. It corrects and supports those who forget occasionally. Finally, those who consistently do not keep their agreements are let go.
There you have it. Three keys to build powerful teams:
- Level the playing field
- Develop team-based solutions.
- Accountability
Implementing them may not be quick or easy. But be consistent with patience and persistence, and your teams will be the power you want them to be.
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Michael F. Broom, Ph.D., is an organizational psychologist with 45 years of experience with various people and organizations. He is the author of “The Infinite Organization” and “Power, The Infinite Game” with Donald Klein.
Formerly of Johns Hopkins University, he founded the Center for Human Systems and is a Lifetime Achievement Award honoree of the OD Network.
Contact Dr. Broom for coaching and consulting for your organization at michael@chumans.com. For more information on the Center for Human Systems and to check out its intensive programs and two-hour workshops, visit chumans.com. You’ll be surprised by the difference a single hour can make!
