Extensive research has shown that good teams can lead an
organization in exciting new directions. They can push an
organization's growth potential without jeopardizing its stability.
Effective ones can bring value to an organization not only in terms of
profit and productivity but in terms of the more difficult human issues
that far too frequently exhaust an organization's resources.
Sadly, many of the organizations I deal with, fail to understand how
teams should develop, have no sense of their potential, and seem to
fear the loss of power created by a more dispersed decision making
process. Senior management doesn't want to relinquish control.
Too often organizations forget that when teams are encouraged and
given the resources to excel they create first and foremost a more
contented and stable employee base. Effective teams take ownership
over their tasks reducing the need for disciplinary procedures. And
since their makeup includes management, staff and production people,
the usual lines of distrust are often broken down.
What takes on greater importance in the effective team is the well
being of the organization and the team's drive to ensure its success.
The result is a cohesive and democratic meeting of people seeking not
personal glory but a more dynamic organization better able to transfer
its vision into reality. How the team functions and its tangible results
will impact areas of the organization well outside the domain of the
team itself.
In practice, organizations too often believe teams can be created
overnight.
Wrong.
Developing effective and committed teams require not only time but
people who understand the dynamics of team development and their
worth. This means understanding the complexities of human
interaction.
So don't create teams to placate a discontented workforce if the teams
aren't going to be supported fully. Inventing a team and throwing
people into the mix is a recipe for failure and a growing sense of
cynicism and mistrust.
Take time to develop the team's mandate. Examine the kinds of skills
(practical and emotional) needed for the team and create an open
selection process. Know that teams can be brought together to deal
with a wide range of tasks ranging from product development,
company expansion, strategic planning to quality of work issues. But
don't expect them to perform well if you haven't provided them with
some "how to" training.
Finally, find someone who can furnish the team with effective
leadership. What does this mean? Someone who draws out the best
in each member. Someone able to make participation both fun and
meaningful without compromising a stringent work schedule. This
leader knows each participant must have the knowledge and skills
needed to comply with goals so when key members leave, the team is
able to carry on.
But the real test, as we all know, is to what extent the
recommendations of the team are adopted by the organization as a
whole. My experience says that organizations often fail their teams
through a refusal to commit time, energy and monies to important
structure building endeavours.
Teams, good teams can work to anticipate crises, eliminating their
occurrence while creating a more solid base on which to build your
organization's growth -- they're worth the commitment!
~ Dr. Helen Ramirez
