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Teaming Skills for SuccessTeaming Skills for Success

Don Heer10/8/08

Adapted from Terri Fiez, Director, School of EECS

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Outline

Why Teams?

Get to Know Yourself & Your Teammates

Life Cycles of Teams

Team Roles and Responsibilities

Team Meetings

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Why Teams?

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Teams Can Outperform Individuals

Complex tasks

Creativity needed

Path forward unclear

More efficient use of resources needed

Fast learning required

Task/process cross functional

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Learning from the Geese Analogy

When each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

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Goose Falls Out of Formation

When goose falls out to seek more favorable conditions rest of flock leaves space open as encouragement.If a more favorable conditions are found, flock reforms around the “loner”.If not, the flock slows its pace to allow the “loner” back into position.

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“Loner” Stays Out

No effort is made to return, flock closes ranks.

Loner either tires from drag/resistance and tag onto end of “V” or will be lost to flock.

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Goose Rotation

When a goose gets tired, it rotates back in the flock and another goose takes over the point.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those in front to keep up their speed.

Honk, honk

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Sick/Wounded Goose

Two other geese fall out to follow and protect sick/wounded goose.

Stay with goose until recovers or can not longer continue.

Then launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their flock.

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Get to Know Yourself & Your Teammates

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Knowing Yourself & Your Teammates

Personality styles: Myers-BriggsSocial Styles

Why? Aids in improving communication with peers and supervisorsHow does it help? Influences how you act on what you say or do and your effectiveness in communication.What it is not… Innermost workings of your personality or beliefs or values!!!

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Behavioral Dimensions & Strengths of 4 Basic Social Styles

Key here: No single social style works best Flexibility in working with others of other social

styles is important for success

Analytical(Strengths: Logical,Thorough, Serious,Systematic, Critical,Precise, Prudent)

Driver(Strengths: Independent,

Candid, Decisive,Pragmatic, Determined,

Efficient, Objective)

Amiable(Strengths: Cooperative,

Loyal, Supportive,Diplomatic, Patient,

Easygoing, Respectful)

Expressive(Strengths: Imaginative,Friendly, Enthusiastic,Outgoing, Excitable,

Persuasive, Spontaneous)

Task Oriented

AssertiveReflective

People Oriented

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Teams Often Require 4 Types

The people person (Amiable)

The thought person (Analytical)

The action person (Driver)

The front person (Expressive)

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Weaknesses of Social StylesStyle Strengths Weaknesses

Amiable

(Stretch)

Supportive

Easygoing

Conforming

Permissive

Analytical

(Decide)

Precise

Systematic

Exacting

Inflexible

Driver

(Listen)

Determined

Objective

Dominating

Insensitive

Expressive

(Restrain)

Enthusiastic

Imaginative

Undisciplined

Unrealistic

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Basic Social Styles & Communication Orientation

Analytical(Process-Oriented)

Communicates about:Facts & Figures

Policies & OrganizationPlanning & Forecasting

Analysis & Control

Driver(Action-Oriented)

Communicates about:Getting Things DoneObjectives & Results

Performance & ProductivityEfficiency & Moving AheadDecisions & Achievements

Amiable(People-Oriented)

Communicates about:Needs & Motivations

Teamwork & Team SpiritFeelings & Beliefs

Values & self-Devleopment

Expressive(Idea-Oriented)

Communicates about:Innovation & Change

New Ways of Doing ThingsCreativity & PossibilitiesAlternatives or Options

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Flexing to Different Social StylesFlexing to Amiables Flexing to Analyticals Flexing to Drivers Flexing to Expressives•Be relaxed & moderately paced, have comfortable posture, speak softly, avoid harshness in voice•Make person-to-person contact when possible. Be genuine. Don’t engage in lengthy “small talk” •Communicate patiently•Mutually agree on goals•Offer personal assurance•Maintain ongoing contact more than with other social styles

•Be on time.•Be moderately paced; lean back somewhat; avoid loud voice.•It is better to be more rather than less formal in clothing, speech manners.•Get to business quickly; be prepared, systematic, factual, logical, exact but still keep a human touch.•Show why this approach is best and has relatively little risk. Don’t exaggerate the advantages; these people are turned off by overstatement•When possible, allow them to proceed deliberately, even slowly.•When they are too indecisive, encourage them to make a decision but refrain from making it for them.

•Be on time•Be energetic and fast paced; have erect posture and direct eye contact.•Get to business quickly, use time efficiently.•Be specific, clear, and brief. Don’t over explain, ramble, or be disorganized. From the beginning to end, focus on results.•Select the key facts, and use them when making your case. Present them logically and quickly.•Provide a limited number of options so that the Driver can make his or her own choice.•Provide data about the plusses and minuses of the options.•Stay on the topic; keep the pace up; and honor time limits.•If at all appropriate, ask directly for a decision.•Depart quickly buy graciously.

•Be energetic and fast paced; have erect but not stiff posture and direct eye contact.•Allow time for socializing. Talk about experiences, opinions, and people. Tell about yourself, too. To a degree, adopt their entertaining, fun-loving behavior.•Expressives like arguments, to a point. Avoid becoming too dogmatic even when they are.•Discover their dreams and intuitions. •In support of your ideas, use testimonials from people they like or see as prominent.•Focus first on the “big picture.” Follow up with action plans and details•Tap their competitive spirit.•Find a way to have fun while achieving the objective.•Paraphrase agreements.•Keep a balance between flowing with the Expressive and getting back on track.

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Exercise

Break up into design teams and determine what social style each of you are.

Share these styles and discuss how you will work together to complete your project.

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Life Cycles of Teams

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Life-Cycles of TeamsFour Stages Teams go throughEach stage (and how it is managed)

impacts the team’s effectiveness

Forming Storming

Performing Norming

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Time Life-CycleStage Characteristics

(Relationship Issues)

Task Leadership Style

Forming Testing, Dependence,

Accommodating

Orientation Directive; Expert

Storming Intra-team conflict, competing, differentiating

Organization Selling, Encouraging; coach

Norming Development of team cohesion; mutuality

Reconciliation

Acceptance

Cohesion

Supportive facilitator (work with “we”)

Performing Functional role, relatedness, collaborating

Synergistic, Problem solving

Delegation

Consultant

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Team Life-Cycle: Forming

Anxious, excited, fearful, anticipation

Who are the others?

What’s going to happen?

Will I have an influence?

Will I be accepted?

How will we function?

Polite communications

Leader-dependence

Conformance

Attempts to determine how to deal with group problems

Attempts to define the task and potential solutions

Attempts to determine acceptable group behavior

Feelings Behaviors

“Members of a team want to know that they have a chance of being successful,And that someone has a plan and enough information to get them off to a goodStart toward that success.”

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Leadership Response to Forming

Leadership Strategy: Get team Oriented Stress personal

responsibility for contributing interdependently

Stress assisting others & effective relationships

Positive confrontation Build trust and role clarity Provide structure, specificity

& next steps

Suggested TacticsInitiate introductionClarify task/goals & product or servicesDefine general operating proceduresMake assignmentsState & give examples of your expectationsSet expectations that integrate with the work, NOT add to itReward conformityOrganize the groupSolicit questions & give as much information as necessary to get everyone oriented

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Team Life-Cycle: Storming

Why should I conform?I don’t want to take personal responsibilityI’d rather just keep doing the things I’m confortable doing…Status quoResistance to changeSelf-centeredness & self-interest

Arguing, positioningCounterdependence & independenceChallenge authority of leadershipCriticizingComparingComplainingCompetingStyle differences clash, especially on the diagonalAttempt to differentiate from the group & create autonomyDefensiveness

Feelings Behaviors

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Leadership Response to Storming Stage

Leadership Strategy: organize, coach, & encourage Accept storming behaviors

as natural Help members establish

their autonomy & individualism

Coach in problem solving & conflict resolution that uses team goals as the denominator

Strive to get team members to commit to each others success

Suggested TacticsSolicit issuesConfront individual & team issuesListen, reason & negotiate (win-

win)Use a consistent model for

problem solvingUse goals as the basis for

solutionsEnsure operating structure &

principles are understoodGive members encouragement

one-to-one or privatelyClarify roles & contributions of

respective membersCoach & model desired approach

to problem solving & collaboration

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Team Life-cycle: Norming

Sustained optimismSense of common purposeSense of achievement

Conflict avoidanceLeader-dependence change to member-dependenceProcedures imposed internallyMutually establishedAcceptance of team membershipConstructive criticismPeacekeepingCollaborationOwnership of taskNorms & principles are adhered to & monitored

Feelings Behaviors

“Once they’ve got their issues addressed and their roles clear, they needOpportunities to go to work—collaboratively—and have a few successes.”

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Leadership Response to NormingLeadership Strategy: facilitate the work & continue building Create & facilitate team

efforts where appropriate Move toward greater

participation & team operation of the work

Foster & reward collaboration

Strengthen relationships

Suggested Tactics:Create opportunities for collaboration & successReward collaborationAcknowledge in private the growth & efforts of individualsSolicit ideas from the teamShare decision making as appropriateCreate opportunities for dialogueKeep activities in the context of the workEmploy mehtodologies that safely force participation & contributionPull team into participation in assessing the team’s effectiveness & making improvements

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Team Life-Cycle: Performing

Feelings Personal commitment to

each other High trust, regard, &

respect Ownership of goals &

role Synergy, pride &

gratitude

Behaviors Support & assistance to

each other High dependability Heightened productivity Excellent role execution Effective management of

controversy & conflict Balanced task &

relationship concerns“…Then, get out of the way. An effective targeted team doesn’tNeed a leader meddling in the work; they need a leader who is out aheadOf them removing barriers, garnering support, touting theirAchievements, and verifying the strategic direction.”

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Leadership Response to Performing Stage

Leadership Strategy: Provide organization air-cover & be a consultant to the team Hand-off more of the

ownership & operations to the team

Maintain effectiveness & productivity of the team

Provide organization “air-cover”

Act as consultant on major issues

Promote the team’s capabilities & achievements

Suggested Tactics Delegation Create opportunities for team

to dialogue Share leadership Effective use of team

members’ compensating strengths & expertise to your own

Eliminate impending barriers for the team

Obtain support & resource for the team

Publicize team’s accomplishments

Periodic reality checks of strategic directions/efforts

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Roles & Responsibilities

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Roles & Responsibilities

Leader/Facilitator

Recorder

Reporter

Reflector

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Team Leader/Facilitator Responsibilities

Keep meeting focused & moving

Open meeting

Review agenda & move through agenda

Facilitate discussions

Manage participation

Help team use appropriate discussion methods

Close the meeting

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Skills and Abilities associated with Leaders*

Technical: knowledge about the team’s specific tasks or activities (THINGS)Interpersonal: knowledge of how to work with others and to help others work with each other (PEOPLE)Conceptual: knowledge about ideas, concepts, ability to hypothesize (IDEAS)*Katz (1955), Muford, Zacarro, Harding (2000)

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Recorder Responsibilities

Capture key points for each agenda item

Highlight decisions and action items

Collect future agenda items

Distribute or post minutes

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Reporter Responsibilities

Capture the key results from discussion

Present these results to the group when solicited

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Reflector Responsibilities

Monitor the process the team is using in activity

Present to the group the effectiveness of team activity. Reflect on the process: Areas of strength, rough areas and areas for improvement

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Group Meetings

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Setting Team Meeting Ground Rules

Attendance & Lateness

Norms

Participation & Information Sharing

Interruptions

Decision Making

Quality of Work

Others

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Basic Team IssuesGoals – What is the team trying to accomplish?Roles – What should each member be doing to help the team accomplish its goals?Interpersonal – How are we going to get along and what are we going to do when we’re not getting along?Synergy – How can we best learn from each other?Sanction – How will we handle situations when people are not following the team charter and/or not fulfilling their obligation to the team, including doing their portion of the project?

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Guidelines for Teams

Meet at least weeklyMeeting should be used to:Share results of individualsReview upcoming activitiesCheck teams’ progress

Identify specific rolesPrepare, conduct and determine what happens between meetings

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Meetings

Be preparedCome on timeParticipateEnd on timeBe prepared to drop a topicKeep recordsValue diversityMaintain positive group dynamicsListen and have an open mindSummarize decisions and future plans before leaving

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Exercise

Get into teamState project goalsName your teamShare contact informationEstablish timeline and assign tasksEstablish ground rules

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Evaluation of Group Activities

How did this meeting go?How was the pace, flow, and tone of the meeting?Did we handle items in a reasonable sequence? Did we get stuck?How well did we stay on topic? Discuss information? Respond to other’s questions?What might we do differently? What should we do that we didn’t do? Do more of? Do less of ? Not do at all?What was just right and should continue as is?Other comments, observations, recommendations?

Use round-robin comments, written evaluations, open discussion, thumbs up, sideways, down.

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References

http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/ Benefits of Teamwork | Roles on a Team | Organizing Project Work | Team Meetings | Communicating in Teams | Conflict

Resolution Tips | Bad Behaviors - Dealing with Unproductive Team Member

http://www.foundationcoalition.org/home/keycomponents/student_teams.html Understanding Conflict and Conflict Management Effective Interpersonal/Intrateam Communication Understanding Small-group Dynamics

http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/pdf/PuzzledAboutTeams.pdf#search=%22puzzled%20about%20teams%22 Puzzled about teams…

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Why Brainstorming?Why Brainstorming?

Builds interpersonal expertise because all students participate

Quiets the loudest talker and prevents quick solutions

Develops a skill that is useful in project management

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Verbal Brainstorming: Verbal Brainstorming: ProcedureProcedure

Present a carefully designed problem

Appoint a facilitator to safeguard the process and a recorder to capture ideas

Recorder copies all suggestions on board/easel as they are named

Take a moment to think about the problem before addressing it verbally

Ground rules: No discussion, no reaction, no judgment

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Non-Verbal Brainstorming: Non-Verbal Brainstorming: Why Brainwrite?Why Brainwrite?

Sometimes called “brainwriting” instead of brainstorming

Useful with controversial, emotionally charged topics, or when building upon ideas is more important than creating a wide range of options

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Pass around sheet of paper with topic to be addressed written at the top. First person WRITES an idea and each other team member builds on, or adds, to ideas noted Done silentlyCycle paper 3-4 times around group or

until people run out of ideas

Brainwriting: ProcedureBrainwriting: Procedure