extreme team building:surviving an ocean crossing
TRANSCRIPT
Extreme
Team Building
Stephanie Evans@HMSEvans
Surviving an Ocean Crossing
date
The Journey
Temperature ranges: 32 – 75 Fahrenheit
24 days to cross
6,000 nautical miles
QuingdaoSan Francisco
The Crew
Clipper Round the World Race
From…
• Small Boats&
• Small Crew
To…Oh you want to
fold a sail…?
…4 people, minimum.
From…
Giant, 100+ year-oldcorporation
To…
Fast Growing Startup
Lessons from…
Clipper Round the World Race
Individual corporate jobvs. team-oriented startup
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni
The Itinerary
Communicating through Conflict
Commitment
Trust
Attention to Results
Accountability
An Auspicious Start
An Auspicious Start…Le Mans #fail
Race Start
How it was supposed to go:
How it actually went:
Thanks, Steph :(
“Who tied down the dousing line?!”
…commence with witch hunt…
Absence of Trust
Trust
The Blame Game
Trust in Team Context(aka Psychological Safety)
Absence of trust Conceal weaknesses & mistakes Don’t ask for help Don’t provide feedback Stay inside comfort zone Jump to conclusions about others Hold grudges Dread meetings & conversations
Trusting teams Admit weaknesses & mistakes Ask for help Take risks in offering feedback Accept questions about their areas of
responsibility Give benefit of doubt Offer and accept apologies Focus on important issues, not politics
Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni
Overcoming Trust Issues
Build empathy - get to know one another Listening > speaking Give benefit of the doubt
e.g asking “what happened?” Personality profiles 360 degree feedback
for personal development, not $$$
Fear of Conflict
Communicating through Conflict
Day 3: The Kite Incident
DRAMATIC RE-ENACTMENT
Just kidding it was more like….
Consequences - 8 points if unfixable Penalty points reduced if fixable
1 week just to re-assemble it 14 days to sew
Sailmakers spent 20 days below deck
Healthy Conflict in a Team Context
Fear of conflict Boring meetings &
conversations Back-channel politics thrive Ignore controversial topics Don’t get input from team Waste time posturing
Communicating through conflict Lively & interesting conversations Minimize politics Put critical topics on the table Extract ideas of all team members Solve real problems quickly
Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni
Overcoming Fear of Conflict
Tie any criticisms directly to business objectives Ask someone to play devil’s advocate Ask “what else?” Praise and encourage healthy conflict
“It’s good that we’re talking about this” “I’m glad you brought that up”
Lack of Commitment
Commitment
The Squall (aka storm)
Man Overboard :(
“Everyone’s turned into a cloud expert”
Commitment Issues
Team that fails to commit Creates ambiguity on team
about decisions/commitments Watches windows close on
opportunities Lacks confidence Revisits discussions &
decisions again and again Encourages second-guessing
Team that commits Creates clarity around direction and
priorities Aligns entire team around common
objectives Develops ability to learn from mistakes Takes advantage of opportunities before
competitors do Moves forward without hesitation Changes direction without hesitation
Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni
Ascertain if clarity or buy-in issue? Go back to conflict/discussion
Make sure you’re messaging the plan Explain or get the ‘whys’ of the plan Set deadlines for decisions Go over ‘worst case scenarios’/ take control of catastrophizing Go over contingency plans
Dealing With Commitment Issues
Avoidance of Accountability
Accountability
Peer Pressure vs. Performance Review
2-watch system created accountability system and feedback loop
Posted standards onboard Team consequences for
individual behavior Late on deck? Extra early wake
up call Started with the lead? Better
work to keep it!
Accountability in a Team Context Team that avoids accountability
Creates resentment Encourages mediocrity Misses deadlines and
deliverables Team leaders only disciplinarians
Team that holds one another accountable
Poor performers feel peer pressure Identifies potential problems quickly Establishes respect among team Avoids excessive bureaucracy
Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni
Have published goals and standards
Clarify areas of ambiguity Make rewards TEAM based
Improving Accountability
We have to let you go due to a lack of sails…
Inattention to Results
Attention to Team Results
‘Sub Optimal’ Deployment
Attention to Results/ Desire to Win
Team not focused on results Loses top performers Stagnates Rarely defeats competitors Team members to focus on careers and individual goals Is easily distracted
Team focused on collective results Retains achievers Enjoys success and suffers failure
acutely Minimizes individualistic behavior Individuals subjugate own
goals/interests for the good of the team Avoids distractions
Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Lencioni
Publicly declare what you want to accomplish Make rewards results based No gold stars for effort
Driving Attention to Results
The Itinerary
Communicating through Conflict
Commitment
Trust
Attention to Results
Accountability
An Auspicious Start
