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Forbairt 3

Leading an

Effective Team

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During this session participants will:

• Develop an awareness and understanding of what itmeans to lead an effective team

• Identify some behaviours that can negativelyinfluence effective teamwork

• Explore some behaviours and share possiblestrategies that promote effective teamwork

• Contextualise the essential principles of teamdynamics within their own school settings

OBJECTIVES – Leading an Effective Team

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When is a Team at its Best?

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When is a team at its worst?

When is a Team at its Worst?

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A good team involves…

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Patrick Lencioni says,

“Teams, because they are made up of imperfect human beings, are inherently

dysfunctional”.

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Team Assessment

15 statements – Scale 1 to 3

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Constraints on Team Effectiveness

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Round table

5 areas of team effectiveness

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• Team mates must get comfortable being vulnerable with one another

• The most important action that a leader must take to encourage the building of trust on a team is to demonstrate vulnerability first

• No quality or characteristic is more important than trust

• The key to building trust is not time... it is courage

1. In teams that promote trust…

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Admit weakness and mistakes

Ask for help

Accept questions and input about their areas of responsibility

Give one another the benefit of the doubt before arriving at a negative conclusion

Take risks in offering feedback and assistance

Appreciate and tap into one another’s skills and experiences

Offer and accept apologies without hesitation

Members of Trusting Teams

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By building trust, a team makes conflict possible because team members do not hesitate to engage in passionate and sometimes emotional debate, knowing that they will not be punished for saying something that might otherwise be interpreted as destructive or critical

It is key that leaders demonstrate restraint when team members engage in conflict and allow resolution to occur naturally, as messy as it can sometimes be

2. Teams that appreciate difference…

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– Have lively, interesting meetings

– Extract and exploit the ideas of all team members

– Solve problems quickly

– Minimise politics

– Put critical topics on the table for discussion

Teams that appreciate difference…

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• Diversity of direction guarantees security of the flock

The Boston Ducks

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“The stronger the breeze, the stronger the trees”. (Anon)

“You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note”.

Doug Floyd

Remember…

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• Commitment requires two things: clarity andbuy in.

• The leader must constantly urge the group for closure around issues as well as adherence to schedules that the team has set.

3. Teams that commit…

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• Create clarity around direction and priorities

• Align the entire team around common objectives

• Develop an ability to learn from mistakes

• Move forward without hesitation

• Change direction without hesitation or guilt

Teams that commit…

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• The willingness of team members to call on their peers concerning performance or behaviours that might weaken the team

• Shared team responsibility

4. Team accountability involves…

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• Ensure that poor performers feel pressure to improve

• Identify potential problems quickly by questioning one another’s approaches without hesitation

• Establish respect among team members who are held to the same high standard

Teams that hold one another accountable

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• There is an unrelenting focus on specific objectives and clearly desired outcomes

• Team leaders must be selfless and objective and reserve rewards and recognition for those who make real contributions to the achievement of group goals

• The ultimate test of a great team is results

5. In teams where results matter…

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• Retain achievement orientated colleagues

• Minimise individualistic behaviour

• Enjoy success and suffer failure acutely

• Benefit from individuals who subjugate their own goals/interests for the good of the team

• Avoid distractions

Teams where results matter...

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“Building a strong team is possible and remarkably simple. But it is painfully difficult”

Lencioni

“Getting good players is easy. Getting ’em to play together is the hard part”

Casey Stengel, New York Yankees

“It is amazing how much you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit”

Harry Truman

Final Thoughts

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You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note...

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an

orchestra to play it”

H.E. Lucock

Final Thoughts