National Leading Transformation of Health & Wellbeing Programme 2013

Learning Event 3

Leading Effective Teams15th January 2013

Katzenbach’s (1993) definition of a team:

A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves

mutually accountable.’

Organizational Models

• Katzenbach and Smith: The Wisdom of Teams (1993)– Working Groups– Teams• Pseudo Teams• Potential Team• Real Team• High Performance Teams

The Team Performance Curve

Katzenbach and Smith

Working group

High-performing

team

Real team

Potential team

Pseudo-team

Team effectiveness

Perf

orm

an

ce im

pact

Six team basics define the discipline required for team performance

• Small number – generally less than 12• No team performs without complimentary skills Team must have:₋ a common purpose₋ commons set of specific performance goals₋ commonly agreed working approach• Hold each other mutually accountable for

performance Other areas such as trust, openness, good communication

etc. transcend the six basic disciplines

Focusing on team basics

Katzenbach and Smith (1993)

Problem solving

Technical/function

Interpersonal

Mutual

Small number of people

Individual

Specific goals

Common approach

Meaningful purpose

Skill

s

Accountability

CommitmentCollective work products

Personal growth

Performance results

Teams definitely are forms of work groups, but not all work groups are teams. In fact, plain work groups are much more numerous than teams.

Work groups function on three levels: • Dependent level• Independent level • Interdependent level

Working Group

• Individual Accountability• Performance depends on individual performance

Work groups have a strong individual focus and teams have a strong collective focus. The individual is not lost on a team, but that person's work is coordinated to fit in with the greater good. Team concerns are much more focused on the outcomes of the overall unit rather than an individual's accomplishments.

Team

• Each individual contributes to the work of the whole

• The whole group is responsible for the end product.

Pseudo-team

• Not focused on collective performance• Not really trying to be a team• Interactions detract individual performance

without any team benefit

1)The need for collective work products to be delivered by 2 or more people working together in real time

2)Leadership roles that need a shift amongst the members

3)The need for mutual accountability in addition to individual accountability.

In contrast, if the performance challenge can best be met through the sum of individual contributions, then the single leader discipline makes the most sense.

Partnerships

Partnerships are increasingly the method of policy delivery in health and other spheres and are viewed as ‘a good thing’.

Partnership

• Working Groups and Teams have a single set of outcomes.

• Partnerships have at least two distinct sets of outcomes.

• Unlike Working Groups, some outcomes are joint responsibility

• Unlike Teams, some outcomes are individual responsibility

Partnership

• Team benefits in the areas of overlap.• Working Groups benefits in the areas of

individual responsibility.• Sometimes, partnerships are the best option.

Partnerships: Key Issues

Do they deliver better health outcomes? How is success defined? Do the benefits outweigh the transaction costs? Are there other ways of doing partnership

working?

‘Collaborative Advantage’

Help organisations tackle ‘wicked problems’ Allow sharing of expertise and resources Can fill gaps in services

‘Collaborative Inertia’

May lead to fragmentation of structures and processes

May blur responsibilities and accountabilities

Fear of loss of control over policy-making

“Nice Teams Finish Last”

• Don't rock the boat. Don't make waves. Don't offend anyone - but over-politeness keeps teams from being productive.

• Encourage skills such as constructive criticism, honest communication, and the kind of conflict that drives innovation and quality without hurting feelings or creating enemies. From giving clear, sharp feedback, to effectively challenging others

1. Establishing a sense of urgency

2. Forming a powerful guiding coalition

3. Creating a vision

4. Communicating the vision

5. Empowering others to act on the vision

6. Planning for and creating short-term wins

7. Consolidating improvements and producing still more change

8. Institutionalising new approaches John Kotter (1995)

Effective Teams

A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members. Members of a team seek out certain roles and they perform most effectively in the ones that are most natural to them.Dr. R. M. Belbin

Model-400

Belbin – Team Role DescriptionTeam role Description Weaknesses

Allowable Not allowable

Plant Creative, imaginative, unorthodox. Solves difficult problems

Preoccupation with ideas and neglect of practical matter

Strong ‘ownership’ of idea when co-operation with others have yielded better results

Resource investigator Extrovert, enthusiastic, communicative. Explores opportunities. Develops contacts

Loss of enthusiasm once initial excitement has passed

Letting clients down by neglecting to follow-up arrangements

Co-ordinator Mature, confident. A good chairperson. Clarifies goals, promotes decision-making, delegates well

An inclination to be lazy if someone else can be found to do the work

Taking credit for the effort of a team

Shaper Challenging, dynamic, thrives on pressure. Has the drive and courage to overcome obstacles

A proneness to frustration and irritation

Inability to recover with good humour or apology

Monitor/evaluator Sober, strategic and discerning. Sees all options. Judges accurately

Scepticism without logic Cynicism without logic

Team worker Co-operative, mild, perceptive and diplomatic. Listens, builds, averts friction. Calms the water

Indecision on crucial issues Avoiding situations that entail pressure

Implementer Disciplined, reliable, conservative and efficient. Turns ideas into practical action

Adherence to the orthodox and unproven

Obstructing a change

Completer/finisher Painstaking, conscientious, anxious. Searches out errors and omissions. Delivers on time

Perfectionism Obsessional behaviour

Specialist Single-minded, self-staring, dedicated. Provides knowledge and skill in rare supply

Acquiring knowledge for its own sake

Ignoring outside own area of competence

Belbin – Team Roles CategoriesAction-orientated roles

shaper

implementer

completer/finisher

People-orientated roles

co-ordinator

team workerresource investigator

Cerebral roles

plant

monitor evaluator

specialistBelbin (1993)

Some Thoughts on Leading Teams

• Genuine concern for others• Ability to communicate and inspire• Decency• Humanity• Humility• Sensitivity• Respect for others Prof Beverley Alimo-Metcalfe summarises the 7 qualities as the leader being a servant not a hero