Team Focus
When I worked at Hewlett-Packard several years ago, I felt I could dial any number within the company, and whoever answered the phone would genuinely try to help me. When employees share information and work to support one another, they tend to take more responsibility for their roles, as well as feel better about the company for which they work. Companies that stress the importance of teams through bonus programs and other metrics tend to foster employee camaraderie and better working relationships.
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Photo by Ack Ook
This spirit of supporting the “team” is a healthy way to work. A culture that encourages too much individual competition may produce many “stars,” but the overall culture can suffer. Last year, HP’s decision to cut pay for everyone was certainly controversial. However, if you look at the results today, HP has come out of the recession in a very strong position. No company can be sustainable by relying on a few people. The strength of a team and complementary skills produces scalability, sustainability and satisfaction.
Some things to think about:
- Create opportunities for teams to work cross-functionally. This will produce well rounded leaders, better ideas and create shared accountability and responsibility. I actually wonder if traditional job descriptions should be abandoned in place of “accountability descriptions” that are fluid for teams and projects.
- Looks for ways to avoid “silo-ed” teams. While navigating through a matrix organization is complex, it forces better communication and cooperation if led appropriately. Internal competition typically does more harm than good. Bob Sutton has written a lot about this subject. See, for example, his post on the impact of internal competition. It is a several years old, but certainly not outdated.
- Educate the company on what other teams do. This can be done very simply and inexpensively by having “Lunch and Learns”, “Tech Talks” and other in-house informal discussions. The more employees understand about all parts of the company and the business, the better.
- Seek to better understand team dynamics to increase effectiveness and communication. I like to use the Myers Briggs Indicator, but there are many formal tools and informal ways to open up the discussion and gain appreciation and understanding for others.
- Hire people that are different than you. Dee Hock sums it up in well in Fast Company:
Employing Yourself: Never hire or promote in your own image. It is foolish to replicate your strength. It is idiotic to replicate your weakness. It is essential to employ, trust, and reward those whose perspective, ability, and judgment are radically different from yours. It is also rare, for it requires uncommon humility, tolerance, and wisdom. (Dee Hock on Management)
- Re-think your company’s incentive practices. Financial rewards for individual metrics don’t produce the results you think they do. If you have not seen Dan Pink’s TED talk, watch it.
- Literally create open space in the workplace for people to congregate. Giving people unstructured time and space to interact is good. The “Drive to Bond” is a key component in employee motivation and satisfaction at work. (Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model, HBR July-August 2008).
When thinking about the greatest satisfaction of my work life, the first thing that comes to mind is the great people I have had the opportunity to work with. Even on the worst day at work, having a great team can make all the difference. Think about ways you can encourage a collaborative and team centered experience in the way you lead.
