Why Teams Don't Work

by Harvey Robbins & Michael Finley


-part one : broken dreams, broken teams-
1. The Team Idea -- everybody get together
Why Teams Are Good

• Teams increase productivity
  
• Teams improve communication
  
• Teams do work that ordinary groups can't do
  
• Teams make better use of resources (and ideas)
  
• Teams are more creative and more efficient at solving problems
  
• Teams mean higher-quality decisions
  
• Teams mean better quality goods and services
  
• Teams mean improved processes
  
• Teams differentiate while they integrate
  

PROBLEM	SYMPTOM
Mismatched Needs	People with private agendas working at cross-purposes
Confused Goals, Cluttered Objectives	People don't know what they're supposed to do, or it makes no sense
Unresolved Roles	Team members are uncertain what their job is
Bad Decision Making	Teams may be making the right decisions, but in a wrong way
Bad Policies, Stupid Procedures	Team is at the mercy of an employee handbook from hell
Personality Conflicts	Team members do not get along
Bad Leadership	Leadership is tentative, inconsistent, or stupid
Bleary Vision	Leadership has foisted a bill of goods on the team
Anti-Team Culture	The organization is not really committed to the idea of teams
Insufficient Feedback and Information	Performance is not being measured; team members are groping in the dark
Ill-Conceived Reward Systems	People are being rewarded for the wrong things
Lack of Team Trust	The team is not a team because members are unable to commit to it
Unwillingness to Change	The team knows what to do but will not do it
The Wrong Tools	The team has been sent to do battle with a slingshot

2. Human Needs -- desperately seeking teaming
Things people seek from one another:

• Affection
  
• Affiliation
  
• Acknowledgement and recognition
  
• Exchange of ideas
  
• Personal self-worth
  

3. Individual Needs vs Team Needs -- ulterior motives
People are not selfless people. It's generally a "me first" or "please consider my personal needs while we meet the team's" situation. Whatever the personal goals, we need to know what they are, and deal with them, or at least acknowledge them -- perhaps even make it corollary team goals.

4. Teamwork vs Socialwork -- what a team we should make
Socializing. Social work are sort of team goals because they involve the group, but they are not related to the business goals. Basically they are fun stuff, distractions. Sometimes the line between work and fun gets fuzzy. A survey years ago suggested that at least a quarter of the time is occupied by socialwork. The researchers also suggested that this mental break time is a necessary component to staying sane at work (relieving stress).

---

-part two : why teams come apart-

5. Misplaced Goals, Confused Objectives -- what are we doing here?
A good team goal :

• a task -- what are you doing
  
• mini-goals, short- (1 month), mid- (3) and long-term (6) goals
  
• a promised limit of what you're doing -- when to stop
  
• a promised level of performance -- budget?
  
• a deadline -- when to finish
  
• the definition of the customer, who all this effort is for
  

Distractions :

• Interteam warfare -- failure of communication, disagreements, arguments
  
• Team sadism -- impossible goals which hurt
  
• The road to nowhere -- how do we move?
  

6. Unresolved Roles -- it ain't my job, man
The good and the bad tasks of the job

- bad / troublesome tasks - hot potatoes no one wants
- good / easy tasks - can result turf wars for that coveted task


7. Bad Decision Making -- how not to make up your mind

Type of decision making	Advantage	Disadvantage
Consensus Everybody contributes and comes to a compromise	produces an innovative, creative, high-quality decision; elicits commitment by all the members to implement the decision; uses the resources of all members; useful in making serious, important and complex decisions to which all members will be committed	takes a lot of time and psychological energy and a high level of member skill; time pressure must be minimal; there can be no emergency in progress.
Majority Democracy. Majority wins.	can be used when time is a constrain, or when the decision is not so important that consensus is necessary; close discussion on issues that are not highly important to the team	usually leaves an alienated minority, a time bomb for future effectiveness; important talents of the minority team may be snubbed; commitment for implementing the decision is only partially present; full benefit of team interaction does not happen
Minority Usually takes the form of a subcommittee of a larger team that investigates information and makes recommendations for action.	can be used when not everyone can get together to make a decision; when the team is in a time crunch and must delegate responsibility to a committee; when only a few members have relevant expertise or knowledge; when broader team commitment is not needed to implement the decision; useful for simple, routine decisions	does not utilize the talents of all team members; does not build broad commitment for implementing the decision; unresolved conflict and controversy may damage future team effectiveness; not much benefit from team interaction
Averaging The epitome of compromise. Team members haggle, bargain, cajole, and negotiate an international middle position. Usually no one is happy with the results, except for moderates on the team.	individual errors and extreme opinions tend to cancel each other out, making this a better method than "authority rule without discussion"	opinions of the least knowledgeable members may annul the opinions of the most knowledgeable members; little team involvement in decision making, so commitment to the decision will likely be weak; letting members with the greatest expertise make the decision is almost always better than a group average
Expert Find experts, listen to what they say, and follow their recommendations	useful when the expertise of one person is so far superior to all other team members that little is to gained by discussion; should be used when the need of membership action in implementing the decision is slight	how do you determine who the best expert is? no commitment is built for implementing the decision; advantages of team interaction are lost; resentment and disagreement may result may result in sabotage and deterioration of team effectiveness; knowledge and skills of other team members are not used
Authority Rule Without Discussion No room for discussion; like predetermined decisions handed down higher authority; trust is often killed with this method	applies more to administrative needs, useful for simple, routine decisions; should be used when very little time is available to make the decision; when team members expect the designated leader to make the decision; when team members lack the skills or information to make the decision anyway	one person cannot be a good resource for every decision; advantages of team interaction are lost; zero team commitment is developed for implementing the decision; resentment and disagreement may result in sabotage and deterioration of team effectiveness; resources of other team members are not used
Authority Rule With Discussion Participative Decision Making. Open discussion where opinions are aired, after which they cut off the discussion, make the decision and get back to the team members.	gains commitment from all team members; develops a lively discussion on the issues using the skills and knowledge of all team members; is clear on who is ultimately responsible for the decision of the team	requires good communication on the part of team members; requires a leader willing to make decisions

8. The Wrong Policies and Procedures -- you can't get there from here
Policies and procedures are supposed to serve the team, not the other way round.
Throw away those outdated and irrelevant manuals.

9. The People Problem -- I'm not working for that jerk!
I know that you think you understand
what you thought I said.
But I am not sure that you heard
is what I meant.

Basic Personality Types
-----
Analytical
Key Value:
Work with existing circumstances to promote quality in products and services
Orientation: Thinking
Time: Past
Personality:
perfectionists; mostly right about issues because they gave the matter time, reflection and rational consideration; their strong suit is the facts; patient, which may sometimes paralyze instead.
Generally:
critical, indecisive, stuffy, picky, moralistic, industrious, persistent, serious, expecting, orderly

Driver
Key Value:
Shape the environment by overcoming opposition to get immediate results
Orientation: Action
Time: Present
Personality:
let-me-do-it people; firmly rooted in the present, they are lovers of action; their strength is the results; bitterly self-critical, and resentful of idle chit-chat
Generally:
pushy, severe, tough, dominating, harsh, strong-willed, independent, practical, decisive, efficient

Amiable
Key Value:
Cooperative with others, make sure people are included and feel good about the process
Orientation: Relationships
Time: Depends on who they are with at the time
Personality:
"warm fuzzies", the people people; their greatest strength is their understanding of relationships.
Generally:
conforming, unsure, ingratiating, dependent, awkward, supportive, respectful, willing, dependable, agreeable

Expressive
Key Value:
Shape the environment by bringing others into alliance to generate enthusiasm for the results
Orientation: Intuition
Time: Future
Personality:
big-picture people; intuitive and creative
Generally:
manipulating, excitable, undisciplined, reacting, egoistical, ambitious, stimulating, wacky, enthusiastic, dramatic, friendly


Communicating with :

Analyticals

• prepare your case in advance
  
• take your time, but be persistent
  
• support their principles
  
• cover all bases
  
• draw up a scheduled approach for any action plan
  
• be clear
  
• avoid emotional arguments
  
• follow through your promises
  

Amiables

• break the ice -- it shows your commitment to the task and to them
  
• show respect. don't patronize
  
• listen and be responsive
  
• be non-threatening, casual, informal
  
• ask "how" questions to draw out their opinions
  
• define what you want them to contribute to the task
  
• assure and guarantee that the decision at hand will in no way risk, harm or threaten them. but don't make assurances you cannot back up.
  

Drivers

• be brief and to the point. think "efficiency"
  
• stick to business. skip the chit-chat. close loopholes. dispel ambiguities. Digress at your own peril. Speculate and you're history.
  
• be prepared.. know the requirements and objectives of the task at hand
  
• organise your arguments into a neat "package". present facts cleanly and strongly
  
• be courteous, not chummy. don't be bossy
  
• ask specific questions
  
• if you disagree, disagree with the facts, not the person
  
• if you agree, support both the results and and the person
  
• persuade by citing objectives and results
  
• don't waste his time
  

Expressives

• meet their social needs while talking shop. entertain, stimulate, be lively
  
• talk about their goals as well as the team's
  
• be open -- strong and silent does not cut with expressives
  
• take time. they are most efficient when they are not in a hurry
  
• ask for their opinions and ideas
  
• keep your eye on the big picture, not the technical details
  
• support your points with examples involving people they know and respect
  
• offer special deals, extras, and incentives
  
• show honest respect -- you must not talk down to an expressive
  

---

-part three : what keeps teams from working-


10. Leadership Failure -- who's in charge here, anyway?
Myths of team leadership

1. [X] Teams require a single individual to lead them
   There are various models of team leadership. Leadership can rotate by the clock, or by the task at hand
   
2. [X] Strong leadership ensures success
   A fundamentally bad team with incompetent or uninterested members cannot be led
   
3. [X] How a leader is selected is not important
   Leaders must be selected in a way that is consonant with the task a team is assigned to
   
4. [X] Team success is all that matters
   Well... if the task is wrong, duplicative, wasteful or pointless...
   
5. [X] Team structure is a secondary consideration
   Perfect leadership and followship combined will still come to nothing unless the team is the right type of team for the task
   
6. [X] A good leader and a good team can solve any task
   Not every task is appropriate for teams.
   

Leadership problems

1. Stupid, stubborn leaders
   
2. Ignorant leaders
   
3. overtrained leaders
   
4. overtalented leaders
   
5. leaders who are too kind, overprotective
   
6. leaders who are closed to new ideas
   
7. leaders with inappropriate styles
   
8. leaders who put themselves ahead of the team
   
9. leaders who don't really know the team
   
10. inconsistent leaders
    
11. leaders who can't be followers
    
12. leaders who refuse to acknowledge team members
    
13. leadership that plays favourites
    
14. leaders who do not allow failures
    
15. leaders who protect and blame
    
16. unethical leaders
    
17. leaders who are remote
    
18. leaders who fail to model team behavior
    
19. leaders who are oblivious to team members' career needs
    
20. leaders who are unwilling to fight for the team
    
21. leaders who are unwilling to take risks
    
22. leaders who cannot permit conflict
    
23. leaders who do not value diversity
    
24. leaders who are passive

What team leaders do

1. Project energy
   
2. Are involved, involving, and empowering of others
   
3. Assist evolution and change
   
4. Persuade and persevere
   
5. look beyond the obvious
   
6. Maintain perspective
   
7. Pyramid learning
   
8. Target energy on success opportunities
   
9. foster task linkage with others
   
10. Influence cooperative action
    
11. Support creativity
    
12. Take initiative
    
13. Eschew the negative
    
14. Are never satisfied
    

11. Faulty Vision -- if you don't know where you're going.. you'll probably get there
Pitfalls in communicating the vision to others

• Assigning
  Too often, leaders seek to assign the vision. This s what they say. Here are descriptions. Memorize and replicate.
  
• Dullness
  Members must be able to feel the passion of the leader
  
• Waffling
  Leaders cannot learn the vision as they preach it. If it's the sort of moving, evolving target, everyone will miss it.
  
• Selling
  Don't just play the role of a consultant and try to sell them the vision
  
• Nonaligning
  The proper way to spread a vision is to work with people as individuals to bring their wants and needs into alignment with the team vision. Treat everyone equally. You cannot own it own; they must come to own the idea.. on their own
  

12. Toxic Teaming Atmosphere -- organizational karma


Teams VS Mobs

Teams	Mobs
Members recognize their independence and understand both personal and team goals are best accomplished with mutual support. Time is not wasted struggling over turf or attempting personal gain at the expense of others.	Members think they are grouped together for administrative purposes only. Individuals work independently; sometimes at cross purposes with others.
Members feel a sense of ownership for their jobs and unit because they are committed to goals they helped establish	Members tend to focus on themselves because they are not sufficiently involved in planning the unit's objectives. They approach their job simply as a hired hand.
Members contribute to the organization's success by applying their unique talent and knowledge to team objectives	Members are told what to do rather than being asked what the best approach would be. Suggestions are not encouraged.
Members work in a climate of trust and are encouraged to openly express ideas, opinions, disagreements and feelings. Questions are welcomed.	Members distrust the motives of colleagues because they do not understand the role of other members. Expressions of opinion or disagreement are considered divisive or non-supportive.
Members practice open and honest communication. They make an effort to understand each other's point of view.	Members are so cautious about what they say that real understanding is not possible. Game-playing may occur and communications traps may be set to catch the unwary.
Members are encouraged to develop skills and apply what they learn on the job. They receive the support of the team.	Members may receive good training but are limited in applying it to the job by the supervisor or other group members.
Members recognize conflict as a normal aspect of human interaction but they view such situations as an opportunity for new ideas and creativity. They work to confront and resolve conflict quickly and constructively.	Members find themselves in conflict situations which they do not know how to resolve. They do not differentiate confrontation and conflict. Their supervisor or "team leader" may put off intervention until serious damage is done.
Members participate in decisions affecting the team, but understand their leader must take a final ruling whenever the team cannot decide, or an emergency exists. Positive results, not conformity, is the goal.	Members may or may not participate in decisions affecting the team. Conformity often appears more important than results.

13. Communication Shortfalls -- how'm I doing?
Listen.

There are many sources of contamination in ordinary speech where we are unconsciously working to express:

• our importance
  
• our superior knowledge
  
• our political convictions
  
• our prejudices, which we hope others share
  
• our disdain for the thoughts to a perceived adversary
  
• our insecurity about what others think of us
  
• our lack of stature in the group
  
• our unfamiliarity with the topic at hand
  
• our worry that someone is waiting to shoot us down
  

-- With so much running through our minds, can we really listen to what people are saying? Or are you just taking turns to speak, having a dual-monologue?

14. Rewards and Recognition -- saying one thing and doing another
The importance of security

It means that a company professing to be serious about quality must not punish team members who undertake initiatives on behalf of quality. Team members exhorted to use their mind must feel free, even encouraged, to disagree with one another and with the management as a whole.

- who decides who is rewarded?

Who should decide on who gets rewarded? People on the team have the best knowledge of the value of one another's work. But members must not be put in the position of politicking one another for promotions and raises. Best to have evaluation occur from outside the team, with some evaluative information supplied from within.


- what behaviors are rewarded?

Bonuses are established to motivate people. But bonuses do not motivate when they are automatic or guaranteed. Are the rewards for individual performance? Or organizational performance? Rewards must be for achievements that matter, not noncontributing, non-value-adding activities.


- what rewards do the team and team members value?

[ Cash Considerations ]	Problems
Gainsharinga system where money or resources that are saved by the team are returned, in some degree, to the team	It's hard to measure the success of most kinds of individual teams in dollars. Easiest gainsharing plan to set up is a companywide or locationwide system.
Profit sharing Every year or quarter, a dividend is paid to employees based on cooperate or divisionwide performance.	Profit sharing is individual-orientated and organizationwide. It does not address team performance. Also, deferred rewards like retirement money never quite feels like rewards.
Employee Ownership Stock options, stock purchase plans, employee stock ownership plans etc	Ownership is great, but some companies are not worth owning, even with terrific workforces. Again, this approach does not do much for teams.

[ Reengineered Rewards ]

Companies getting rid of unnecessary management levels will probably not want to promote their workers. This can however be compensated by raises.


[ Team-defined Rewards ]

• Establish a prize
  Quarterly awards that team members vote on, like "best team spirit", "most valuable team member", "biggest improvement" etc.
  
• Get them involved
  People having impact on reaching goals appreciate being part of forming those goals. Bring your best people into the planning process and they'll walk through fire for you.
  
• Power to the people
  Give proven achievers authority to spend a few bucks to increase sales, please customers, or improve critical processes.
  
• Not rich, but famous
  Establish a "Hall of Fame" in your unit or department -- a gallery of pictures, trophies, and plaques, with an emphasis on winning teams as well as individuals.
  
• Praise in print
  Internal newsletters and publications are wonderful grounds for such public praise.
  
• If they had a hammer
  Everyone's dying for a faster computer, car-phone, or fax-line. See that your top producers have access to your best tools.
  
• Meet the boss
  Meeting the Group VP or even the CEO is a big deal, and shows that you care about your people's career tracks.
  
• Share the spotlight
  A pat on the back means more when it's up in front of co-workers. But be careful your reward ceremonies don't divide workers into winners and losers, or overstress individual achievement.
  
• Privy privies
  Everyone likes occasional "perks"
  
• Free lunch
  Many companies purchase annual tickets to sport events, concerts, and other events. Why not share them with the people who make your unit a success?
  
• Stock options
  As above (cash compensation). A stake in the company binds members closer to the company.
  
• Lavish them with attention
  Show that you care. The little things...
  
• Show them you care
  Let performers know that their contributions are appreciated by you, personally.
  

15. Depleted Trust -- why should i trust you?
Nine strategies for creating trust

~i. Have clear, consistent goals
When team members do not know what they are supposed to do, or where the team is heading, their tendency is to be guarded and defensive for their own self-interest and survival. They will find it difficult to buy in to the team's purpose and commit to other team members when they feel left adrift and uncertain.

~ii. Be open, fair, and willing to listen
It is important to include the word "fair" in discussions

~iii. Be decisive -- and how
When it comes to building trust, even a bad decision is better than no decision

~iv. Support all other team members
Loyalty is a linchpin of building team trust. A team is a family. You protect your team members from being victims of non-team abuse. You do not broadcast your dirty laundry to others.

~v. Take responsibility for team actions
Take personal responsibility for the team as a whole. This is true whether you are the team leader or not. Blaming convolutes the team process. Who will speak freely, offer ideas freely, and provide honest critiques knowing someone on the team is going to come down on them with a sledgehammer?

~vi. Give credit to team members
"Nothing is ever yours until you give it away" - Albert Einstein

~vii. Be sensitive to the needs of team members
The best way to build up a strong trust bank account is by showing awareness of and sensitivity to the needs of other team members.

~viii. Respect the opinion of others
People are different fundamentally. They can conceive of ideas you have never thought possible, or things which may seem crazy to you.

~ix. Empower team members to act
Trust gives results i trust, support, and loyalty in return.

16. Change Issues -- who's rocking the boat?

1. People feel awkward, ill-at-ease, and self-conscious.
   
2. People will think first about what they must give up.
   
3. People will feel alone.
   
4. People can handle only so much change
   
5. People have different readiness levels for change
   
6. People will fret that they do not have enough resources
   
7. If you take the pressure off, people will revert to their old behaviors
   

Rules for change

1. Plan for change
   
2. Involve others in the change process / get stakeholder agreement and commitment
   
3. Communicate!!
   
4. Generate expectations of outcomes
   
5. Create influence / support networks
   
6. Obtain adequate resources
   
7. Generate critical mass to create and maintain impetus / momentum
   
8. Follow through and follow up
   
9. Persist and stand ready to pay the price for change -- mistakes
   
10. Reinforce early and often
    
11. Keep processes and techniques simple
    
12. Lead the way
    

---

-part four : team myths-


17. The Myth of Adventure Learning -- belay that!
Adventure Learning like mountaineering or web-climbing are not really about teaming. They are not designed to improve teamwork, but rather to explore various dimensions of personal development.

18. The Myth of Personality Type -- it's what's outside that counts!
Differences in personality simply make the team more diversified. But what the team members really care about is what you do, in real terms, as seen by other teammates.


19. The Myth That Helping Like Working Together -- heigh ho!
People do need personal space. People must be able to access one another simultaneously, but they are mostly reluctant to lose their personal identity and privacy.


20. The Myth that Teamwork Is More Productive than Individual Work -- the team! the team!
The truth is that teams are inherently inferior to individuals, in terms of efficiency. If a single person has sufficient information to complete a task, he will run rings around a team assigned to the same task. No hand offs. No personality conflicts.


21. The Myth of "The More, The Merrier" on Teams -- let's do "the wave"
Teams may seem larger than they are because of adjuncts and resource personnel. These include:

• core members - the actual team
  
• resource team member - like the darting seagull, it drops its load and departs
  
• support people - people who help the core team get stuff done
  
• team sponsor - a manager the team can run to when it need protection or direction
  
• team champion - the person who created the team
  
• facilitators - outside people who help keep the team on track
  

---

-part five : turning teams around-

22. Moving Teams Through Stages Toward Success -- the teaming goes round and round
All teams have to pass through 4 stages in order to be successful.

- Forming : when a group is just learning to deal with one another; time in which minimal work gets accomplished.

• Why was I asked to participate on this team?
  
• Whose idea was the formation of this team?
  
• Why were we formed?
  
• Who are the other members, and what are their strengths?
  
• How am I going to find out what they are good at, and also let them know my capabilities and characteristics?
  
• How large should the team be in order to accomplish the team goals quickly?
  
• Should team membership be voluntary or mandatory?
  
• How and when are we going to bring needed resources onto the team and get rid of them when they are no longer needed?
  

- Storming : A time of stressful negotiation of the team under which the team will work together; a trial by fire.

• What are we supposed to accomplish as a team?
  
• What are each of our roles and responsibilities as they relate to accomplishing the goal?
  
• Who do each of us need to get information from, and to whom does our information have to go in order to complete our goal? Where are our linkages to the outside world?
  
• If we get into trouble, who can we get to rescue us? Who will accept the responsibility of sponsoring this group and its activities?
  
• Who's in charge? Will that change day to day, from one phase of the project to the next? How do we adapt to changing leadership?
  
• How will we arrive at decisions? When will we know we have done that?
  
• What happens when we fight? How do we resolve disagreements over goals or procedures?
  
• How do we increase our ability to take risks till we get to the most direct, most creative level?
  
• What strengths do each of us bring to bear on accomplishing our goal? How can we focus out strengths to influence activities outside our own team?
  
• When will we meet, and how (large groups, small groups, one-to-one)?
  
• How are we going to make ourselves more accessible to one another in order to complete our goals in a timely manner?
  
• Where (or who) are the team's supports? Where (or who) are our detractors and stumbling blocks?
  

- Norming : A time in which roles are accepted, team feeling develops, and information is freely shared.

- Performing : When optimal levels are finally realized -- in productivity, quality, decision-making, allocation of resources, and interpersonal interdependence.

23. Teams and Technology -- the 24-hour transworld team
Does technology work?

• Does your team run the computer system, or does the computer system run your team?
  
• Is the team really more productive, or do they just look busy?
  
• Are security concerns undoing the benefits of your network?
  
• Are teams properly trained, or are they put out there to sink or swim?
  
• Are team suggestions welcome, invited and rewarded?
  
• Is improved communications messing people up?
  
• Has freedom led to chaos?
  
• Is your PC system a substitute for real change?
  

24. Long-Term Team Health -- the well-tuned first-string team

Problem	Where We Were a Year Ago (Scale 1-7)	Where We Are Right Now (Scale 1-7)	Where We Want to be a Year from Now (Scale 1-7)	Action Plan Notes : What We will Do to Get There
Mismatched Needs
Confused Goals, Cluttered Objectives
Unresolved Roles
Bad Policies, Stupid Procedures
Bad Decision Making
Personality Conflicts
Bad Leadership
Bleary Vision
Anti-Team Culture
Communication Shortfalls
Ill-Conceived Reward System
Lack of Team Trust
Unwillingness to Change
The Wrong Tools