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How can you set objectives
as a team?
The best way is to use a systematic tool that will help you discuss issues
clearly. There's one in the guidebook here.
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How can you stop items
coming up repeatedly at meetings?
This is a big timewaster, but many teams either fail to recognise it happening,
or feel powerless to change it. This is usually because issues are not
fully explored, people not sufficiently listened to. There are some key
techniques, such as 'supportive development' and constructive criticism
which can break through this problem. Look in the Guidebook here, or the
Team Toolkit for some more information.
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What can be done to
improve meeting agendas?
A great deal! Meeting agendas need to be constructed as a clear set of
objectives / outcomes, not just a list of discussion topics. There's some
great practical advice here.
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What if agenda items
overrun? How do you manage the time?
It's a good idea to estimate (and publish in the agenda) the duration
of agenda items. But a good meeting has an element of flexibility when
it's necessary. But don't just let things drift on - when an item is overrunning,
the chair should stop discussion and renegotiate - either postpone the
item or allot more time.
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Generally how can you
plan time better as a team?
Generally by adopting a planning method that is appropriate to the task.
People sometimes use complex planning methods for tasks that are not complex!
The reaction to this is to use nothing at all! Yet a plan can be handwritten,
for instance on a flipchart sheet - and be enormously valuable. A simple
set of actions and timings, planned backward from the end result, can
work well. There's more about planning here.
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What are ways to generate
novel ideas? How can we come with 'out of the box' stuff that management
always want?
Get out of your comfort zone with some new techniques! What this means
in practice is to risk trying some things that may succeed or fail - but
still maintain your enthusiasm and determination. Many teams know about
brainstorming - but the real challenge is to do it properly. There are
some other techniques too. You'll find the best index of them in the Team
Toolkit.
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How can you play a
'coordinating' role as a leader and avoid dominating the team?
You need to hold back sometimes when you want to suggest ideas or steer
the discussion your way. Back off from the detail so that you can observe
the team's general progress. Make it a key personal goal to ensure that
all of your team participate. If there's a problem, state it clearly to
the team without any solutions from yourself - and ask them first. Never
forget though, that your key role is to make sure that the objective,
the purpose, is clear and direct.
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How can a team develop
consensus? (What is 'consensus' by the way?)
Consensus in a team is where everyone commits to a course of action. Individuals
accept that, although they could debate their personal point of view for
hours, there is a need for the team to progress and resolve issues. There
are various techniques to help with this in the Team Toolkit.
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Can a team continuously
improve?
It certainly can. But it will not happen without some conscious effort.
A good team will review its work and learn from both success and failure.
Team review is an enormously powerful process, but many miss opportunities
by not allotting time for it. It doesn't have to take long - there are
some useful techniques shown here in the Online Guidebook.
Sometimes there is a need for more active team development, beyond the
confines of day-to-day work. There is a guide to the possibilities here.
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How can you balance
your duty to listen with your desire to make a point?
Contribute when you must, not just when you can. When you listen, try
to think of what will really add to the subject, or what is the essential,
fact-based concern that you have. Think about your 'normal' style: if
you're pretty much like everyone else, you could profitably listen about
twice as much as you do, speak about half as much, and still be just as
effective.
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How can you encourage
a poorly performing team to adopt better behaviours?
Generally you have to persuade team members to try something that will
be easy and successful. Of course it's most appropriate to do this if
you are the chair, or the team leader, but that's not always the case.
Most people agree that better listening - one person talks at one time
- is a good thing, and such a suggestion will normally be accepted. If
you like it's a 'contract' that people can agree to, then they will accept
some control when discussion get out of hand. Once something like this
has been seen to work, then the team may be ready to accept a bit more!
Sometimes a team leader needs to organise some more formal team development,
and use a trained facilitator to help. Check this out here.
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How can you stop
dominant individuals monopolising the team discussions?
Be gentle and cheerful with words but firm in your intention. Use a simple
body language technique (see here in the Team Toolkit) to stop people
from talking, and encourage the opinions of others.
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What if the team
leader has decided everything prior to the meeting?
Then there's no need to have one! Why not suggest it - or perhaps ask
'what contribution would you like us to make here?' or 'How can we help?
I'm not quite clear?' Team members can often effect some desired change
when they ask neutral, fact-based questions, and make suggestions that
will benefit everyone. This is a tricky situation and you need to influence
rather than demand; if you're offering something that will perhaps shorten
a meeting, it's likely to be well received.
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What is the difference
between 'vision / mission / strategy'?
Here is a guide to the meanings of these words. There are many definitions,
and business units will generate some, all or none of these, depending
on their situations. You should use them if you think they will add value
to your efforts, and help you communicate what you are planning.
Vision: A statement or a description of how your unit will change
itself and its environment in the future.
Mission: A statement of what your unit is there to do. What it
will provide for its customers. Overall purpose.
Goals: Key things that your unit needs to achieve by specified
times, in order to fulfill its mission.
Strategy: Key ways in which you will achieve your goals.
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What 'systems',
models and formulas are there for teams to use?
Very many! Over the years, mangement gurus have developed hundreds of
models which explain how teams and organisations set objectives, strategies,
solve problems, make decision, change, develop, learn, etc.
We recommend what we think is the simplest of all models, the Clarify,
Prepare, Action, Review process. This is described in more detail in the
online Guidebook here. The Guidebook is actually structured around these
steps.
The Kepner-Tregoe model...
Kolb's learning cycle is the basis for a huge amount of subsequent models.
The Belbin analysis is a valuable aid to understanding how a team works.
see below -
How can the Belbin team roles analysis help?
Dr Meredith Belbin's work has helped enormously to generate understanding
what leads to team effectiveness. His key observation was that an effective
team, as well as having a sufficient mix of functional expertise, consists
also of an optimum mix of process roles - the chairperson, the planner,
the ideas person, the networker, and so on. The Belbin questionnaire identifies
the strengths of these across a work team, and can help explain why it's
having problems and what it can do to overcome them. Thousands of facilitators
and consultants use the Belbin analysis, including us!
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