Posts tagged ‘Team Building’

Why it is Important to Build and Rebuild Trust

As noted in earlier blogs, trust is paramount to healthy working relationships, effective communication, increased productivity, and YES… a healthy bottom-line!

Conflict is a natural part of our human existence.  Differing opinions, values, and habits make conflict inevitable.   The importance of resolving conflict while maintaining trust cannot be overstated.  Eight ways to minimize the conflict that destroys trust or to rebuild trust once it has been damaged are shown below: Continue reading ‘Has Trust Been Lost in Your Working Relationships?’ »

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Posted by Judy Bell on July 1, 2010 at 12:38 am under The Phoenix Seminar.
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How It Heightens Disengagement and Costs You Millions

Dysfunction in a team will usually result in poor performance and inadequate productivity, but the effects of team dysfunctions on the employees themselves just might be far more serious and much more costly.

When a team becomes dysfunctional you can expect disengagement to follow as individuals may lose sight of team goals, not understand their role in the team and wait for direction to make any progress.  Statistics say that the average employee is disengaged two hours each day.  Could dysfunctional teams be contributing to disengagement in your organization?  If so, just how does it affect your bottom-line?

Disengagement is not a small concern.  Take, for example, a company with 100 employees who work full time at an average wage of $25 per hour.  What is disengagement costing them?  The productivity they could be losing due to disengagement is worth an estimated $1,200,000.

Determining the cost of disengagement within your organization is an important step in tackling this talent management burden.  Then, consider implementing organizational and team multi-rater surveys that give everyone in the organization the opportunity to speak up and help you determine the real root of disengagement.  Perhaps it is dysfunction in a team, job misfit, mismanagement, lack of motivation or other personnel-related issues.  No matter what the cause, identifying it, addressing it and implementing a solution will make a dramatic difference on your bottom-line.

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Posted by J Block on May 28, 2009 at 5:12 am under Team Building.
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Teams work best with a common goal should be a clearly understood requirement for team leaders. However, for various reasons a common goal is not used as it should be used. There are a couple of reason for lacking a common goal within work teams.

First, no one brings up the actual goal for a team. Many times the discussions within a team are about activities, tasks, and to do’s. They leave out the most important part that clarifies direction for the teams operational results.

Second, no one can agree upon one goal for the team. Each person defines their role within the team based upon what they want to do or whatever is their personal agenda. Therefore, the team is splinted and moving toward different goals – usually conflicting goals which pulls apart a team. The biggest ego usually wins the day and many are left feeling left out or purposeless.

Third, a goal has been set by one person either inside or outside the team, yet, has not shared the goal with anyone working on the team. Therefore, misalignment or a lack of focus wins the day. The leader who does not share the overall common goal is undermining the performance of the team. This factor also eliminates or reduces any discussion by the team members about the target. Therefore, individual and team commitment is lowered – again reducing the level of performance of the team.

Common goals are just that – known as the common target for the team. It should be fully discussed and all positions or agendas should be placed upon the table. Open discussion creates commitment and buy-in by the team members allowing for higher levels of performance and results. A side note to the open discussion – better results, expectations and methodology for results are usually created using open discussion and listening to each members points of view.

Teams need a common goal for clear focus and execution for attainment. Team leaders need to start a team project with open discussion about the common goals and listen to the alternatives for results. Sometimes the unexpected results or path becomes clear using open dialogue.

If you are looking for better understanding of team dynamics and the use of common goals within teams, contact the InnerActive Consulting Group at 901-757-4434. Ask for Voss Graham when you call.

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Posted by Voss Graham on December 5, 2008 at 6:10 am under Team Building.
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Many will agree that people are the most important asset of an organization. More importantly, however, is how well those people work together to accomplish a common goal.  Whether a company has
thousands of people working in various locations worldwide or just a handful working in one small office, teamwork is vital to success.  So, how can you ensure that your teams are performing at their fullest
potential?  How do people contribute to the team differently?  Have you built effective teams?

To begin answering these questions, you must learn how to really understand each member of the team to
identify their work style and how it compares to others in the group.   You also need to look at the inherent
strengths that each person brings to the table.  Not their expertise or their background, but those things they seem to be good at just because that is who they are.

Once you understand the team members, you can not only build a team with the most effective combination
of strengths, but you can also learn how to leverage each individual’s strengths for a dynamic team that
works at its highest potential.  Only then will teams reach goals that have been unattained by individuals,
work at levels of productivity no single person can achieve or impact the bottom line more effectively as a
group.  In fact, maybe we should revisit the assets of an organization.  Perhaps TEAMS are more important
than people on their own?

A Senior Vice President for a Technology Company discovered the importance of using assessments to assist in selecting a diverse yet functional group to lead a very important company project. His first attempt had been a failure because he selected a team consisting of passive and non results oriented individuals. His second Team consisted of a balance of results oriented, active, detailed, persistant, and influential individuals that produced the project in record time, within budget and a quality product ( as described by their customers.).

To learn more about using assessments in selected or evaluating Team Effectiveness, call me at 901-757-4434. We have been implementing assessments within team for over eighteen years with outstanding results for our clients.

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Posted by Voss Graham on November 21, 2008 at 6:15 am under Team Building, Using Assessments.
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The key to understanding the makeup of your team and each member’s unique strength is a common format for identifying and understanding each person’s work habits, strengths and communication preferences. Using this information allows for a clear understanding of who is capable of delivering upon the expectations of the team.

There are many ways you can classify people through observation and identify what “type” of person they
are.  One of the most common theories addressing styles of communicating is the theory of DISC.  Derived
from the early work of William M. Marston, the theory has since been applied to the world of business and
used in a number of different ways to better understand, appreciate work with and manage people.

In team building, utilizing the theory of DISC helps team members truly understand why everyone is
different, what each individual’s strengths are, and how each person contributes to the team.  Remember,
communication is more than what someone says.  In fact, communication is more about what people do, or
how they act. DISC considers all aspects of communication, from the words we use to how body language
affects communication.  By providing a common language with which to speak about our differences, DISC
allows us to recognize other “types” of people, understand them better and leverage their strengths.  With
DISC, the team can be more cohesive, more productive and more efficient.

DISC also allows us to look at team dynamics in a whole new light, making sure that a well-rounded group
provides all the strengths needed for success, and each member is in a role that suits them best.  Which
person is best to lead?  Who should handle the details?  What is the best combination for small work groups
within the team?

With DISC, it is easy to identify team dynamics to begin strengthening your company’s biggest asset.  Even
if you have a team of star performers, they are only reaching half of their potential if they don’t work well
together.  Imagine the possibilities if everyone came together to work effectively as a team.

Contact us about how to implement DISC within your organization. Call us at 901-757-4434.

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Posted by Voss Graham on November 19, 2008 at 6:50 am under Team Building, Using Assessments.
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