Team: Redefined
The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say ‘I’. And that’s not because they have trained themselves not to say ‘I’. They don’t think ‘I’. They think ‘we’; they think ‘team’. They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don’t sidestep it, but ‘we’ gets the credit…. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done. Peter Drucker.
During the pandemic, we have all been sorely tested—not just leaders, or teams, but all of us, as individuals. We have been forced to question what work means, our roles and the systems we have taken for granted since we entered the world of work. Looking back to my own education, in high school and college, I was definitely taught, in general, that to be part of a team meant to subjugate self; to be sure that the team trumps the individual. The old adage ”There’s no ‘I’ in team,” that leadership guru, Peter Drucker articulates above, seems mostly to remain tried, tested and true. We have certainly read, and SmarterWisdom has written, that the team must take precedence, and paying attention to both the formation, and the nurturing of the team is vital to success. Is that really the case? Or has the pandemic and our changed ways of living and working perhaps pretty much upended much of our thinking about the concept of team?
Certainly, looking at how we create teams, understand the role of the individual and the group and ensure that teams are responsive and nimble, are important ways to capitalize on this moment of disruption. Redefining the work of teams, and recommitting to this work, gives all of us the opportunity both to take stock and perhaps to make change for the better. In fact, it seems to me, that “redefinition” or “reset” seem like the words of the day. Taking advantage of the major crisis we have all been dealing with, using the pandemic, and all that it required as impetus for change, are common threads in innovative workplaces where caring about employees and relationships—as much as the bottom line—has risen to the highest level of importance.
Many individuals SmarterWisdom has worked with during the past year, have come to the realization that placing themselves and their goals and values first is vital to their health and their success. Leaders who tend to place the organization first are feeling tired and unable to see how this approach is sustainable. Employees, especially women, are navigating ways to maintain a personal and family life and reassess their commitment to “the firm.” What does this mean for effective, high-performing teams? How is the “we” of teams being re-evaluated? What are the stressors on teams that might negate the growth of successful teams, and conversely, are there stressors that we can take advantage of and work with, for a better future with our work-mates?
When we think about high-performing teams and teams that have needed to step up big-time, the work of teams in healthcare settings jumps immediately to mind. Because the teamwork was mostly required to be in person, within the backdrop of the pandemic, and because it was work primarily focused on saving lives, this working together provides the “real scoop” on what all teams might learn from, both during the current time, and for future efficacy. One particular article, from the healthcare sector, outlined advice for improved team success, and support of individual team members. Let’s look at these findings, all taken from: Managing teamwork in the face of pandemic: evidence-based tips, May 2020, BMJ Journals, by Tannenbaum, Traylor, Salas & Thomas. (Note: I have paraphrased and changed the British spelling of their recommendations.)
First, recognize the wins and successes of the team. Seems like a small thing, but how often do we make time for this in a meaningful way? Not just “haloes and horns” but truly acknowledging and understanding what went well, what succeeded. This action not only recognizes the work of the team, but in addition states explicitly what was done that worked—and therefore can be done again. As you engage in this review: Don’t forget the people behind the scenes. In other words, this is where you name and show appreciation and recognition to those in support roles who might not typically be at the senior team table. Consider the importance of what they do and pay attention to the ones you will be relying on again and again. Try to consider the mindset and emotional state of the team; employ quick, periodic pre-briefs and huddles where you check-in. Remind the team of values and agreed-upon approaches. In these short, check-in sessions try to encourage and promote team mutual monitoring. In other words, make it a hallmark of your team’s work that each member freely checks in with other members and feels empowered to initiate these discussions that focus on team health and good connection. In addition, try to acknowledge where you can improve and admit when you have questions. Thank others when they admit a mistake or offer a dissenting view. Model helpful behavior that encourages belonging and emerging leadership efforts.
As a team leader, try regularly to delegate the work of monitoring and nurturing the wellbeing of your team to others. In some of the schools SmarterWisdom knows, we have seen the school counselor join the senior team—a helpful way to expand the reach of a highly functioning group, for example. Human resource staff in other types of organizations are excellent at this work. Try to consciously boost team resilience. Anticipate, plan for and attempt to address stressors, surges and likely setbacks. Smartly and ‘intentionally’ shift the team from normal to emergency modes as appropriate. Highlighting where you are in the process, giving signals that the work is almost done, and conversely signaling when it needs a new boost of energy, provide a structure for those around you and helps them do their best work.
While this advice was written for healthcare workers, during a pandemic, it provides vital aspects of a new—or revised and re-stated—understanding of teamwork; work that ideally each member of a team subscribes to, and efforts that team-leaders support and develop as they empower others. It is a new, and exciting, view of “we” and “I”; a focus that could energize the new world of work we are all entering. This advice, builds on a shared identity and common values that apply to all work. In addition, it tells us to explicitly acknowledge the context in which we are working; reminds us about the nature of the work; and asks us to commit and recommit to the team we belong to. It therefore cannot fail to reinforce team belonging, while acknowledging the contribution we each bring. This perspective of teamwork asks much of team members and recognizes the role that each member plays. It brings together elements of redefinition that are sustainable, and can be adjusted based on crisis or normal times, building inherent belonging and wellbeing in the workplace. It is a definition that takes note of the ‘we’ and the ‘I’, placing them in alignment and in an ongoing conversation, constructing strong and versatile teams that will create the matrix of high-performing organizations.
As we consider the changes made necessary by the pandemic, there is no question that we need to ponder even more deeply the vital work of teams, and of team leadership. Making some of the shifts SmarterWisdom subscribes to will require time, energy and expertise—and perhaps most importantly, empowering others. The return on investment of this concentrated work will be worth it, don’t you think?