BY DEBBIE NICOL
DEVELOPING
COLUMN - Spotlight On Change
Synergy is an outcome of true team status increasing the probability of better, faster or bigger results. Drexler Sibbet’s ‘Bouncing Ball’ Model of High Performing Teams shows how the creation of a team is really a process, and as with all processes, outputs are dependent on inputs. It also demonstrates that the movement from the status of being an effective team to that of a high-performing team is reliant on a transition from a priority for results to a priority for renewal and adaptation, to target increased results.
This level of team evolution exists when change has become a leadership competency of an organization, where it constantly seeks out change opportunities as a means of continual improvement.
Scenarios that could indicate a team is demonstrating a high-performing stage include:
Team leaders help view the organization through a process lens, and if or where service or production faults are witnessed, they will call for collaborative meeting to build a solution. For example, if a level two manufacturing team requires a component from a level one manufacturing team, but often experiences delays in receiving it, all people will return to the process map to find areas for improvement
It is clear that junctures of dependency will become more streamlined allowing for adaptation and innovation.
The environment in which an organization operates is a constant and real reference point for all discussions. This shows that the team wishes to balance inside-out perspectives with those from outside-in, recognizing that opportunity often lies in the outside world.
The team always displays a level of curiosity, evidenced by many learning opportunities that are as important as the operation itself. It is not uncommon for this type of team to invite and attract experts who come with case studies of real change, and then openly build a business case together for customizing and integrating a bigger and better model.
Leaders spends much time out of the office, surrounding themselves with either the reality of the everyday operation, the customer or even the broader industry at large through networking events. Systems already serve well, so little to no fire-fighting is required.
Therefore the only logical thing to do is to invest time in what will extend or grow the organization past the efficiency it currently displays.
Should an organization wish to evolve to a level where these behaviours exist in the everyday work culture, what can be done to help them get there?
40 | TRAINING MAGAZINE MIDDLE EAST FEB 2014
EFFECTIVE TEAMS