Does teamwork really make the dream work in tough times?
ByIn today’s economic climate, layoffs seem to be a fact of life. The newly-unemployed take the biggest hit, of course. But layoffs and restructuring cause difficulties for those remaining, too.
Last week’s post was about pre-layoff decisions that a leader must make. This time I want to talk about post-layoff situations that leaders must often navigate.
Suppose you’re facing a situation where staff has been cut, and departments have been combined and shuffled. Work teams that had years of experience together are dissolved, with their remaining members split up and partnered with people they have no history with. Employees are suddenly expected follow a leader they know only a little – or not at all.
Now imagine that you’re one of those team leaders. You’ve been assigned an unfamiliar team and new objectives. How do you get this new team up to speed and working toward a common goal?
1. Acknowledge the Challenge
The situation is awkward. You know it; your team knows it. Don’t be afraid to state the obvious: A group that has never worked together will not perform as well as one that’s been together for years.
By sitting down with the entire team and acknowledging the challenge, you create common ground. You also relieve the pressure of expecting instant camaraderie, while at the same time setting the team’s first goal: Getting to know each other.
2. Build Relationships
Relationship-building requires time. If members of your team barely know each other, you need to provide specific opportunities for them to interact. Call a meeting with a primarily social agenda. Encourage people to talk about more than work – i.e. topics like hobbies, background, family, etc. This will increase their comfort level for future interactions, when it’s time to really get down to business.
As the leader, you also need to get to know everyone individually. Schedule your own one-on-one time with each member of the team. Be intentional about getting to know them. The better you know their strengths and weaknesses, the better you can help them play to their strengths, maximize their potential, and work together as a team.
3. Develop a Clear Strategy
A new team probably means new goals and responsibilities. Bring everyone together to communicate the big picture for the team. Then strategize with the entire group on how you will work together to achieve team goals.
Creating a strategy helps team members to know their position, which creates clarity and security. They’ll be confident of what they need to prioritize and what they can expect other team members to deliver.
Tough times bring tough leadership situations. But then again, so do good times. Everyone’s saying that this economy will eventually turn around. When it does and organizations start growing, you may again find yourself leading new teams of people that you don’t know in tasks that they’ve never done before. You’ll be able to use this same trust-building strategy then, because it works in good times as well as bad.
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Employee Involvement has been the glue that has kept our organization connected to our business goals and helped solidify our tactics. This program has also built stronger relationships because we intentionally look for the best in our people. Not just the best at work, the best in their lives. We encourage them to bring outside talents into the workplace. This has helped build morale, trust, and a deeper level of happiness about work life.
Great article John. I love the part about building relationships. If a team does a good job at that piece it will be able to transition better when thing change.
Here is my theory. Teams, and businesses need to begin practicing Heart-Based Leadership. This begins with T.R.U.S.T.
1. Take time to tell the truth.
2. Respect those you lead.
3. Understand differences in people.
4. Stay focused on the NOW and the FUTURE and leave the past behind.
5. Take time to care.
Team vs Group …??? any comments
Team/LeBron….
These are few steps but are very critical to the success of every organization when the times changes.
Dr Maxwell , well done for exposing me an aspiring church leader to these your time tested principles.
I found your comments inspiring John. It reminded me of the way the early Greeks and Romans taught. Their teaching was based on a three pronged approach. 1. They took time to build rapport. 2. They appealed to the mind and to human reason. 3. They appealed to the emotions and this I believe is the crucial part. If you haven’t made the time to relate to your staff on an emotional level, your’ve missed the boat. There must be that emotional connection.
Gets to the core ideals for making a small business like ours – 18 emp. – work well towards the future. I liked what you said on Dave Ramsey so much I put it on my quote board for this week – “One is too small of a number to achieve greatness.” Thanks.
The commitment to building relationships is key.
John, mind sharing some thoughts on the Cavaliers and their loss?
haha….I am also a Cavs fan. I love your focus on relationships John. I have gained so much from you as I plan to build my leadership qualities. I have finally worked up the courage to begin blogging about the things I am learning.
Team vs. Group…
Team vs. group is an extension of Group vs. Crowd as discussed by Schein, don’t you think? Crowd being a number of individuals and group being a number of individuals with a commonality – background, experience, etc. Team is the next iteration – a number of individuals with a common goal or focus.
I think we can see this evolution as we bring folks together – from crowd to group to team – in group dynamics – from Forming (crowd) through Storming to Norming (Group) to Performing (Team.)
Just a thought. Any one else?
Great Points!…
1. Acknowledge the Challenge
2. Build Relationships
3. Develop a Clear Strategy
I’ve heard of team leaders who thought their job
was to intimidate others.
“People have been known to achieve more as a
result of working with others than against
them.” -Dr. Allan Fromme
Great information.
Their is a link to how successful people think, this camaraderie of being in tune with the big picture. Time together releases a common ground, example your sister Doris will have more clarity about you than the team member who you have only worked with for a couple of years.. She knows that sharp people do sharpen one another, and relationship building is a goal of the organization even at the highest level you must expose yourself to tremendously good input. It wont be long and everyone will be 100% informed and like a well oiled machine greatness is around the corner. We must continue to influence and take this to a higher level because their is a demand for this type of leadership. Yesterday I was reminded again how people think and express themselves and you once again are shown the importance of keeping the mind strong and solid. It’s a good thing and remember to have plenty of fun in the process. I always do. So once again John you have out done yourself and looking forward to the next lesson. Have a wonderful day.
I would think one of the greater challenges would stem from the fact that everyone in this newly reformed environment has survival on their minds. I’m thinking this may cause some employees to live in constant fear or panic, in which some may even try and sabotage their co-workers to get ahead. I have read some articles though that allude to people becoming more diligent at their work because they realize in today’s job market there is no room for complacency or mediocrity. Everyone is expendable. However, if leaders follow through with the first suggestion of Acknowledging the Challenge, I don’t see how this could not be seen as an opportunity instead of a challenge. I think the key would be to really listen to each member.