The pay-offs of great teamwork are many. It has been validated that by utilizing strong teamwork, organizations can significantly improve performance, effectiveness, efficiency, engagement, communications, innovative thinking, quality, speed, retention and more. Interestingly, research has provided us with a list of ‘what’ characteristics make up a successful team. They include having well-defined goals, the right leadership, clear accountability, enticing rewards and ongoing organizational support.
However, research has not led us to a concrete set of rules of ‘how’ teams should work together. The reality is that different teams have different individuals working towards different goals while facing different challenges and therefore it is impossible for them to work exactly the same way. Some researchers use the term equifinality to describe teamwork because there are numerous paths that a team could take in order to achieve success. Simply put, there is no one best model for teamwork.
Senior leaders set the organizational tone through their leadership, interactions and decisions. Whatever happens at the top gets “amplified” throughout the organization. If there is harmony among senior leaders, there is bound to be alignment, camaraderie and focus at all levels. If not, chaos, confusion, tensions and disengagement are inevitable. This should create a compelling case for leadership teams to champion efforts to A.M.P.L.I.F.Y. teamwork. The following action-based pointers are intended to help leaders magnify the message that teamwork is a top priority.
Assess senior leadership team performance. Even the best senior leadership team can get out of touch with the reality of their team effectiveness. Becoming interested in periodically evaluating what is working and not working regarding teamwork is a good practice. This can be carried out in the form of open dialogs, interviews, and/or questionnaires both within the leadership team and outside. Done well, the information gathered could provide vital information on which aspects of teamwork the senior leaders should pay emphasis.
Make thoughtful senior leadership team improvements. Teamwork does not happen overnight or by sheer luck. It takes commitment, skills and practice. Based on the evaluation of their team performance, it is important for senior leaders to prioritize goals that can sustain as well as enhance their team effectiveness. Resist the temptation to choose multiple, wide ranging goals in an attempt to provide something for everyone. There is no room for naysayers once the team commits to achieve these goals.
Promote transparent communications. An important practice is to have leaders create an environment where teamwork is an ongoing topic of discussion and constructive candor is encouraged. Senior leaders should be willing to share their own team related goals while propagating healthy collaboration with the broader organization. This also includes facilitating upward feedback so team members at every level have an opportunity to both articulate the current state of teamwork as well as raise suggestions on how best to address hindrances / barriers.
Leverage each others’ strengths. When the strengths of a senior leader are being fully leveraged within an organization, he/she is more likely to utilize the talents of those who report into him or her. The senior leadership team should show that they are effective because of the way their individual talents, abilities and expertise are combined optimally to achieve organizational goals. To the rest of the organization, this will serve as a living example.
Involve the right stakeholders at the right time. The fundamental to effective teamwork is having senior leaders who are skilled team builders. They have the insight as well as foresight to orchestrate teamwork not just within their own team(s) but also across all key stakeholders. Involving all stakeholders is a proven approach to creating ownership, a shared sense of direction, and collective commitment.
Foster diversity and inclusion. The many advantages of diversity are inarguable. Working with people from different backgrounds, experiences, race, gender and talents, results in gaining diverse perspectives. Diverse perspectives lead to better decisions, which in turn lead to a high performing team. Senior leaders send a powerful message to an organization when their own team is diverse. It becomes easier to cascade the same commitment to diversity to the other team leaders.
Yearn for collective success. Competition and territorialism greatly limit team effectiveness. Senior leaders should trust each other’s capabilities and pursue collective goals above individual or functional agendas. This also means that evaluations, reward and recognition programs should reinforce collective performance and success over individualism.
Great teamwork does not arise spontaneously. Senior leaders need to be the role models and mentors of effective teamwork. Amplify teamwork from the top!