Team Building: A LeadershipTeam Building: A Leadership
StrategyStrategy

““Individual commitment to a groupIndividual commitment to a group
effort is what makes a teameffort is what makes a team
work…”work…”
Vince LombardiVince Lombardi

Teams vs. Groups
What are the
differences between
teams & groups?

Team Building
Twelve tips for successful team
building:
1. Clear expectations
2. Context
3. Commitment
4. Competence
5. Charter
6. Control
7. Collaboration
8. Communication
9. Creative Innovation
10. Consequences
11. Coordination
12. Cultural Change

Principles of Teamwork
 Benefits of Teamwork
 Characteristics of the Best Team
Leaders
 Characteristics of Great Team
Members
 Characteristics of Effective
Teams

What are the
Benefits of Teamwork?
• How can it aid in decision making?
• How does it affect communication?
• What are the benefits to members?
• What are the benefits to organizations?

Characteristics of the
Best Team Leaders
• What skills do they have?
• What traits do they exhibit?
• How do they communicate?
• What motivates them?

Characteristics of
Great Team Members
• What makes individual members a
valuable part of the team?
• How do they communicate?
• How do they participate?
• What’s their attitude?
• What’s their motivation?

Characteristics of
Effective Teams
• What is the
atmosphere like?
• How does the work
get done?
• What is
communication like?
• How are decisions
made?
• Where is the focus?

Qualities of a Team
• Members care for one another
• Members know what is important
• Members communicate with one
another
• Members grow together
• There is a team fit

Qualities of a Team…
• Members place individual rights beneath the
best interest of the team
• Each team member plays a special role
• Team has enough members to share the work
• Members know exactly where the team stands
• Members are willing to pay the price

“Achieving a common purpose through
collaboration with others is a unique work
experience. Individuals working effectively
together for a common purpose create a force:
a power to perform.”
Defining Team Work

Team-building Basics
• What is team-building?
• About teams
• About team ability
• Why do it?
• Teams are here to stay
• The more team able, the better the library

Team-building Basics…Team-building Basics…
 How to do it?How to do it?
 Know the teamKnow the team
 Know what the team mustKnow what the team must
dodo
 Condition the team for theCondition the team for the
workwork

What It Means to beWhat It Means to be
Team AbleTeam Able
 Team Members Should...Team Members Should...
 Work well with othersWork well with others
 On a level playing fieldOn a level playing field
 Contribute knowledge and expertiseContribute knowledge and expertise
 The right amountThe right amount
 Be patient with the processBe patient with the process
 Ccompassionate, good humorCcompassionate, good humor

When Is A Group A Team?When Is A Group A Team?
 Common purpose:Common purpose: a visiona vision
 StructureStructure
 Enables team to performEnables team to perform
effectivelyeffectively
 Uses the talents of all itsUses the talents of all its
membersmembers
 Finishes the game togetherFinishes the game together

How To Build a Team?How To Build a Team?
 Know the individualsKnow the individuals
 Skills and abilitiesSkills and abilities
 Strengths, weaknesses, blind spotsStrengths, weaknesses, blind spots
 Know what the team needs to doKnow what the team needs to do
 Match talents to team purposeMatch talents to team purpose
 Try it; course correctTry it; course correct
 Condition the team for the workCondition the team for the work
 Coach individuals and the teamCoach individuals and the team
 Monitor team conditionsMonitor team conditions

Nurturing Team AbilityNurturing Team Ability
 Believe in the teamBelieve in the team
 Be honest with the teamBe honest with the team
 Be who you are equally toBe who you are equally to
everyoneeveryone
 Inspire the teamInspire the team

Basic Team-building SkillsBasic Team-building Skills
 Develop a realisticDevelop a realistic
assignmentassignment
 Match up team talentMatch up team talent
 Provide effective leadershipProvide effective leadership
 Secure adequate resourcesSecure adequate resources
 Coach individuals and theCoach individuals and the
teamteam

Summing Up Team-buildingSumming Up Team-building
 Team ability = apex of performanceTeam ability = apex of performance
 Teams exist for a purposeTeams exist for a purpose
 Teams end but team ability carries onTeams end but team ability carries on

The 2X2: A MultipurposeThe 2X2: A Multipurpose
ToolTool
 2 X 22 X 2
 Johari windowJohari window
 Social sciencesSocial sciences
 ApplicationsApplications
 CoachingCoaching
 Team-buildingTeam-building
 OtherOther

Two-By-Two For Sam’sTwo-By-Two For Sam’s
Work UnitWork Unit

Summing Up Excellence inSumming Up Excellence in
Supervision...Supervision...
 Provide a vision and clarify expectationsProvide a vision and clarify expectations
 Reinforce beneficial behaviorsReinforce beneficial behaviors
 Confront inappropriate behaviorsConfront inappropriate behaviors
 Interact purposefully, consistently, andInteract purposefully, consistently, and
predictablypredictably
 Integrate coaching and team-buildingIntegrate coaching and team-building

How do Teams Work Best?
• Teams succeed when members have:
• Commitment to common objectives;
• Defined roles and responsibilities;
• Effective decision systems, communication
and work procedures; and,
• Good personal relationships.

Stages in Team Building
FormingForming
StormingStorming
NormingNorming
PerformingPerforming

FORMING
• Team Building
• Define team
• Determine
individual roles
• Develop trust and
communication
• Develop norms
• Task
• Define problem
and strategy
• Identify
information
needed

Team Roles - Leader
• Encourage and maintain open
communication.
• Help the team develop and follow team
norms.
• Help the team focus on the task.
• Deal constructively with conflict.

Team Roles - Recorder
• Keep a record of team
meetings.
• Maintain a record of team
assignments
• Maintain a record of the
team's work.

Team Roles – PR Person
• Contact resource people
outside of the team.
• Correspond with the
team's mentor.
• Work to maintain good
communication among
team members.

Team Norms
• How do we support each
other?
• What do we do when we have
problems?
• What are my responsibilities
to the team?

STORMING
• During the Storming stage team members:
• Realize that the task is more difficult than
they imagined;
• Have fluctuations in attitude about chances
of success;
• May be resistant to the task &
• Have poor collaboration.

Storming Diagnosis
• Do we have common goals and objectives?
• Do we agree on roles and responsibilities?
• Do our task, communication, and decision
systems work?
• Do we have adequate interpersonal skills?

Negotiating Conflict
 Separate problem issues fromSeparate problem issues from
people issues.people issues.
 Be soft on people, hard onBe soft on people, hard on
problem.problem.
 Look for underlying needs,Look for underlying needs,
goals of each party rather thangoals of each party rather than
specific solutions.specific solutions.

Addressing the ProblemAddressing the Problem
 State your views in clear non-judgmentalState your views in clear non-judgmental
language.language.
 Clarify the core issues.Clarify the core issues.
 Listen carefully to each person’s point of view.Listen carefully to each person’s point of view.
 Check understanding by restating the coreCheck understanding by restating the core
issues.issues.

NORMINGNORMING
 During this stage members accept:During this stage members accept:
 Their team;Their team;
 Team rules and procedures;Team rules and procedures;
 Their roles in the team &Their roles in the team &
 The individuality of fellow members.The individuality of fellow members.
 Team members realize that they are notTeam members realize that they are not
going to crash-and-burn and start helpinggoing to crash-and-burn and start helping
each other.each other.

BehaviorsBehaviors
 Competitive relationships become moreCompetitive relationships become more
cooperative.cooperative.
 There is a willingness to confront issuesThere is a willingness to confront issues
and solve problems.and solve problems.
 Teams develop the ability to express criticismTeams develop the ability to express criticism
constructively.constructively.
 There is a sense of team spirit.There is a sense of team spirit.

Giving ConstructiveGiving Constructive
FeedbackFeedback
 Be descriptive.Be descriptive.
 Don't use labels.Don't use labels.
 Don’t exaggerate.Don’t exaggerate.
 Don’t be judgmental.Don’t be judgmental.
 Speak for yourself.Speak for yourself.

 Use “I” messages.Use “I” messages.
 Restrict your feedback to things you know forRestrict your feedback to things you know for
certain.certain.
 Help people hear and accept your complimentsHelp people hear and accept your compliments
when giving positive feedback.when giving positive feedback.
Giving ConstructiveGiving Constructive
FeedbackFeedback

Receiving FeedbackReceiving Feedback
 Listen carefully.Listen carefully.
 Ask questions for clarity.Ask questions for clarity.
 Acknowledge the feedback.Acknowledge the feedback.
 Acknowledge the valid points.Acknowledge the valid points.
 Take time to sort out what youTake time to sort out what you
heard.heard.

PERFORMINGPERFORMING
Team members have:Team members have:
 Gained insight into personal and teamGained insight into personal and team
processes;processes;
 A better understanding of each other’sA better understanding of each other’s
strengths and weaknesses;strengths and weaknesses;
 Gained the ability to prevent or workGained the ability to prevent or work
through group conflict and resolvethrough group conflict and resolve
differences; and,differences; and,
 Developed a close attachment to the team.Developed a close attachment to the team.

Recipe for Successful TeamRecipe for Successful Team
 Commitment to shared goalsCommitment to shared goals
and objectivesand objectives
 Clearly define roles andClearly define roles and
responsibilitiesresponsibilities
 Use best skills of eachUse best skills of each
 Allows each to develop inAllows each to develop in
all areasall areas

Recipe for Successful TeamRecipe for Successful Team
 Effective systems and processesEffective systems and processes
 Clear communicationClear communication
 Beneficial team behaviors; well-definedBeneficial team behaviors; well-defined
decision procedures and ground rulesdecision procedures and ground rules
 Balanced participationBalanced participation
 Awareness of the group processAwareness of the group process
 Good personal relationshipsGood personal relationships

Team Building:Team Building:
An IntroductionAn Introduction
 Leadership style thatLeadership style that
promotes team building ispromotes team building is
positively associated withpositively associated with
 ProductivityProductivity
 ProfitabilityProfitability

Team Building:Team Building:
An Introduction…An Introduction…
 Teamwork is often associatedTeamwork is often associated
withwith
 Reduced turnoverReduced turnover
 Cost reductionCost reduction
 Large production increasesLarge production increases
 Gains in qualityGains in quality
 Improved customer serviceImproved customer service

Team Building:Team Building:
An Introduction…An Introduction…
 TeamworkTeamwork
 Job gets done efficientlyJob gets done efficiently
and harmoniouslyand harmoniously
 Fewer interpersonalFewer interpersonal
relations problemsrelations problems
 Positive effect on thePositive effect on the
physical and psychologicalphysical and psychological
well-being of employeeswell-being of employees
 Higher levels of jobHigher levels of job
satisfaction and less stresssatisfaction and less stress

Team Building:Team Building:
An IntroductionAn Introduction
 Synergy is another positiveSynergy is another positive
outcome of teamworkoutcome of teamwork
 The interaction of two orThe interaction of two or
more parts to producemore parts to produce
greater results than the sumgreater results than the sum
of the parts takenof the parts taken
individuallyindividually
 Especially important whenEspecially important when
organizations value creativityorganizations value creativity

Teamwork Doesn’tTeamwork Doesn’t
Come NaturallyCome Naturally
 The concept of teamwork hasThe concept of teamwork has
been around a long timebeen around a long time
 Many organizations work hardMany organizations work hard
to get all employees to pullto get all employees to pull
together as a teamtogether as a team
 Most jobs today requireMost jobs today require
ongoing interaction betweenongoing interaction between
coworkers and managerscoworkers and managers

Teamwork Doesn’tTeamwork Doesn’t
Come Naturally…Come Naturally…
 Need commitment andNeed commitment and
cooperation of every employeecooperation of every employee
 Requires meaningful employeeRequires meaningful employee
participation in planning,participation in planning,
solving problems, andsolving problems, and
developing ways to improvedeveloping ways to improve

Teamwork Doesn’tTeamwork Doesn’t
Come Naturally…Come Naturally…
 BarriersBarriers
 Some value individualism over teamworkSome value individualism over teamwork
 Conflict can cause a breakdown inConflict can cause a breakdown in
relationshipsrelationships
 Heavy workloads and long hours lead toHeavy workloads and long hours lead to
weary employeesweary employees
 Teamwork flourishes under strong leadershipTeamwork flourishes under strong leadership

Teamwork:Teamwork:
The Employee’s RoleThe Employee’s Role
 Most valued employees areMost valued employees are
willing to assume leadershipwilling to assume leadership
roles and responsibilitiesroles and responsibilities
 Each team member shouldEach team member should
 Assume an active part inAssume an active part in
helping the work unithelping the work unit
achieve its missionachieve its mission
 Be a team builderBe a team builder

Employees as LeadersEmployees as Leaders
 Effective leaders are helpingEffective leaders are helping
work team members developwork team members develop
leadership skillsleadership skills
 The team’s success does notThe team’s success does not
always ride on one personalways ride on one person
 Merit in establishing diversityMerit in establishing diversity
of leadership within workof leadership within work
groupgroup

Valued Team MembersValued Team Members
 Every employee has potentialEvery employee has potential
to be a leaderto be a leader
 Success often depends on yourSuccess often depends on your
ability to be an effective teamability to be an effective team
membermember

Becoming aBecoming a
Valued Team MemberValued Team Member
 Avoid any action that mightAvoid any action that might
sabotage the teamsabotage the team
 Keep in mind that effectiveKeep in mind that effective
team membership depends onteam membership depends on
honest, open communicationhonest, open communication
 Do not feel the need toDo not feel the need to
submerge your own strongsubmerge your own strong
believes, creative solutions,believes, creative solutions,
and ideasand ideas

SummarySummary
 Teamwork ensures that a jobTeamwork ensures that a job
gets done and that it gets donegets done and that it gets done
efficientlyefficiently
 Teamwork can mean theTeamwork can mean the
difference between a profitabledifference between a profitable
and unprofitable organizationand unprofitable organization
 Team-building leadership styleTeam-building leadership style
is suited to today’s employeesis suited to today’s employees

Summary…Summary…
 Many companies are formingMany companies are forming
specific types of teamsspecific types of teams
 Self-directedSelf-directed
 Cross-functionalCross-functional
 Two ways to learn about teamsTwo ways to learn about teams
 Leaders who promoteLeaders who promote
teamworkteamwork
 Scholars who discuss itScholars who discuss it

Summary…Summary…
 Effective teamwork is informalEffective teamwork is informal
and relaxedand relaxed
 People arePeople are
 InvolvedInvolved
 InterestedInterested
 Eager to participate in work-Eager to participate in work-
related problemsrelated problems
 Goals and objectives are clearlyGoals and objectives are clearly
understoodunderstood

Summary…Summary…
 Two dimensions ofTwo dimensions of
supervisory leadershipsupervisory leadership
 ConsiderationConsideration
 StructureStructure
 Additional qualities ofAdditional qualities of
effective managerseffective managers
 CharacterCharacter
 Emotional intelligenceEmotional intelligence

Summary…Summary…
 Consideration reflects theConsideration reflects the
maintenance of employeemaintenance of employee
relationshipsrelationships
 Structure reflects directionStructure reflects direction
through planning, goal setting,through planning, goal setting,
communication, scheduling,communication, scheduling,
and evaluatingand evaluating

Summary…Summary…
 Effective work groupEffective work group
members should assumemembers should assume
leadership rolesleadership roles
 Each helps the group achieveEach helps the group achieve
its missionits mission

Summary…Summary…
 Employees are in a uniqueEmployees are in a unique
position to give guidance andposition to give guidance and
support to their supervisorsupport to their supervisor
 Bosses need assistance andBosses need assistance and
support to achieve successsupport to achieve success

Summary…Summary…
 Learn to understand your bossLearn to understand your boss
 Assess your strengthsAssess your strengths
 Identify personalIdentify personal
characteristics that mightcharacteristics that might
impede or facilitate a workingimpede or facilitate a working
relationshiprelationship
 Be frank and candidBe frank and candid
 Sometimes you need toSometimes you need to
disagree with your bossdisagree with your boss