Transcript Team Building

Team Building
KTeam Summer Institute June 6, 2005
What is a Team?
According to Merriam-Webster, a team
is “a number of persons associated
together in work or activity.”
Let’s get to know each other a little
better!
Three Card Poker
• Everyone gets a card
• Don’t turn it over until
you are told to do so
• After you turn over your
card, make the best 3
card hand you can by
joining two others
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Highest card
Two of a kind
Three of a kind
Flush (three cards from
the same suit)
• Straight (7,8,9)
• Hearts, clubs, diamonds,
spades
What do we know about teams?
• Together everyone achieves more
• There is no I in team
• Individual effort applied to a common good
Good teams don’t just happen
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There must be trust
There must be a common goal
There must be commitment
There must be communication
There must be respect for others
Why have teams?
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Sometimes the job is too big for one person
Two heads are better than one
Three heads are better still
Draw from the strength of others
What’s in the box?
• Teams will move to one of the boxes.
• All members of the team will look in the box
for 15 seconds.
• When the signal is given, remove the lid but NO
TALKING.
• Go back to your seat and list as many items as
you can remember.
What’s in the box?
• How many items did you list individually?
• Next, divide into your teams, compare your lists,
and compile a new one.
• How many items did you list as a team?
What’s in the box?
• Did other team members notice things you
didn’t?
• Was the team able to compile a longer, more
detailed list than you did by yourself ?
• What are some of the benefits of working as a
team?
Effective Teams
• Have good communication skills
• Handle controversy constructively
• Assess and improve team effectiveness
Why do teams fail?
• Poor communication skills
• Failure to handle controversy
• Failure to respect diversity of the group
Effective teams need effective
communication
Effective communication
Communicate to transmit information,
thought, or feeling so that it is
satisfactorily received or understood
Miscommunication
Occurs when people interpret the same
facts of experiences differently
For instance…
• That restaurant is too expensive?
– How much is too expensive?
• I will email it to you soon.
– When is soon?
• I waited for you a long time!
– How long is a long time?
• He drives too fast!
– How fast is too fast?
The way to overcome
miscommunication is to listen.
Listening for understanding is the key to
genuine communication
•Use welcoming body language
•Ask open-ended questions
•Repeat or paraphrase
•Clarify your perception
•Indicate acceptance/support
Speaking of communication…
• Everyone stand in a circle
• Toss the koosh around
• If the koosh comes to you, start by saying
“Speaking of …” then continue the thought of
the person who just tossed you the koosh
• Finish by telling something about yourself and
then toss the koosh to someone else
Dealing with Controversy
The best way to deal with controversy
is to learn how to handle it.
Destructive ways of handling
Controversy
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Avoid controversy completely
Withdraw from participation
Create stalemates
Destroy team with dissention
Constructive ways of handling
Controversy
• Ensure member equality by agreeing on a Code
of Conduct and monitoring the team’s behavior
• Respect team member’s diversity
• Learn to understand your own and others’
controversy behaviors
• Identify and deal with controversial issues
Guidelines for
constructive Controversy
Ensure member equality by agreeing
on a Code of Conduct and monitoring
the team’s behavior
Sample Code of Conduct
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Meetings will begin and end on time
Discussions will focus on the task
Everyone is expected to contribute
No one will be allowed to monopolize the
discussion
• Ideas, not personalities, are discussed
• Diversity will be respected and valued
Monitoring
The process monitor – sometimes
called the task master or keeper of the
rules – has the responsibility for
reminding team members of the rules
they agreed on in the Code of
Conduct
Guidelines for
Constructive Controversy
Respect team member’s diversity
Respecting Diversity
• Prejudice and intolerance have no place in a
work or learning environment
• Cultural, racial, gender, and personality
differences can add unique perspectives to a
team
• Effective teams deal with differences openly and
with respect
Guidelines for
Constructive Controversy
Learn to understand your own and
others’ controversy behaviors
Who am I ?
Responses to Controversy
• Supportive – tries to understand where others
are “coming from.” Encourages and shows
respect for others. Expresses appreciation and
interest
• Constructive – seeks to clarify differences
between ideas. Contributes information and
opinions to the discussion. Seeks best solutions
to problems.
Responses to Controversy
• Aggressive – cannot tolerate ideas different
from own. Views a discussion as a contest of
wills or a measure of power. Refuses to
compromise.
• Defensive – does not readily share opinions and
ideas. Becomes upset and angry when someone
disagrees with him or her. Tends to dislike and
sometimes insults those who disagree.
Guidelines for
Constructive Controversy
Acknowledge and deal with
controversial issues
Dealing with Controversy
• Use landmines: Surfacing problems to discuss
potential problems
• Deal with it in a timely manner
• When it’s done – it’s done.
Sometimes Controversy
turns into Conflict
The four R’s of Conflict
Management
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Reframe
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Think through the problem and develop a
win/win solution
Consider how it can be productive
Commit to behaving responsibly
Recognize
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Core issues (contextual, relationship, person)
Your emotional response
The four R’s of Conflict
Management
• Respond
– Be proactive
• Anticipate and prepare
– Be sincere
• Set the tone
• Seek to understand first
• Accept responsibility for your behavior and emotions
• Reflect
– Analyze what happened
– Consider what did/did not work
– Decode what to do differently the next time
Good Luck with Team Building!