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| TEAM LAUNCH |
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Your first team meeting sets the tone for
the rest of the project. Typically, the “Team Launch”
consists of the following elements to ensure success:
Define the team. In The Wisdom of Teams, Jon
Katzenbaugh defines a team as “a small number of people
with complimentary skills who are committed to a common purpose,
set of performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves
mutually accountable.” Discuss why this team was formed
and how the team will work better than a single individual.
Get to know each other. Start with introductions
and a team activity. Keep it upbeat and tied to the team’s
overall objectives. Some may get impatient with this “fluff,”
but the more team members know each other, the more willing they
are to trust each other. Without trust, a team cannot work together.
Review the team charter. Most teams are chartered
by management to accomplish a specific goal or produce a tangible
deliverable. Review the charter elements which include background,
the goal, membership, duration, critical milestones or checkpoints,
boundaries, logistics and resources required. Be prepared for
all kinds of questions – and when you don’t know something,
say so! Some things might be open for discussion; others are “off
limits.” Let the team know early on which is which.
Go Where the Work Is. Take a tour of the actual
physical location the work will be performed, put together, used,
delivered, or wherever. Seeing the space and talking to the end
users of the team’s product builds more understanding and
commitment to the team’s goal.
Expose the Process. Create or let the team know
the overall process, how the team will accomplish its goal and
how decisions will be made. Is the team really aiming for consensus
– a decision everyone will live with and support upon implementation?
Or are they making recommendations for management to decide? How
will the team be making their own internal decisions? Command
decision? Loudest voice? Majority vote? Consensus? Unanimous?
Clarify Success. Make sure the team has a clear
picture of success. Is it reduced cycle time? Increased customer
satisfaction? Producing an error-free report? Implementing a project
within time and cost constraints? Ultimately, they need to know
what “success” is. Having a clearly defined target
helps keep the team on track and enables the team to celebrate
achieving their goal.
Agree on Ground Rules. When people come together
as a team, they go through a predictable pattern of behavior:
form, storm, norm, and perform. It is perfectly natural to have
your ups and downs – just don’t get stuck! Agree on
some explicit ground rules about how the team will work cooperatively
together and how they will manage the inevitable conflicts.
Agree on Meeting Rules. Where there are teams,
there are meetings. Vow to follow these core meeting rules: Use
agendas; have a facilitator; take minutes; enforce your team ground
rules; draft your next meeting agenda before you leave and critique
the meeting to improve your team work.
Housekeeping. There are usually some logistics
and support issues that must be addressed: supplies, meeting room
reservations, percent of time devoted to the project, parking,
etc. Remember, the little stuff bugs people, so pay attention
to the little stuff early on.
Communicate Regularly. Discuss how the team will
communicate progress internally and up the food chain. Agree on
intended audience, purpose, method, frequency, format and location.
Remember, as you launch your team, you won’t be able to
dot every “I” and cross every “t”. Be
authentic and genuine in your desire to work together as a team
toward the same goal. Teamwork is built over time, and this is
the first and most important step in setting the tone for future
success.
For more information about how QPC Inc. can help launch your teams,
contact us. |
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