GROWING GREAT TEAMS – PART 3

 

This is the third in a series of blogs on Growing Great Teams.  If you missed the previous blogs you can find them here – Part 1 and Part 2. 

 

What is the key to having a high performing team?

The answer to this question lies in the distinction between a high performing team or a team of high performers.

The distinction is set in the culture and the leadership of the organisation, and how it promotes a sense of team, while at the same time valuing the individual.

 

1. THE CULTURE

Promoting a sense of TEAM:

It is the WHY, the VISION, the VALUES and the NEEDS that create the culture that attracts the individuals who come together with a common understanding that they are building something that matters – something bigger than themselves.  There is a keen sense of value transfer.

A shared belief in the WHY, in the VISION and the VALUES of the organisation adds to both the cohesiveness of the team and the power of collective focus.  The importance of this intangible as a precursor to a high performing team is very clearly evident when it is lacking.  A team fractured by a lack of cohesiveness and focus is not conducive to a “healthy” sustainable business model.

Valuing the INDIVIDUAL:

It is the recognition of the NEEDS of the people that demonstrates the value placed on the individual by the organisation.  On one level, meeting human needs in a business community is a powerful way of keeping the team together for longer and on another level it is a very individualistic process.  What can be incorporated in the business to meet the 6 human needs – to provide certainty, variety, connection, significance, growth and contribution?

Consider this:

Different needs drive different people at different times in their lives and this is why this concept is about the individual initially.  Make sure that each of these needs can be met at a high level in some way in the organisation.

Although this is an outcome of building a business culture around the 6 human needs and in particular, meeting the need for growth, it still needs to be said – part of valuing the individual is being prepared to invest in that person’s growth and development.

 

 

2. THE LEADERSHIP

Creating an environment conducive to high performance is one part of the puzzle – the other is the commitment of the leaders to promoting and maintaining that environment.

In short, publishing the organisation’s intangibles and making assertions about what you do, means nothing if the team’s experience is something completely different to what they signed up for.  It is the role of the leader to walk the talk, to live the culture and to demonstrate through consistent actions and language that being on culture will enable a win-win-win for organisation, team and individual.

Of course, there lies an assumption that the culture has been designed to drive behaviours that promote the purpose of the business in the most powerful and profitable way and to attract people who will excel in this environment.

Culture works as a promoter of high performance teams when there is an understanding that it is a whole of organisation story – there can be no silos propagating their own version of the culture – led by people with personal agendas.  Culture is for the organisation as much as it is for the team.  It has been designed to create an environment conducive to the success of the business and to attract people who want to be a part of it because it serves them.  A team made up of people who are attracted to the same organisation and who have common beliefs will always outperform a fractured group of people with different agendas and contrary beliefs.

If you need help creating an environment that will attract and retain great people, we can help you – our CULTURE COLLABORATIVE workshops are designed to do just that.  We help you design cultures which meet the six human needs – cultures which breed behaviours that enable business success.

Are your non-negotiable published values driving behaviours in your business?  Or not?

What does your culture and your underlying values say about you and your business?  That is… the everyday, what is actually going on, behaviours – the ones that are making the most noise.

The first thing I do when I walk into businesses I work with is read their mission, vision and value statements that are displayed, beautifully framed for all to see.

It gives me an indication of what type of experience I can expect and whether there is an alignment between my beliefs and values and those of the business I am about to interact with.  Or, at least it should.

Four values I often see are:

So I would expect that these people would do what they say they are going to do when they say they are going to do it.  I would also expect that they would make recommendations, be relevant, and offer innovative solutions for my particular needs.  And they would do it with care and honesty.

That is my take on these values… but would it be yours?  What would they mean to you and your experience with this business?  And how might these values influence how each team member behaves?  For example, consider “responsive” – Is being responsive acting today, tomorrow, next week?  And what about “integrity” – is integrity compromised if a business does not take responsibility for a lost order?

Values play such an important role in defining the culture of an organisation.  However, a list of words leaves way too much to individual interpretation.

Tip:  The single word should be accompanied with “and what that means is” and further extended with “and this is how it plays out in our organisation.”  This helps reinforce the meaning of the value as it applies to this particular culture, to this team, and their interaction with others.

Values cannot be limited to behaviour around the customer or client relationship.  There cannot be one set of values for the customer experience and another for the team and another for the managers and yet another for the owners. But how often do you see this?  The values must be non-negotiable without exception across all relationships and interactions.  Everyone in the organisation must walk and talk the values consistently and with conviction.

Tip:  When you are writing your value statements consider including an example of how each value may play out under both a customer and a team scenario.

I mentioned what I would expect to see from an “outsiders” point of view given the published values… but what would I expect to see “inside” the organisation. Given the values listed above, I would expect that everyone – owners, managers, team members – would do what they said they would do when they said they would do it.  I would see evidence of innovative processes and a culture that encourages and rewards the contribution of new ideas, and a better way of doing things.  There would be no overdue actions on the action sheets.  Excuses would not be accepted, everyone would be willing to take responsibility without fear of retribution, and honesty would prevail.  KPI’s would be set, measured, and monitored in a proactive way.

The listed values can add significant “value” to any organisation if they are actually driving behaviours, and are reflected in processes, policy, and actions and demonstrated daily.  Values add no value at all if they are merely words or assertions – in fact they can devalue the organisation because the people interacting become confused and disappointed when their experience is not what they were promised or expected.

Self Assess:

How did you rate?  I am always keen to hear your thoughts and feedback.  So please leave your comments.

One of the biggest challenges for an organisation is to maintain a strong consistent culture especially if you are experiencing high turnover of employees or when high growth is occurring.

Owners of successful businesses really understand why they do what they do, and create a culture which reflects their beliefs and values.  This strong culture enables an environment that encourages behaviours, which are on purpose and aligned to achieving a pre-determined outcome.

Long-standing employees have been immersed in the culture for some time… they understand it and promote it.  They were originally recruited because of their culture fit, their attitude and values.

Customers experience a consistent approach to service and care from all of the team… they are not confused by an inconsistent experience and therefore feel comfortable… comfortable enough to buy regularly and remain in a buying relationship for the longer term.

Under normal conditions when employee turnover is low, employers can rely on their team to demonstrate the culture – to walk the talk – and the new team member “catches” that culture without the need for a rigorous, formal ongoing program.

In periods of high growth, particularly when the candidate pool is limited and when employers look overseas to fill positions, the culture of the organisation can be seriously diluted.  Different values and beliefs are introduced, the purpose of the organisation is not as clearly understood, the “tribal elders” have moved on or become less able to influence an ever-increasing workforce.

It is time to revisit and to establish that the culture you had created and which had contributed to the past success of your organisation is still valid.  Be clear that, should you choose to accept a different set of values for your organisation, they must be consistent with your own values and beliefs otherwise you will not be able to sustain a focussed long-term commitment to business success.

Understand what the culture needs to look like, what values are not negotiable and what behaviours you are encouraging.

Remember, culture is caught not taught… the culture that is loudest will prevail.  This means that you must continually and consistently promote your chosen culture, reward those who embrace it.  Address the behaviours that are not appropriate immediately and without exception.  No action suggests that you are condoning the activity.  Walk the talk.

It is critical that your leadership team “get it” and together you create a movement towards an absolute commitment to the culture.

Your induction program introduces how serious you are about your culture and then it is critical that you regularly revisit and endorse it. It simply becomes how you do business.  Value statements should be discussed often… what do they mean, and how might they play out in your organisation… consider incorporating into your meeting agendas, into your training sessions, or your “state of the nation” reports.

Don’t be shy… promote the values which underlie your culture without apology.

At Opening Gates our CULTURE COLLABORATIVES bring the team together, to establish and understand the culture of the organisation – why it is critical to their success, and how it drives values and behaviours that add value to all stakeholders. We address why you do what you do – we understand the concept of 360 degree leadership – a very powerful way of building a strong focussed team.

How does your team stack up?

Are they a little below par? Is morale a little low, some not performing, some just not happy or some stirring the pot? Or do you have some amazing people who just do it… well at least that is what it looks like from your point of view?

Here is a great matrix in which you can plot your team members – it encourages you to assess them based on their ability to do the job and how well they seem to fit in.

Culture Skills Matrix

The vertical axis measures the Culture Fit – or how well the team member embraces the culture and values of your organisation. Do they get what you do and why you do it? Are their personal values aligned with the corporate values?

The horizontal axis measures the Skill Fit – do they have the skills, abilities and knowledge to carry out their current role?

Let’s take a look at the four sectors.

STARS – they have a high culture fit and they have the skills to do the job – they are your stars. They thrive in their work environment –they feel comfortable because their values and beliefs are validated in the workplace culture.

TRAINEES – These are team members who have high culture fit and low skills – they are your trainees – they get what you do, they want to be there – they just need to be trained – and they are worth the investment.

TERMITES – this is where you will find those who have a low culture fit and high skills – now these team members are generally high maintenance and exhibit values which are less than ideal – often they are making a lot of noise and your team are wondering why, given your values are so important, that they are still working for you. Remember culture is caught not taught and it is the culture that is being shouted the loudest that will be caught. Sometimes called termites –these people are eating away at your culture. Often I find that there is a continuous cost v benefit analysis going on – they are so good at what they do but they are also very disruptive.

? – People with low culture fit and low skills are plotted here. You might ask – they are working for me, because? Now, they are sometimes relatives. But, if they are paid because of your charitable nature – then they should not be assessed as a team member or plotted in this matrix.

TAKE ACTION!

Plot each of your team – it will give you a higher level view of your people and most importantly the process provides insights and opportunities to develop an even better team – it is very powerful and often does not take long to do, because you know what your expectations are around the skill set required and you are also clear on what behaviours you expect to see.

… AND ASK YOURSELF

If not, then you may need to do some work on articulating your culture and values.

If not, perhaps the job descriptions and the performance reviews need improvement and to be better communicated.

This CULTURE SKILL MATRIX is a very simple but effective tool – the results are often surprising. The process may bring to light that your culture is not clear and your skills assessment processes need work – this alone is a great outcome. But, remember it is a high level tool and often the starting point to a more in depth assessment. It’s a great tool to use for your own business, or if you work with clients – it will be invaluable to use with them too.

We can help you with this activity and help you build an even better team – simply contact us today for an obligation free chat.

To download a FREE copy of the Culture Skill Matrix (valued at $197!)

Click here

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