21st Century Teamwork

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What makes team dynamics so interesting is the fact we are no longer working in one office, one town, one city, or one state.

Email was just the start – today it’s an old standard being outpaced by micro-blogging, wikis, and social networking tools that simply move faster and more directly than one-at-a-time emails. There will always be room for technology, and it will keep changing; the question is whether or not you are preparing your teams to succeed in the 21st century. As more people work from home, or in remote locations are you making sure everyone is in the loop – or are they getting tangled up in invisible wires?

The word ‘team’ can be rather loaded at times, and I don’t want to talk about ‘teams’ in a small setting. I want to look at what is making teamwork challenging across the board. You see, people are still working together and doing it well. What has changed more than anything is how communication is taking place. With less face-to-face interaction, opportunities for misunderstanding are available at every turn. Another change is simply one of generational diversity, a topic at the top of most learning and development professional’s training agendas.

So, where should you start? Start by evaluating the roles geography, generations, and technology are playing in your organization today. Simple questions you can ask might include…

How is technology used by our team?
How many generations are working together in our organization?
How often do we ’see’ each other in person or via video-conference?

Consider what Terry Brake, President of TMA World Americas has to say in his 2009 book entitled:
Where in the World is my Team? Making a Success of Your Virtual Global Workplace. (www.tmaworld.com)

So, what were those 6C’s again?

Cooperation – Does your team look forward to working together?
Convergence – How well do different teams, skills, and people come together?
Coordination – Is there a rhythm to the work, or is every project a jumble of chaotic action?
Capability – Are the right people being asked to do the right things?
Communication – Is dialogue natural or forced?
Cultural Intelligence – Is psychology creating a bigger divide than geography?

Take a moment to dive deeper…

Write down the 6C’s on a piece of paper, then rank how strong your team(s) is/are on a scale of 1 to 10
Of the areas you ranked strongest, write down patterns, behaviors, or themes you see as causing the ranking
Now, look at the areas you ranked with a lower score and write down your thoughts about what is missing

This probably only took you a moment which is great, the next step is to take time to see what is working. The reason this is so important is because it will allow you to see WHO is working as well. All teams require leadership and much more, yet recognition is the first step in laying a path to more open communication in the future.

We’ll dive into this discussion further this week. For now simply consider the 6C’s and study the strengths to learn more about what you want to amplify going forward.

DARE TO BE GREAT!
Your LQ Team

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