Leading Effective Teams

Dr Catherine HannawaySenior Fellow, Durham University

Why Teams?• They bring together complementary skills and experiences that exceed those of

any individual– enables a better response to multifaceted challenges

• In jointly developing clear goals and approaches, teams establish communications that support real-time problem solving and initiative– as a result teams can adjust their approach to new information and

challenges with greater speed, accuracy and effectiveness

• They provide a unique social dimension that enhances the economic and administrative aspects of work– overcoming the barriers that stand in the way of collective performance

• Teams have more fun!– fun both sustains and is sustained by team performance

Why Teams?

“There is a significant and negative relationship between the percentage of staff working in teams in acute hospitals and the mortality rate in those hospitals, taking account of local health care needs and hospital size. Where more employees work in teams the death rate among patients is significantly lower.”

Borrill & West, Aston University, 1999

Task Team

Individual

Prof John AdairEffective Leadership

http://www.nhsleadership.org.uk/workstreams-clinical-theleadershipframework.asp

Focusing on team basics

Katzenbach and Smith (1993)

Problem solving

Technical/function

Interpersonal

Mutual

Small number of people

Individual

Specific goals

Common approach

Meaningful purpose

Skill

s

Accountability

CommitmentCollective work products

Personal growth

Performance results

The Team Performance Curve

Katzenbach and Smith

Working group

High-performing

team

Real team

Potential team

Pseudo-team

Team effectiveness

Perf

orm

an

ce im

pact

How Work Groups Form into Effective Units or Teams (Bruce Tuckman)

1 Forming2 Storming3 Norming4 Performing

Important that:• Group Members recognise they belong to the group• Have effective working relationships based on agreed goals• Understand one another and are prepared to share ideas and

feelings

A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members. Members of a team seek out certain roles and they perform most effectively in the ones that are most natural to them.Dr. R. M. Belbin

Belbin – Team Roles CategoriesAction-orientated roles

shaper

implementer

completer/finisher

People-orientated roles

co-ordinator

team workerresource investigator

Cerebral roles

plant

monitor evaluator

specialistBelbin (1993)

Counselling Report

It is generated from the top two team roles

and bottom team role in the overall ranking. The report offers advice on adopting a management style which fits in with your team role strengths and weaknesses.

Approaches to building team performance• Establish urgency and direction• Select members based on skills and skill potential, not

personalities• Pay particular attention to first meetings and actions• Set some clear rules of behaviour• Set and seize upon a few immediate performance-oriented

tasks and goals• Challenge the group regularly with fresh facts and information• Spend time together• Exploit the power of positive feedback, recognition and

reward

Some Thoughts on Leading Teams

• Genuine concern for others• Ability to communicate and inspire• Decency• Humanity• Humility• Sensitivity• Respect for others Prof Beverley Alimo-Metcalfe summarises the 7 qualities as the leader being a servant not a hero

Further Reading

• Belbin, R Meredith (1998) Team Roles at Work. BH

• Borrill, C.A., West, M. (2000c), Team-working and Effectiveness in Health Care, Aston Centre of Health Service Organisation Research (ACHSOR), University of Aston, Birmingham

• Borrill, C.A., West, M. (2000a), How Good is Your Team? A Guide for Team Members, Aston Centre of Health Service Organisation Research (ACHSOR), University of Aston, Birmingham

• Katzenbach J.R. and Smith D.K. The Wisdom of Teams – Creating the high performance organisation – Harvard Business School Press