Team Development vs Team Building

I recently read an article that suggested “team building” doesn’t get at the root of resolving cultural and behavioural issues within the team.

I agree.  Let me take it a step further.  There is a distinct difference between “team building” and “team development”. 

Team Building often brings people together through experiential learning.  Popular team building strategies include day long or weekend retreats where team members perform activities such as mountain climbing, walking a tight rope, fire walking, skydiving, or a range of other activities intended to build trust.  They can be fun and challenging ways of conquering fear or superficially supporting each other in seemingly hazardous situations. They build short-term camaraderie but don’t help to establish longer-term results for the team.

Without assimilation of the “experience” to develop the team and the organization, the stories of courage and adventure quickly fade back to the status quo when participants return to the workplace.

Team Development on the other hand, may use experiential learning but it goes much deeper and far beyond just a few days of jovial bonding. Team development takes a broader and longer-term approach to integrate learning and create sustainable effectiveness. 

Team development strategies include an exploration into: the construct and leadership of the team; the shared vision and values by which they will function; the flow of information and resources; accountability and responsibility factors; and, the essential communication skills that build trust, enhance collaboration, and break down the barriers to effectiveness. 

In their book, The Wisdom of Teams, Katzenbach and Smith (1993), suggest that “the most powerful motivational force within a performing team is the pride that members take in what they are achieving, who they are working with, and how they go about their task” (p. 85).The challenge is to move from the individual paradigm toward the concept of real teamwork. “Because of deep-seated values of individualism and a natural reluctance to trust one’s fate to the performance of others, the team choice demands a leap of faith” (p. 90).  Herein lays the importance of team development.

While team building attempts to temporarily bridge the gap between individualism and teamwork, team development continually focuses on developing all areas of the team over a longer period of time.  Richard Knowles, author of The Leadership Dance, has documented nine key areas for development and consideration by any team:

1.    Identity

2.    Guiding principles

3.    Relationships

4.    Communication

5.    Learning

6.    Shared vision

7.    Organization

8.    Accountability

9.    Global environment and impact

If you want to build a strong organizational culture, develop your teams, develop your individuals and work groups, and do it in a way that goes beyond a weekend retreat of camaraderie or bungie jumping.  Build the people, develop trust, establish strategies that will keep you on track, and ultimately, you will generate a culture of greatness within your organization.

“Humans have intellectual limits. Teams have the potential

to find solutions that lie beyond those limits” ~ Paviak (2003)

If you want to discuss options for developing your team, email me (vawoods@me.com) or call me (250-307-4745). 

If you like to read, here are a few good books that I found during my master’s research on team development:

Katzenbach, J.R., & Smith, D.K. (2003). The wisdom of teams. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Knowles, R. (2002). The leadership dance.  Niagara Falls, NY: Center for Self Organizing Leadership (3rd edition)

Krakauer, J. (1999). Into thin air. New York, NY: Anchor Books.

Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. Sanfrancisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Senge, P.M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday.

Other interesting articles related to leadership:

Argyris, C. (1991). Teaching smart people how to learn. Retrieved August 25, 2010 from http://pds8.egloos.com/pds/200805/20/87/chris_argyris_learning.pdf.

Argyris, C. (1994). Good communication that blocks learning. Retrieved August 25, 2010 from http://www.lbl.gov/BLI/BLI_Library/assets/articles/OM/OM_OLAKM_Good_Comm_Blocks.pdf

Reaching in - Reaching out

A few days ago, something wonderful happened and I received a gift. In fact, I received several gifts. While the tangible aspect was pretty significant, the real gift was in reflecting upon how we all need support now and then.

Sometimes the journey in life is easy and full of adventure. And sometimes it’s not. I was reminded that when things are tough or confusing, our ability to reach out for support can make a difference in how we perceive challenges and how we navigate through them. Unfortunately, pride, or perhaps fear, gets in the way of asking for help.

And in my humanness, I sometimes forget to reach out for the support needed to navigate my own path through adversity.

As a coach, and as a deeply compassionate person, I believe in reaching out to support my clients, friends, family, and even new acquaintances. It doesn’t mean I have to solve their problems. It does mean helping them to break down barriers to success so they can gain greater clarity of the solutions and action they might take to move forward.

In my coaching, I support my clients by listening deeply and believing in their capacity to learn to help them selves. I hold the space of trust and confidence that they have the tools and resiliency to make the right decisions and achieve their aspirations. I offer feedback and promote reflection as they navigate through uncertainty. And I encourage them to ask for help and seek out support systems to hold them selves accountable and keep them on track in their journey.

Yes, we all need coaching and support at different stages in our lives and careers. We all need those special people who care enough not to allow us to let our dreams become overshadowed by fear or pride. We need people to help hold up the mirror and to help us see how we might be limiting our own potential and success. Yes, even I struggle with asking for help.

Once again, I am humbled and reminded that there are good and decent people in the world. And there are great coaches that will help us think differently and more effectively. Like the people and clients in my life, I too am human. I need to push away the pride or fear and reach out to others to help me stay focused in the pursuit of my dreams

The next time you need support, what will you do? Who is your support network? Do you have a coach that can help you stay on track and clear away the fog that camouflages your potential? We all need a coach and support at some point. Know that if you do need a coach, I’m here for you.

Go ahead! Get out and harness the power of networking

In August 2009, I relocated to the beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. While I had spent 27 years in Kelowna, I decided to call Vernon my new home. It was a good decision. Seven short months ago, I only knew a handful of people in Vernon. Today, that network has grown exponentially.

We all hear about the advantages of networking, yet many people find it a daunting task. Personality type can influence our relative comfort when mustering the courage to walk up to perfect strangers and strike up a conversation.

In a networking situation, have you ever thought to yourself: “What if they reject me?” “What if I say the wrong thing?” “Who am I that they would be interested in meeting me?”

Think about it. Network comes from the root words “net” and “work”. Wikipedia defines business networking as “a marketing method by which business opportunities are created through networks of like-minded business people.” Dictionary.com describes networking as the ability “to cultivate people who can be helpful to one professionally, especially in finding employment or moving to a higher position.”

Networking is about building connections with others. Essentially, it is the process of capturing an audience of one or more people and developing relationships that may have immediate or long-term benefit, personally and/or professionally. Perhaps more leaders should consider “networking” or building relationships with the people they lead. Just imagine the benefits of better relationships in the workplace!

Be brave. Skill at networking comes with practice.

Last night I attended a chamber event where the room was lit up by over 100 smiling faces, all there to connect with people in some way. Some of the faces were familiar, while the majority was not. With courage in my heart and a desire that exceeded my trepidation, I meandered into the flock with hope and curiosity. What exciting new people would I meet this evening?

My reward was the opportunity to meet several new people and in learning more about this tremendous community that I now call home. I also made some fabulous new business contacts.

If you find yourself avoiding networking events, all I can say is “feel the fear and do it anyway”. My hunch is, you will be delightfully surprised. If you are shy and have not learned the basic skills of networking, find someone who has conquered this skill and ask them if you can shadow, if nothing else but to learn and practice developing your own networking skills.

Remember, we are all human and we have a fundamental need to feel connected to people in some way, some of us more than others. Networking is a fantastic way to challenge your own limiting beliefs about meeting others and it’s a highly effective way to get involved and generate contacts for work, community service, or just to meet new friends.

To the faces in the flock last night: Thank you. Your smiling face has become part of the delightful collage of people that make up this great community. This colourful and energetic community is one that I’m proud to call my home.

Reach your Potential

Last night I had the privilege of co-hosting an event in my home town with three other amazing professional coaches. We came together to help demystify coaching and demonstrate what coaching is, and what it isn't.

Through the evening, there were two demonstrations along with an opportunity for participates to engage in activities that would allow them to coach each other using cards with pre-determined coaching questions.

The event totally exceeded my expectations! It was an incredible experience seeing so many people shift, not only in their understanding of coaching, but also after being coached on personal or work related issues! We heard many comments about how coaching can benefit individuals, their peers, their staff, and their organizations. Several people shared their experience and how they felt more empowered and committed to taking action on things they'd put off, in some cases for much of their life! How amazing is that!

Good coaching is holding a belief that the coachee is capable and resourceful, and sometimes needs an open and safe conversation that provokes deep reflection, challenges limiting beliefs, reveals new strategies and ways to move forward, and then moves the coachee towards action.

Participants discovered how coaching is about truly listening and hushing our natural tendency to want to give advice. We all have enough people in our lives who want to give advice or tell us what to do! That is NOT coaching. Coaching is not about rescuing others or solving their problems. When people create their own ideas and solutions, they truly own them.

Once participant shared: "When someone gives me an idea and it fails, I tend to blame them for the failure. However, when I come to my own conclusions and take action, I'm more likely to put my heart and soul into succeeding. And, I take ownership for any failures and the learning that comes out of it."

Coaching generates results. In a 2009 international study, respondents indicated an average of 50 to 500 times the return on investment. That's a winning strategy!

Thanks to everyone who participated last night! I think the new buzz in town, at least for the next few days, will be about coaching.

If you want to learn more about the power of coaching and how it can benefit you and others you know, call me today for a free consultation.

New Beginnings

With the New Year just around the corner, it's time for reflection and appreciation for what you've accomplished, and to set new goals for the coming year. In these uncertain economic times, many of you have been impacted in some way: both positive and not so positive. My hunch is, there was one thing that kept you going toward achieving your desired outcomes: Hope.

Hope is the fuel that allows you to move forward, even when uncertainty sets in. Hope is driven by a fundamental belief in yourself; that you can succeed in achieving your dreams, so long as you never give up. Hope is a powerful thing! Imagine a world without hope...

Many years ago, I found a sweat-shirt that had a quote silk screened on the front. While the shirt frayed and the letters faded, the words continue to resonate for me:

"Believe in yourself, believe in others, believe in your dreams, but always believe."

As you reflect on the past year and set goals for the coming year, what are your hopes? Which beliefs will serve you and which ones will limit your success? How can you challenge limiting beliefs in order to achieve your goals... and your potential?

In the past several months, I've discovered my own limiting belief. For some reason, I thought I could not succeed alone. While I successfully coach and mentor others to believe in themselves and their unique contributions to the world, I did not fully believe in myself. What a hypocrite I've been! For heavens sake, I teach people to skydive and face their fears while leaping from perfectly good airplanes!!! And yet I allow my own deep-rooted fears to cripple my potential. What's up with that?

No more.

Through self-coaching, I've faced my demons with courage and conviction. I have slain the "dragon of limiting beliefs" in order to live into my own potential. This has been a liberating process that's created an emense sense of hope for the future!

In 2010, face your demons, slay your dragon of limiting beliefs, and nurture the hope that fuels your journey towards joy and success. Believe in the possibilities. Believe in yourself. I believe in you!

Blessings,
Valerie Woods