Team BuildingTeam BuildingKTeam Summer Institute June 6, KTeam Summer Institute June 6,

20052005

What is a Team?What is a Team?

According to Merriam-According to Merriam-Webster, a team is “a number Webster, a team is “a number

of persons associated of persons associated together in work or activity.”together in work or activity.”

Let’s get to know each Let’s get to know each other a little better!other a little better!

Three Card PokerThree Card Poker

• Everyone gets a Everyone gets a cardcard

• Don’t turn it over Don’t turn it over until you are told until you are told to do soto do so

• After you turn over After you turn over your card, make your card, make the best 3 card the best 3 card hand you can by hand you can by joining two othersjoining two others

• Highest cardHighest card• Two of a kindTwo of a kind• Three of a kindThree of a kind• Flush (three cards Flush (three cards

from the same from the same suit)suit)

• Straight (7,8,9)Straight (7,8,9)• Hearts, clubs, Hearts, clubs,

diamonds, spadesdiamonds, spades

What do we know about What do we know about teams?teams?

• Together everyone achieves moreTogether everyone achieves more• There is no I in teamThere is no I in team• Individual effort applied to a Individual effort applied to a

common goodcommon good

Good teams don’t just Good teams don’t just happenhappen

• There must be trustThere must be trust• There must be a common goalThere must be a common goal• There must be commitmentThere must be commitment• There must be communicationThere must be communication• There must be respect for othersThere must be respect for others

Why have teams?Why have teams?

• Sometimes the job is too big for one Sometimes the job is too big for one personperson

• Two heads are better than oneTwo heads are better than one• Three heads are better stillThree heads are better still• Draw from the strength of othersDraw from the strength of others

What’s in the box?What’s in the box?

• Teams will move to one of the boxes.Teams will move to one of the boxes.• All members of the team will look in All members of the team will look in

the box for 15 seconds.the box for 15 seconds.• When the signal is given, remove the When the signal is given, remove the

lid but NO TALKING.lid but NO TALKING.• Go back to your seat and list as Go back to your seat and list as

many items as you can remember.many items as you can remember.

What’s in the box?What’s in the box?

• How many items did you list How many items did you list individually?individually?

• Next, divide into your teams, Next, divide into your teams, compare your lists, and compile a compare your lists, and compile a new one.new one.

• How many items did you list as a How many items did you list as a team?team?

What’s in the box?What’s in the box?

• Did other team members notice Did other team members notice things you didn’t?things you didn’t?

• Was the team able to compile a Was the team able to compile a longer, more detailed list than you longer, more detailed list than you did by yourself?did by yourself?

• What are some of the benefits of What are some of the benefits of working as a team?working as a team?

Effective TeamsEffective Teams

• Have good communication skillsHave good communication skills• Handle controversy constructivelyHandle controversy constructively• Assess and improve team effectivenessAssess and improve team effectiveness

Why do teams fail?Why do teams fail?

• Poor communication skillsPoor communication skills• Failure to handle controversyFailure to handle controversy• Failure to respect diversity of the Failure to respect diversity of the

groupgroup

Effective teams need Effective teams need effective communicationeffective communication

Effective Effective communicationcommunication

Communicate to transmit Communicate to transmit information, thought, or information, thought, or

feeling so that it is feeling so that it is satisfactorily received or satisfactorily received or

understoodunderstood

MiscommunicationMiscommunication

Occurs when people interpret Occurs when people interpret the same facts of experiences the same facts of experiences

differentlydifferently

For instance…For instance…

• That restaurant is too expensive?That restaurant is too expensive?– How much is too expensive?How much is too expensive?

• I will email it to you soon.I will email it to you soon.– When is soon?When is soon?

• I waited for you a long time!I waited for you a long time!– How long is a long time?How long is a long time?

• He drives too fast!He drives too fast!– How fast is too fast?How fast is too fast?

The way to overcome The way to overcome miscommunication is to miscommunication is to

listen.listen.

Listening for understanding is Listening for understanding is the key to genuine the key to genuine communicationcommunication•Use welcoming body Use welcoming body languagelanguage•Ask open-ended questionsAsk open-ended questions•Repeat or paraphraseRepeat or paraphrase•Clarify your perceptionClarify your perception•Indicate acceptance/supportIndicate acceptance/support

Speaking of Speaking of communication…communication…

• Everyone stand in a circleEveryone stand in a circle• Toss the koosh aroundToss the koosh around• If the koosh comes to you, start by If the koosh comes to you, start by

saying “Speaking of …” then continue saying “Speaking of …” then continue the thought of the person who just the thought of the person who just tossed you the koosh tossed you the koosh

• Finish by telling something about Finish by telling something about yourself and then toss the koosh to yourself and then toss the koosh to someone elsesomeone else

Dealing with Dealing with ControversyControversy

The best way to deal with The best way to deal with controversy is to learn how to controversy is to learn how to

handle it.handle it.

Destructive ways of Destructive ways of handling Controversyhandling Controversy

• Avoid controversy completelyAvoid controversy completely• Withdraw from participationWithdraw from participation• Create stalematesCreate stalemates• Destroy team with dissentionDestroy team with dissention

Constructive ways of Constructive ways of handling Controversyhandling Controversy

• Ensure member equality by agreeing Ensure member equality by agreeing on a Code of Conduct and on a Code of Conduct and monitoring the team’s behaviormonitoring the team’s behavior

• Respect team member’s diversityRespect team member’s diversity• Learn to understand your own and Learn to understand your own and

others’ controversy behaviorsothers’ controversy behaviors• Identify and deal with controversial Identify and deal with controversial

issuesissues

Guidelines for Guidelines for constructive constructive ControversyControversy

Ensure member equality by Ensure member equality by agreeing on a Code of agreeing on a Code of

Conduct and monitoring the Conduct and monitoring the team’s behaviorteam’s behavior

Sample Code of ConductSample Code of Conduct

• Meetings will begin and end on timeMeetings will begin and end on time• Discussions will focus on the taskDiscussions will focus on the task• Everyone is expected to contributeEveryone is expected to contribute• No one will be allowed to monopolize No one will be allowed to monopolize

the discussionthe discussion• Ideas, not personalities, are discussedIdeas, not personalities, are discussed• Diversity will be respected and valuedDiversity will be respected and valued

MonitoringMonitoring

The process monitor – The process monitor – sometimes called the task sometimes called the task

master or keeper of the rules master or keeper of the rules – has the responsibility for – has the responsibility for

reminding team members of reminding team members of the rules they agreed on in the rules they agreed on in

the Code of Conductthe Code of Conduct

Guidelines for Guidelines for Constructive Constructive ControversyControversy

Respect team member’s Respect team member’s diversitydiversity

Respecting DiversityRespecting Diversity

• Prejudice and intolerance have no Prejudice and intolerance have no place in a work or learning place in a work or learning environmentenvironment

• Cultural, racial, gender, and Cultural, racial, gender, and personality differences can add personality differences can add unique perspectives to a teamunique perspectives to a team

• Effective teams deal with differences Effective teams deal with differences openly and with respectopenly and with respect

Guidelines for Guidelines for Constructive Constructive ControversyControversy

Learn to understand your Learn to understand your own and others’ controversy own and others’ controversy

behaviorsbehaviors

Who am I ?Who am I ?

Responses to Responses to ControversyControversy

• Supportive – tries to understand where Supportive – tries to understand where others are “coming from.” Encourages others are “coming from.” Encourages and shows respect for others. and shows respect for others. Expresses appreciation and interestExpresses appreciation and interest

• Constructive – seeks to clarify Constructive – seeks to clarify differences between ideas. Contributes differences between ideas. Contributes information and opinions to the information and opinions to the discussion. Seeks best solutions to discussion. Seeks best solutions to problems.problems.

Responses to Responses to ControversyControversy

• Aggressive – cannot tolerate ideas Aggressive – cannot tolerate ideas different from own. Views a discussion different from own. Views a discussion as a contest of wills or a measure of as a contest of wills or a measure of power. Refuses to compromise.power. Refuses to compromise.

• Defensive – does not readily share Defensive – does not readily share opinions and ideas. Becomes upset opinions and ideas. Becomes upset and angry when someone disagrees and angry when someone disagrees with him or her. Tends to dislike and with him or her. Tends to dislike and sometimes insults those who disagree.sometimes insults those who disagree.

Guidelines for Guidelines for Constructive Constructive ControversyControversy

Acknowledge and deal with Acknowledge and deal with controversial issuescontroversial issues

Dealing with ControversyDealing with Controversy

• Use landmines: Surfacing problems Use landmines: Surfacing problems to discuss potential problemsto discuss potential problems

• Deal with it in a timely mannerDeal with it in a timely manner• When it’s done – it’s done.When it’s done – it’s done.

Sometimes Sometimes Controversy turns Controversy turns

into Conflictinto Conflict

The four R’s of Conflict The four R’s of Conflict ManagementManagement

• ReframeReframe– Think through the problem and Think through the problem and

develop a win/win solutiondevelop a win/win solution– Consider how it can be productiveConsider how it can be productive– Commit to behaving responsiblyCommit to behaving responsibly

• RecognizeRecognize– Core issues (contextual, relationship, Core issues (contextual, relationship,

person)person)– Your emotional responseYour emotional response

The four R’s of Conflict The four R’s of Conflict ManagementManagement

• RespondRespond– Be proactiveBe proactive

• Anticipate and prepareAnticipate and prepare

– Be sincere Be sincere • Set the toneSet the tone• Seek to understand firstSeek to understand first• Accept responsibility for your behavior and emotionsAccept responsibility for your behavior and emotions

• ReflectReflect– Analyze what happenedAnalyze what happened– Consider what did/did not workConsider what did/did not work– Decode what to do differently the next timeDecode what to do differently the next time

Good Luck with Team Good Luck with Team Building!Building!