As mentioned in Team 101 – Part 1, any form of team building / strengthening activities take place, a “team” must be established. From our perspective, to create a true team in an environment such as a workplace is extremely difficult. We are not trying to be pessimists here, just realists. Due to each person’s different internal makeups the organization itself may not have that strong enough mission (or it could just not be communicated out properly to create believers) where the threads of interwoven-ness between people is strong enough. True teams are made up of people that would run through a brick wall for the other person. We have a conundrum. Do you see and sense that people would do that for one another? In some places yes, but probably many places, no. Let’s explore this further in Team 101 – Part 2.
How do you create that environment and that culture? How do you create the culture to obtain maybe half of what a true team is in the workplace? We think one of the first things to forming, and it becoming a true team is for everyone to buy into the fact that they themselves have ownership of being a leader, mentor, coach, and student to one another. When people can buy into the concept that they are all accountable for helping one another, and it is discussed on a highly frequent basis, there is a chance that over time will be become habit. In other words, we are laying the foundation and the culture early on.
Every time someone on-boards onto the team, and the team grows by a certain number of people, everyone communicating the same approach to every day and expectations of working with one another is critical. Essentially, it is the language that is used coupled with frequency, that provides the foundation for teams to have a chance to reach that, say, 50% of a true team (i.e. running through a brick wall for one another). It is about planting the seeds and laying the foundation which usually requires someone (or more) having to take the ball to facilitate the process. That is where leadership comes into play.
As mentioned in the above paragraphs the concept of power in numbers with everyone buying into ownership as a leader, mentor, coach, and student. Everyone should be speaking the same language. With enough time passed, and with enough repetitions, practice will make perfect. The concept of “praxis” is the term that describes operating in a certain manner for enough time that it will hopefully start to become who that person is. It’s about learning and developing by doing. A team of people operating all at once in this manner and consistently primed by a facilitator/leader(s) will at some point inspire and become second nature. Facilitators and leaders are always embedding thoughts and priming at every opportunity possible. Then they will be keenly watching how the team is talking to one another and acting towards one another.
Are they helping each other? Are they supporting each other? Or do they have chips on their shoulders? Or is something from their personal life carrying over? Or someone gets sick, or has someone have different career aspirations? Things happen in life, change happens, and it is up to each team member and facilitator/leader(s) to be aware and be sensitive to the fact of what’s going on. That way, various adjustments can be made for each individual and the team at large.
It is only at this point; we now start strengthening that thread through team building activities and other experiences.