A521.6.3 RB: High Performance Teams

Elements of High-Performance Teams -There are many definitions of High Performance Teams (HPT).  After reviewing many of them, I would define a HPT as a selected group of individuals who are assembled with the objective of achieving superior results from highly complex task.  In his book “The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling” author Stephen Denning (2009) provides common characteristics for a community and high performance teams. HPTs exemplify the following:

·         They actively shape the expectations of those who use their output… empowered with full responsibility for their success

·         They rapidly adjust their performance to the situation…they are provided a high level of trust and autonomy from senior leadership.   

·         Grow steadily stronger…over time, members come to know one another's strengths and weaknesses… as they solve the challenges, the HPT grow stronger and stronger

·         Through the group action, the individuals grow… because of a positive learning environment of shared visions, individuals gain new skills…personal growth and development is not seen as a threat, newly learned skills benefit the team and the individual.

·         They are fueled by interpersonal commitments…they understand that the team goals trumps the individual goals…they have a unified commitment, understanding how to balance individual differentiation and communal integration.

·         Work is often carried out with shared passion…having a higher standard of excellence than ordinary teams.  HPTs often adopt such mottos like ‘‘if one of us fails, we all fail''.  (Denning, 2009, p.156)

Other elements not mentioned by Denning, but are common to today’s business environment include; value synergism, communicate effective dialogue instead of debate, practice continuous improvement, and diversity are just a few.   

Elements of Shared Values – I believe values are the core beliefs that guide the desired behaviors of individuals on a HPT.  These shared values set the culture that determines interaction internally and externally. The thought process behind the importance of value is multiplied when shared amongst teams that lack policies and strong leadership.  I agree with how author Ken Blanchard summarizes the importance of shared values, “When aligned around shared values and united in a common mission, ordinary people accomplish extraordinary results.”

Four Patterns of Working Together – According to Denning (2009), the four patterns of working together are: work groups; team; community; and network. Work groups are where people temporarily working together too achieved a common goal.  Normally, they do not share processes of operation, they lack interaction and each has their own specialized task.  Negative Experience - I worked for a major aviation manufacture where the environment where the environment was all about self-preservation.  Although this was a horrible environment when it was supposed to be team based, it did teach me to be self-sufficient in that organization, but did little in the way of helping to build a strong team dynamic.  Teams – A team is comprised of people linked in a common objective.  There is a high degree of interaction and collaboration between members.  Community – A community is comprised of many smaller or disparate sub-structures of people sharing the same interest for the benefit of all to include certain interests, opinions, religion or ethnicity.  Network - A network is a normally a very large population with the same values and interests; however this is not a tightknit group.  Positive Experience - Recently, I joined a professional networking group, Linked In. This networking group helps share common career aspirations and values; plus I can use this as a source of information.

What could you have done to influence the outcomes? – As far as the negative experience, I accepted the responsibility because I failed to push the team toward becoming a HPT. Knowing what I do today, I would have asked for a team meeting team and emphasized what we were all hired to do. Bottom line is it was a lack of commitment that kept this team from achieving better results.   

Reference:

Denning, S. (2009) The leader's guide to storytelling: mastering the art and discipline of business narrative. San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass

A521.5.4.RB - Aligning Values

Identify the three basic components of an ethical community and discuss how they might be applied in your organization. Are there values that are missing from your organization?
Discuss how you might develop those values and also align them with the values of the individuals in the organization.

Denning (2011) describes the decentralization of ethics as a shift from a focus on ethical values to pursued values, in a clear and precise way that provided me with a different perspective on the subject of values and ethics.  When it comes to ethics, there are as many conflicting ideas that come to mind.  Denning (2011) states that a “genuinely ethical community has three basic components that include trust, loyalty, and solidarity.  In chapter 6, Transmit Your Values, Denning (2011) defines each term as the following:

• Trust is defined as the general expectation among members that their neighbors, friends and coworkers will behave ethically toward each other.
• Loyalty is defined as acceptance of the obligation to refrain from violating one another’s trust and to fulfill the duties entailed by accepting that trust.
• Solidarity is defined as caring for other community member’s interest and being ready to respond on behalf of others.

I am not sure if I agree with Denning on the fact that these values as if they are building blocks for any community or organization.  A more universal perspective would require taking many factors into consideration to include things such as demographics, population and location.  However for this discussion, I will focus on the values identified by Denning. 

The first ethical value that Denning (2011) discusses in his book is trust (see definition in previous paragraphs).  I think there is a huge gap in trust in my organization.  The term trust may be spoken word in verbal terms but the actions are totally different.  I briefly mentioned this point in an early class discussion forum; how individual values sometimes can precede community and organizational values.  Denning describes trust as the general expectation among members of an organization; however, I don’t know how an organization that is influenced by so many internal and external factors can overcome the lack of trust issue among its employees.  There needs to be a complete overhaul in the culture.  To be fair, the organization I work for does try to instill specific values, thus eliminating unethical and abusive managerial practices. The problem is follow thru; holding individuals to an acceptable behavior based on these values.  The biggest issue that exists is the divides that is caused by the union.  The lack of trust leads to another issue, the effect it has on organizational loyalty (which I will discuss later). 

Denning’s second basic component of an ethical community is loyalty.  Loyalty can be perceived in different ways.  Many times I have pondered the question of whether employee loyalty is to the person in charge, to the organization or to the almighty paycheck.  If I had to advise my organization about how to address the issue of lack of loyalty, I would use the words’ of a Wharton University Management Professor Adam Cobb (2012), “When you are talking about loyalty in the workplace, you have to think about it as a reciprocal exchange.  My loyalty to the firm is contingent on my firm’s loyalty to me.  What must be kept in perspective is the fact that there is one party in that exchange which has tremendously more power, and that is the firm.”  Until these words are clearly understood, I feel there will always be a loyalty issue in my organization.  

The third basic components of an ethical community are solidarity.  Trust and loyalty both influence solidarity in the organization in which I work.  There is a sense of solidarity in the organization, but it is divided; management versus employees, and both are strong.  As I mentioned earlier, the union is the foundation for this solidarity on one hand and the reason for division of solidarity on the other hand.  Solidarity, in its practicality and concreteness, is hard to apply because human beings will always gravitate towards those with whom they share similarities, which totally contrast with the concept if putting a collective of diverse people together in order to form organizational solidarity.  For the term solidarity, I will have to somewhat disagree with Denning.  We, as human beings, will by nature act in way to serve our own best interests, whether intentionally or not.  Organizations, like the one I work for, are always trying to get individuals to adopt the interests of the group instead of looking out for their own interests.  Often there is resistant to this course of action.

What I did find in the discussion forum is I have a lot in common with my classmates when it comes to values.  After reading several inputs by classmates, I see that we as a whole are quick to question organizational values and that of some of their employees (management levels), but we are not so quick to question our own values; especially when it come to how our values fit in with the  organization. 

References:

Denning, S., (2011). The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative (Revised and updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cobb, A., (May, 2012). Declining Employee Loyalty: A Casualty of the New Workplace. Retrieved from http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/declining-employee-loyalty-a-casualty-of-the-new-workplace/

 

 

A521.4.3.RB - Subtleties of Communication and Hidden Messages

Make no mistake about it, verbal and non-verbal communication sends a very powerful message to the receiver when used correctly.  However, for the person delivering the message, communication that is delivered incorrectly can be ambiguous and very noticeable by your audience.  Inconsistency in communication can cause a loss of credibility and the audience may be less trusting of what the speaker is trying to convey.

When it comes to body language, I am very aware that I use it as a main factor for my communication style.  “Understanding body language is essential because over 50 percent of a message’s impact comes from body movements” (Denning, 2011).  As an instructor, Denning’s statement speaks volumes about my performance in my current career position; body language is a very large part of how I deliver information and how my students receive information from me. 

During the later years in my military career, I often found myself communicating to several different audiences, while having to address the same message.  The problem for me is that I have a problem of showing my nonverbal expressions at the wrong time.  To compound that, I can be impatient with some people and it shows sometimes in my nonverbal body language. McKay and Davis (2009) stated that some of these non-verbal signs of impatience include sighs, frowns, and crossed arms and legs. To this statement, I am 100% guilty.  At times, I worked closely with senior management, while managing first and second line supervisors under me and subordinate employees.  Many times information was provide to me that I did not agree with. My nonverbal expression would often show my disagreement but it did not matter, because my job was to follow orders.  On the same note, I had to deliver this information to all subordinates under me and show I supported it 100%.  However, in this situation, I had to be very aware of my nonverbal.  I want to make sure that my nonverbal expressions did not undermine my verbal message.   

This process is often carried over into my personal life.  In my personal life, my wife is the first person to point out to me when my verbal and nonverbal communication contradicts with each other.  As I said earlier, I am a very impatient person and if I am not interested in something someone is saying, I will not give them the attention they deserve.  My children know me very well when it comes to my nonverbal communication.  To this day, they know when I rub my bald head over and over and when the wrinkles appear on my forehead thay know I am either stressed or upset…no matter what my voice communicates. I used to think they were exaggerating until my wife confirmed this. 

This week’s reading assignment confirmed I am very aware of my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to my communication skills.  To this day I am still learning to modify my communication approach, reducing the delivery style conflict and improving the communication processes I use.  I now try not to come off as being insincere or disingenuous.

 

References:

 

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass.

 

McKay, M., Davis, M., Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The Communications Skills Book. (3rd ed.) Oakland, CA; New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

 

 

A521.3.4.RB - Personal Reflection

Recall two or three situations from your childhood or early adulthood that had a formative impact on you. Describe the situations and relate how they impacted you. Pick situations that have affected how you act and feel in an organizational or team-based environment.

Looking back at my life when I was younger, there are many situations that have formed me to be the person I am today.  When I turned eleven, my father began to take me to work with him in his auto body shop.  At the time, I was too young to work and my mother wanted me out of the house doing something positive so I did not hang out with the bad elements in the neighborhood.  The auto body work my father used to do amazed me and I wanted to learn how to repair cars and make money like he did.  On many occasions, my father would explain to me that it was not as easy as it seemed and to become good, one must take small steps before taking on the major jobs.  Deep down, I thought I was good at fixing things with my hands.  When I arrived at the shop, the only thing my father would let me do was to clean and sweep the floors.  I did these taskings for about four weeks before I asked for other responsibility; always receiving the answer of no from my father.  Finally, my father sat me down and explained to me that the most important part of painting a vehicle was the prep work.  If there was any type of dust in the shops painting room, there would be damage to the wet paint and weeks of work would be ruined.  That lesson taught me that it not always the biggest things you do in life that make the biggest difference.  To this day, I have lived by thing motto in everything I do.  I find encouragement and prided in work that I produce no matter how miniscule.  I often use this story to motivate past and present employees.  I can truly testify that it has had a positive effect on every organization and team I have been in contact with.  This lesson has shaped me as a person, father, supervisor and leader. 

On the same note, another lesson came from this same situation which had a formative impact on me as person.  After I learned of completing all task with pride, my father started paying me.  I did not expect any pay and asked why he was giving me money.  He said anytime you are paid for doing something you become a professional; and with this title comes great expectation and responsibility.  My father was very clear in his point that with received pay comes the expectations that you will do the job correctly to the best of your ability.  Sometimes the pay would be good and sometime it was very small I monetary value.  I quickly had to learn that I get paid for the quality of my work product.  To this day, I find myself instilling the same values in everyone around me that I can influence; to include employees and my own children.  From a person perspective, both lessons have assisted me in the ability to clearly communicate expectations with my peers, supervisors, and students as it was explained to me. 

A521.2.3.RB - Danger of Stories

In her TED presentation, “The Danger of the Single Story”, Ms. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, presents a powerful speech on how society can be influenced by a single one sided story.  Ms. Adichie followed the first step in telling a successful springboard story by ensuring the story is one of truth; using her own life as the main protagonist.  She emphasizes the power that a single story can have and how society has manipulated this process to influence individual the thought process. 

 

She began her speech by identifying herself as a victim of misunderstandings because of single stories provided to her by her parents and others close to her as she grew up.  Chimamanda explains how preconceptions of adults like her parents, college roommates and friends and even professors had influenced her world view of society as a whole.  One powerful example she analyzes is the view of the American society on the country of Mexico and its poverty. Now looking back on my own upbringing and reflecting on her talk session, I can clearly see how a single story can influence how we define a selected group of people, how we stereotype a geographical location, how we dismiss a certain genre or style of music, or even a type of food.  To be fair, stereotypes exist and will always exist in some aspect of our lives, thus making it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction when we are exposed to such thought process so early in our lives.  This is a perfect example of the power of the single story. 

I share in Chimamanda’s experience when it comes to the power of the single story.  Much of my adult life was spent in the military where stories have a very powerful place in society.  There is one story that seems to follow me everywhere I go.  Early in my military life, I lived in and traveled around Europe.  This exposed me to cultures too numerous to list.  However, I quickly realized that American culture had a different view of other cultures especially the Arab/Muslim culture.  Too often, I would hear high ranking officials speak in very negative ways of these cultures, especially when the conversation of the Koran was included.  My first bachelor’s degree was from a Baptist University (name withheld), where it was mandatory to study the bible so at that time it did have an influence on how I viewed certain aspects of religion.  However I quickly realized that some cultures had the same type of negative view of Christian religion and the Bible.  There was one defining point that is imbedded in my brain.  One of my professor stated, “If you are going to question a thought process (single story), learn the other persons viewpoint…read both the Koran and the Bible and then we can have a conversation on them.  Ignorance will get us nowhere.” It was then that I realized that I have the power to overcome the power of a single story when told by a single protagonist.  To this day, I have accepted a philosophy when teaching at any level.  I inform my student if you leave my class and say Mr. or Professor Washington says this or that is like this, then I have failed you.  My primary job as an educator is to teach students to think on their own; so that they do not become a victim of the single story. 

We often receive information about people, cultures, locations and even events and before you know it we are drawing conclusions based on what some else told us.  Based on Adichie’s story, maybe society should slow down and learn about such information.  At the same time, if we are not careful we will pass this same thought process on to our children.   From this TED session, I will draw the conclusion that Chimamanda is truly a skilled story teller, using humor and actual examples of her own experiences to deliver a powerful message. On the other hand, if I do not learn more about Ms. Chimamanda through my own research, I am being a hypocrite and again falling for the influence of the single story.  It is important to understand that behind a single story; facts are often manipulated or omitted, thus serving the single-mindedness of the individual telling the story.