John Gunkler replied to LO20844 --
| Rick Bommelje says,
| >I am currently searching for an effective, high quality
| >teambuilding/teamwork program ...
In his response, John Gunkler said in L020854
>|When I have intervened with a group who want "team building," what I
>have
>done has always been to engage them in dialogue about purpose and then,
> when that has been clarified (and consensus reached, and assessment of
>the
> meaningfulness of that purpose to each individual has been publicly
>made),
> to engage them in an investigation of how they will achieve that purpose
> - -- and the roles each individual must play in order to take the action
> steps they've decided they must take.
> I spend no time on "the theory of teams" and seldom bring in generic
> "team building exercises" (although in some cases -- for intact teams
>with
> a negative history -- these can be a useful way to lead into the real
> dialogues I described above.) Instead, I put the team members to work
>on
> the (common) work of the team -- and I try to do it in such a way that
> they engage in double-loop learning from the work they do. Each task
>has
> two goals: the accomplishment (furthering the purpose) goal, and the
> learning goal. I have found some of the tools and methods in the Fifth
> Discipline Fieldbook to be useful for helping people learn how to
> dialogue.
For the past four years, I have observed teams in action, participated in
and trained in teambuilding and teamwork. I tend to differentiate
teambuilding from teamwork, and my observations have led me to form very
strong impressions about the importance of teambuilding, which I define as
laying the foundation for teamwork. Teambuilding is setting the stage,
and I believe that we need to spend more time in creating an atmosphere of
intimacy and trust, in setting and sharing personal goals, and paving the
way for open communication by creating a caring, respectful, and open
atmosphere. I always do teambuilding as an introduction to training,
laying the foundation for openness and risk-taking by creating an
atmosphere of intimacy and trust. This greatly increases the impact of
the training.
In the absence of teambuilding, I have seen over and over the collapse of
plans, relationships and teams. Past the honeymoon stage, teams that are
unprepared disintegrate in confusion and conflict. It doesn't have to
happen this way.
Japanese companies have long recognized that "trust, subtlety, and
intimacy are all variables that belong to the larger category of human
relationships" (Kovacic, New Approaches to Organizational Communication,
p. 74). From the beginning, companies should strive to create and nurture
an atmosphere of intimacy and trust. Failure to do so increases the
probability of conflict, miscommunication, and confusion as to how to
proceed. "Effective change interventions require effective
communications...Sensitivity training, group processes, and transactional
analysis specifically seek to create an environment of openness, trust,
cooperation and participation. Such an environment can only be achieved
where ideas and feelings can be openly expressed and clearly understood"
(Robbins, The Administrative Process, p. 361).
I again want to emphasize that the creation of an atmosphere conducive to
reflection (an atmosphere of intimacy and trust) is a necessary
prerequisite. "We can say that change brings about adaptation, and only
through adapting can an organization survive...We particularly want to
emphasize that communication precedes change and the interrelationship
between communication and conflict" (Robbins, The Administrative Process,
p. 343).
Creativity and innovation are encouraged when employees have the
confidence and authority necessary to experiment with new ideas by doing
things differently. If there is a very high level of self-confidence and
mutual trust, employees can freely share their mistakes and take advantage
of important learnings derived from these experiences.
"Accepting risk-taking as part of the culture is an important step,
because for most people self-revelation--exposing one's special skills and
talents to others in the group--is a risk. It means we have to be willing
to be vulnerable, which we will only do if we believe we will be safe"
(Kline and Saunders, Ten Steps to a Learning Organization, p. 134).
So, what is teambuilding? Teambuilding is sharing, getting to know one
another, problem-solving together, accomplishing things together,
reflecting on the learnings at each stage. Teambuilding is appreciating
diversity, realizing that if it weren't for our differences, there could
be no exchange. Teambuilding is realizing that, by working together, we
can create something which none of us could have done alone.
At work, people tend to see each other in a limited way. Offsite,
potentialities can be addressed. A high performance team is one which
works not only towards a common purpose, but towards the goals of every
member of the team.
Once the above teambuilding actions have occurred, then one can proceed to
teamwork, beginning with group dynamics.
--koebelin <koebelin@cwix.com>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>