A Team Concept Requires Leaders at Every Level


A Team Concept Requires Leaders at Every Level

An ironic outcome of an organization's decision to establish a team concept is that there must be many individual leaders at all levels. Let's examine how members at each level can help.

Leaders at the Top: "General Managers"

General managersthose at the top of the organization including executives, plant managers, committee chairs, union officers, and so onset the strategic direction for the organization and how the use of teams will help accomplish its mission. They need to be clear on how teams are to be formed in the organization and the rules and boundaries associated with the power given to the teams to make decisions and solve problems. They must see the use of teams as a sound business practice. These key leaders must avoid isolating themselves . Sometimes leaders at this level in a team-based organization may feel like the supervisor of a graveyard: lots of people under them, but nobody listening. They need direct contact with teams and must listen to their concerns; they must understand any differences between the plan and the realities. Leaders at the top of the organization may also need to form a team of their own. This can be a powerful way of modeling their true belief in the team approach and an effective way to gain the collective wisdom to identify the innovative strategies needed to address complex problems.

Resource Leaders: "Coaches"

Organizations wanting teams to succeed must provide the needed resources. In addition to information, materials, equipment, and a budget, they must provide people who can act as coaches. Coaches such as area managers, supervisors, staff experts, trainers , consultants , and others are subject matter experts who can provide insights for the team to consider. They are usually not permanent members of the teams they serve, but rather are brought in when an issue calls for their help.

When a problem-solving team is investigating sources of supplies or tools to address a quality issue in the production process, perhaps a staff expert from Purchasing should be invited to a team meeting to help members understand the company's contracts and policies with current suppliers and steps that may need to be taken to change the current practice. When a team is struggling to contain costs, perhaps the controller should attend a team meeting to help the team understand budgeting and accounting practices relevant to the team's portion of the operations. Trainers should be made available to teams to help them learn quality-enhancing procedures such as statistical process control or Six Sigma techniques. They can serve as coaches in the soft skills arena as well, facilitating exercises to develop the skills to communicate more effectively, to resolve conflicts more constructively, and to honor and capitalize on the diversity present among team members.

Area managers can serve as coaches to help broaden the horizons of team members so that they can make decisions in a manner that enhances, not interferes, with the workings of other teams in that area. Team coordinators can attend team meetings and provide feedback on how to enhance team processes for working together effectively. The emphasis here is on a coaching style that enlightens, educates, and expands a team's thinking, not one that dictates and controls.

Peer Leaders: "Captains"

Then there are those special people who can serve as team leaders even among peers. You probably remember team captains from youth sports. They called the coin toss and listened to the instructions of the referees. They were brought in to hear the explanation regarding disputed plays. They met with the coaches to gain a more in-depth understanding of the strategy being utilized. They were expected to spread the word with their peers and were counted on to have that special rapport with the other team members to help the team stay united.

Work teams can benefit from having a captain, too. So-called self-directed work teams typically have a peer as the team leader. This person might be elected by her peers or may be selected by management. Some companies establish a set of qualifications (e.g., know all the jobs on the team, have a distinguished attendance record, pass a series of training courses, etc.) for election or selection to this position. Other companies make it a rotating position that every team member is expected to fulfill. It is important that the duties this person is to perform be clarified. She is not there to dictate and direct or function as a "straw boss." She cannot be expected to be management's lackey or spy. She is to be chosen because of her understanding of the team's operations and especially because she is considered credible (i.e., trustworthy, competent, and enthusiastic) by members of the team.




Tools for Team Leadership. Delivering the X-Factor in Team eXcellence
Tools for Team Leadership: Delivering the X-Factor in Team eXcellence
ISBN: 0891063862
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 137

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