Category Archives: Teams

Second Guess

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“Why the long face?” I asked.

“I’m concerned about Rafael,” Eliana explained. “He was our best lead technician, always enthusiastic, knew his stuff, the team really respected him. We promoted him to supervisor two months ago and since, I noticed a slow disheartening withdrawal, from the work and from the team.”

“What does your intuition tell you?” I wanted to know.

“I don’t know, it’s like he is a different person,” she replied. “He seemed like a natural born leader and I wanted to give him the opportunity to shine. So when his supervisor got promoted, it was an easy decision. He said he wanted it. He got a raise, a small office off the production floor. But, now, I am having second thoughts.”

“I am flattered you wanted my advice, but you might find the conversation more productive if you talk to Rafael. He is the one who knows what is going on. Don’t avoid the conversation. If we made a mistake, we can easily correct it now, we have many options. If we wait another six months, the fix may be more difficult and we will have fewer options.”

Clarity

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“I don’t get it,” Elizabeth shook her head. “We hire MBAs, engineers, and industry veterans. Individually they were all great hires. Yet our projects still miss deadlines.”

“And what have you concluded?” I asked.

“That we need better people,” she said with a downbeat.

“Maybe. But tell me, who designed the roles they occupy?”

Elizabeth looked straight at me in an unspoken question.

“The smartest person in the world struggles in a role where the accountability is not clear,” I replied. “And a capable team member fails when they are given work beyond their current capability.”

“So the problem might not be the people?” Elizabeth showed a bit of doubt on her face.

“Most often, it’s the structure,” I nodded.

Elizabeth leaned back. “We’ve been replacing players when we should have focused on clarity.”

“And, clear to you may not be clear to the team member.”

 

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Technical Contributors as Managers

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“When did you notice the slowdown in throughput?” Catherine asked. The response from the client was consistent and overwhelming.

“Right after we promoted Duncan to manager.”

“And what was Duncan doing before he was promoted to manager?” she wanted to know.

“Duncan is an engineer. He was doing engineering. Best engineer we have, so we promoted him to Engineering Manager.”

Catherine knew engineers and the worst decision was to make an engineer a manager. She interviewed the team and documented her observations. Her initial report was so precise, so descriptive that it climbed the ladder to the client’s executive team, in charge of engineering integration with every other function in the company. She did not expect the email, but there it was in front of her. “We know we had a small budget for this project, but we want to expand deployment across all teams. What could we expect?”

In Sync

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“I truly want to make my team happy,” Melanie wished out loud.

“Please don’t focus on making team members happy,” I replied. “Being happy may be a byproduct, but what we want is engagement. What does it take to keep team members engaged in the work that we do?  As managers, we do things instinctively to get the work done, without thinking about the longer term impact of engagement. Getting the work done is short term, to meet the weekly metrics.” I paused. “We need to think about getting the work done well for the next five years. We do that best with a team we can keep together, working in sync with each other.”

“We almost always meet our metrics,” she said. “But, it feels forced, overtime, uneven effort from some team members. I mean, we get there, but sometimes, it’s not pretty.”

“So, even if the team meets their metrics, but isn’t working in sync, where are you, as a manager?” I asked.

“That’s the word,” Melanie smiled. “Working in sync? I can force the team, but it requires me to be dominant, create pressure, in short, get the team to be compliant to the metrics. I am exhausted at the end of the day.”

“That is why, in building an organization,” I continued my thought, “it is not enough to have the right people in the right seats, we have to think about how the seats work together.”

“That sounds nice for an orchestra,” she chuckled, “but what about here, where we have to get some work done?”

I smiled back. “In every working relationship that we design, we have to think critically. In this working relationship, what are the accountabilities we expect? And, in this working relationship, who has the authority? Authority to make decisions and solve problems the way we would have them solved? It is the design of the structure that creates team member engagement. It is the design of the structure that creates flow, everyone working in sync.”

Real Problem

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“It’s all about connection,” Pablo said. “If a team member is connected closely with their manager, most likely they will remain engaged. If the team member becomes disconnected from their manager, or connected to a toxic manager, the job search has already begun.”

“Only the manager?” I asked.

“The manager relationship is the key, with a supporting cast of the team,” Pablo explained. “Conceptually, a manager’s accountability is simple (not easy). Create connection, prevent disconnection.”

“That’s the popularity of team exercises,” I said.

“The problem with exercises is just that. Exercises are exercises. They start up muscle memory, but if you really want to build a team, give them a real problem to solve. Stand back. Allow the team to struggle. In that struggle, you will see some things occur. Leadership will emerge, automatically. Leadership takes the form of restating the problem, clarifying the obstacles and laying down the challenge. If the problem is complex, it will require expertise in specific areas, team members will consult, rely on each other to help carry the burden. In essence, problem solving builds connection.”

A Context of Trust

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“Fixing accountability is the first step to creating a context of trust,” Pablo shifted. “When accountability is not clearly defined, or placed at the wrong level, mistrust begins a slow nuanced dance, often imperceptible. But it’s there. People begin to feel insecure about their own jobs, not sure where this career may or may not be taking them, squabbles emerge about equitable pay, stress among working relationships and blaming behavior.”
“Sounds like a bit of insecurity?” I ask. “Isn’t that why we do psychometric testing, to weed those people out?”
“People behave as people behave, in the context of their surroundings,” Pablo chuckled. “We think the success of a managerial system depends of the psychology of its individuals, when its success depends more on its design. Change the context, behavior follows. Go into a church or synagogue and you will see people sitting quietly, barely speaking. Does that mean they are all introverts and poor communicators? Go to a soccer stadium where a goal has just been scored and you will see people screaming, jumping up and down. Does that mean they are all extroverts with a boisterous personality. It’s all about context.”
Pablo stopped before he finished. “Fixing accountability is the first step to creating a context of trust.”

Hollow Acknowledgement

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“If you want to change the behavior, change the context,” Pablo repeated. “How do I want my team members to show up for work? As the CEO, I have to create the environment that encourages the behavior I want.”

“For example?” I asked.

“Personal accomplishment,” Pablo said. “Let’s just take that one.”

“Okay, are you suggesting we walk around and hand out attaboys so people get a sense of personal accomplishment?”

“Sure, people need acknowledgement, but hollow acknowledgement does nothing for the human psyche. If you want people to have a sense of personal accomplishment, give them something that challenges their capability, challenges their skill set, gets them out of their comfort zone. And, I am not talking about some contrived exercise. If you want people to feel a sense of personal accomplishment, give them a real problem to solve.”

Any Foothold

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Ellie was stumped. “So, all I have to do is think of my team as competent and that’s it?”

“It cannot be a made-up competence,” I chuckled. “This is not think-positive-thoughts day. Your team is good at something connected to contribution. And, if you cannot identify it, ask the team.”

“What if all they come up with is they show up to work on time?” she frowned.

“Then start there. Look for any foothold. Showing up to work on time creates synchronicity, contributes to a positive dependence on each other. That’s not such a bad starting place.”

Shortstop or a Line Backer?

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“I got this from HR,” Nancy explained. “It’s a role description, talks about what kind of person we need. It addresses things like good communicator, detail orientation, team player, integrity, goal oriented. I am going to pair these up with some interview questions, and then we should be good to go.”

“Okay,” I nodded. “But let me ask, in what way do we describe the work? If you were recruiting for a baseball team, would you recruit for a wide receiver or a linebacker?”

“I’m not much of a sports fan,” she replied. “But, I think you have your metaphors mixed up. Baseball teams don’t have linebackers, that’s football.”

“So the mission of the organization will determine what roles we need?” I pressed.

“Of course,” Nancy was quick to clarify. “The output of my team is welded assemblies. So, I don’t need someone who is an expert in electronics.”

“Where does your role description talk about that?” I wanted to know. “It makes a difference. An organization designed as an airplane will never travel under water. And, an organization designed as a submarine will never fly.”

Fog a Mirror

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“It’s really hard to find good people these days,” Miranda lamented. “I don’t need a nuclear scientist, I just need someone to show up and follow some simple directions.”

“Over and over?” I asked.

“Well, yes, it’s a pretty repetitive job,” she replied. “I think that’s why I have a lot of turnover on my team.”

“So, anyone could walk off the street and almost immediately perform the tasks to your satisfaction?” I wanted to know.

Miranda nodded. “Yes. If we had a budget for some robots, well, we don’t have a budget for robots.”

“That’s right, no budget for robots, you’re stuck working with people. And, those people turn over. But, it seems like a simple enough job. Success does not look complicated. So, why do you have the turnover?”

“Look,” Miranda’s face tightened. “In about 30 minutes, I can get someone up to speed. You’re correct, the work is not hard. I think they leave because there is no forward path in the company, no real skills for them to develop, no innovation in the process. It’s just the work.”

“Do you think you may not expect enough from your team’s performance? If someone can just walk in off the street and immediately do the job, what is the point in that? In what way could we describe the role, to expand its decisions and problem solving, to challenge each team member to their highest level of capability? I submit, it is for you, as the manager, to ask these questions.”