Transcript No Slide Title

Leading Groups
The leader as culture creator
Team
Development
Leadership
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Joint direction and focus of a team
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Katzenbach & Smith
High-performing teams
Definition of a team
“A team is a small number of people with complementary skills, who are committed to
a common purpose and performance goals, for which they hold themselves mutually
accountable”
Jon Katzenbach & Douglas K. Smith
“The Wisdom of Teams”
Harper Business Essentials
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Team performance curve
High-performing team
Performance
Real team
Group
Potential team
Pseudo team
Degree of team integration
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Core success criterias for teams
Open dialogue about
the way the team
works
Clear goals that
everyone knows and
accepts
Joint values – knowing
“right” from “wrong”
A joint plan that
everyone knows and
accepts
A balanced focus on results
and the team process
Roles that help
the individual to
feel as part of the
greater context
Foster an open dialogue on
relevant issues
Each individual works on
his or her own role in
and influence on the
team
Everyone in the team is
able to take on the
leadership and to be led
Acceptance of different
competences
Willingness to give and
receive feedback
Willingness to help
others
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An evaluation tool
How effective is your group?
Effective and ineffective groups
Less effective group
Effective group
1. Boredom
1. Informal atmosphere
Indifference rules. Some are whispering, some are “sleeping”. There might be
“sleeping”. There might be tension in the air. People check the time. Drum their
check the time. Drum their fingers.
Participants feel relaxed and content. They are interested and actively
interested and actively committed.
2. Dominance
2. Many discussions
A couple of people dominate the discussion. Their contributions are often off topic.
contributions are often off topic. Nobody does anything about it.
anything about it.
Everyone participates, according to their competence. If the discussion gets
competence. If the discussion gets off track, someone will quickly get it
someone will quickly get it back on track.
3. Unclear objective
3. The objective is understood and accepted
The goal may have been presented but hasn’t been accepted. Many “hidden
accepted. Many “hidden agendas” rule.
The task has been openly discussed until everyone has accepted it and
everyone has accepted it and arecommitted.
4. More talk than listening
4. More listening than talk
Many interruptions. While others talk, people are planning their own
planning their own contributions. People tend keep each other accountable on
each other accountable on concrete words: “But, you specifically said that ...”
specifically said that ...”
No one is afraid of making a fool of themselves by proposing an idea.
by proposing an idea. People try to understand the meaning of
the meaning of contributions.
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Effective and ineffective groups
Less effective group
Effective group
5. Criticism is perceived as personal and uncomfortable
5. Criticism is perceived as objective and constructive
No one is afraid to propose an idea. Perhaps it could prompt other ideas.
ideas.
6. Superficial agreement
6. Plenty of disagreement
Disagreements are not discussed in depth. There are often unresolved issues that can lead
unresolved issues that can lead to open warfare. People often resort to having a vote,
often resort to having a vote, which is a tactical way of avoiding discussing the matter in
avoiding discussing the matter in depth. It is crucial that no one thinks that there is any
one thinks that there is any internal conflict in the group.
There is no feeling of having to keep discussions sugar sweet. People seek to understand the reasons
People seek to understand the reasons behind the views of others. Sometimes, fundamental
Sometimes, fundamental disagreements are accepted, but a solution is found to live with them.
7. Hindsight
7. Agreement about decisions
Actions are often taken before the consequences have been examined. Subsequently,
been examined. Subsequently, people are gossiping behind each other’s backs: “You
behind each other’s backs: “You should have listened to me.”
me.”
Formal voting rarely happens, because everyone should be able to agree on a decision, or accept
to agree on a decision, or accept “the lesser of two evils”.
8. Unclear division of tasks
8. Clear division of tasks
No one really knows who will be doing what. No one feels committed to the rest of the
committed to the rest of the group.
Each participant are committed to find a way forward.
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Effective and ineffective groups
Less effective group
Effective group
9. Dictatorship
9. Alternating initiative and leadership
Management clearly remains with the chairperson.. He is expected to handle
is expected to handle everything - it is his responsibility.
The leader does not dominate the group. Various individuals naturally take on
individuals naturally take on the leadership when they know best. Everyone feels
they know best. Everyone feels mutually accountable.
accountable.
10. No emotions are expressed
10. Emotions and atmosphere are discussed openly
Everything must be “factual” and documentable. Personal views and gut feelings
Personal views and gut feelings remain hidden. One must not be “personal”.
11. No discussion about the group by and within the group, but quite a bit outside
group, but quite a bit outside the group
Open discussions about the group, its sense of unity and the way it works are
and the way it works are considered a sign of weakness. Things like that are discussed
Things like that are discussed after meetings one-on-one, in cliques and with a third
one, in cliques and with a third party.
11. The group is confident as a group
How things are going is often – and openly – discussed, whether this refers to
discussed, whether this refers to the working methods in general or to an
methods in general or to an individual member who doesn’t seem to be pulling
doesn’t seem to be pulling their weight.
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Assessment of your action-learning group
- A group assignment
Self-assessment
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The Action Learning group’s way of functioning – in relation to the theory presented?
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What are our strengths?
What are our challenges?
Where are we on the team-development graph?
How do we believe that others perceive us as a group?
Which metaphor would others use about us?
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Wilfred Bion
Dynamics within groups
The group’s two levels
Leader’s personality
Output
Input
Task groups
“As-if” groups
A: Dependency – B: Fight or flight – C: Idyllisation
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1: Dependence group
Symptoms
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Decisions cannot be made at a ‘natural’ level.
The group often functions below their normal professional level.
Group members only feel committed to the leader.
The group does not feel competent enough to make decisions without external
professional support.
There are a number of rules, procedures and regulations for collaboration.
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2: Fight-flight group
Symptoms
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More talk than listening.
Group members often hold onto words and expressions, such as: “But you specifically said
that …”
Endless discussions in circles.
Complaints and dissatisfaction with other departments or competitors.
Aggressive atmosphere.
Sarcastic comments.
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3: Idyllisation group
Symptoms
Forced optimism … “Things will get much better in the third quarter.”
Forgets the existing specific situation and focuses on visions about the
future.
• Too many balls in the air.
• Conversations characterised by clichés.
• Forced atmosphere.
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The leader as culture creator
– according to Kets de Vries
The drama organisation
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Chief executive
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Governing theme
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Employees develop a strong need for dependence, which supports the ‘strong leader’ trends. The leader is idealised by his or
her subordinates. The leader is a catalyst for the employees’ initiatives and values.
Organisation
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Grandiosity: “I want to impress and get all the attention.”
Culture
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Great need for attention, excitement, activity and stimulation.
Over-centralisation obstructs development of effective information systems. Leaders at the next level have ‘no’ influence. The
decision making process is non-participative.
Strategy
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Hyper-active, impulsive, adventurous, dangerously unrestrained. The leader tends to initiate risky steps. Growth is rarely
integrated in strategy.
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The mistrusting organisation
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Chief executive
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Governing theme
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‘Fight or flight’. Dependency, anxiety, fear of attack, information is power, uniformity, culture of mistrust.
Organisation
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Paranoia: ‘An evil-minded force is out to get me. I’d better be on guard. I can’t trust anyone.’
Culture
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Hypersensitive: always prepared for an attack or a personal threat. Cold without emotional expression. Suspicious,
characterised by mistrust, insists on loyalty. Wants to be overly involved in regulations to ensure full control.
Widespread processing of information, abundance of trend analyses, centralised power structure.
Strategy
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Reactive, conservative, analysis paralysis, secretive.
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The indifferent organisation
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Chief executive
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Governing theme
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Lack of warmth and emotions, insecurity, unmanaged internal power struggles.
Organisation
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‘The reality does not provide any satisfaction, interaction with others will fail, it is safer to remain dissociated.’
Culture
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Dissociated and not involved, lack of interest in the present and the future, most often indifferent towards praise and
criticism.
Internal focus, insufficient examination of the surroundings, self-induced barriers for free information flow.
Strategy
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Staggering, indecisive, inconsistent.
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The control organisation
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Chief executive
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Governing theme
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‘I do not wish to be at the mercy of fate. I have to control everything that can affect me and my situation.’
Culture
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Dominates the organisation from top to bottom. Insists that others conform to carefully described procedures and
regulations. Dogmatic, stubborn, perfectionistic and obsessed with detail.
Rigid, introverted, isolated. Submissiveness and insecurity rule. No creativity.
Organisation
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Stiff, formal regulations, well-developed information systems, ritual evaluation procedures, dedication, precision. A hierarchy
where each leader’s status and power is specifically associated with his or her position.
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The balanced organisation
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Chief executive
- Great self-confidence and strong identity. Listens to and is open towards others. Knows their own strengths and weaknesses. Does
not take themselves too seriously.
Governing theme
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‘I know my strengths and achieve great satisfaction by creating results together with others.’
Culture
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A high degree of initiative and independent action. Very different employees solve tasks together. Different opinions can coexist.
Conflict is part of everyday life – and is solved through dialogue.
Organisation
- Delegation, informal and network-orientated. Decision-making and role structure is clear. Responsibility and decision-making
capability is delegated down.
Strategy
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Rational and built around the organisation’s core competence, which is typically the ability to manage complex projects. Performance
is adjusted dramatically from time to time.
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The leader as culture creator
- A group assignment
Self-assessment
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Individual contributions to the group
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What have I in particular contributed to the group as a leader?
What are my strengths?
What are my challenges?
What should I focus more on in the future when I lead or cooperate in a group?
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Present your evaluation
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Receive constructive, forward-looking feedback
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Give each other feedback based on strengths
Give each other advice with regard to leading a group
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