Team Development

struggle for mature team response

How to make your team more mature in terms of discussing and finding solutions for the chalenges of their departments?

In my institution the coordinator level is a group of people with low managment skills which still need a high degree of support and orientation. Because of that, the manager level must split themself to run bigger projects and look after his staff.

Despite the programs and incentives for individual development; in a micromanagement point of view, what could be done to make them tackle obstacles more easily?

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Participant comments on Team Development

  1. This is certainly a challenge. I don’t know how practical or feasible this might be in your situation, but is it possible to create an approach where members of one team will occasionally have the opportunity to observe other teams? This would allow for the possibility that the observer might have suggestions from similar situations faced by his/her own team. Alternatively, the observer might obtain ideas from observing the other team that would be useful if applied to his/her home team. This could obviously get burdensome if these observations occur too frequently but, if done occasionally in a manner that pairs together teams that might be expected to learn from each others’ experiences, it could be helpful.

  2. The issue is a very common challenge. Currently, I took an administrative role and some of the basic tools and resources related to the strategies and revisiting the role clarification for each leader focusing on organizational chart definitely helped. Some of the areas we reinforced might help you too:
    1.Understanding Manager versus Leader
    Manager
    •Links vision and activities to people so right things get done correctly at right time to realize goals of organization
    •Converts employee talent into performance and shows competence in a professional area
    Leader
    •Describes where team is going
    •Has a vision for a future
    •Clears path toward destination communicates a vision, and naturally, generates enthusiasm and confidence in those they lead
    2.Reinforcing the department Vision
    •Vision motivates and directs the team
    •Vision and goals help a team stay focused and on track
    3.Empowering through: Mutual Respect and build trust
    Functional Trust – believing that the team or an individual will do a job well
    -Letting go
    -“I believe and trust you know your job”
    -Interpersonal Trust – believing in the trustworthiness of another
    -Virtue of their character
    -Demonstrate integrity
    -Open and honest communication
    4.Empowering through: Consistent, Visible Support
    •Publicly affirming others
    •Providing encouragement
    •Showing confidence in one another
    •Showing support through outward declaration
    •Standing by someone during difficulties
    •Responding to others with compassion – not criticism
    •Giving someone the ‘benefit of the doubt’
    •Respecting teammates not present
    5.Managing conflict
    6.Team Member Development
    •Build and foster skills in the individuals
    7.Understanding and Collaboration
    •Team ability to collaborate with each other
    •Cohesive, moving in the same direction, work for the same purpose
    8.Feedback
    •Provide information about individual & team performance
    •Feedback should be positive and growth-inspiring
    B.E.E.R. Feedback Method:
    B: behavior – what is the employee doing that is unacceptable?
    E: effect – why is the behavior unacceptable? How does it hurt productivity, bother
    others?
    E: expectations – what do you expect the employee to do or not to do to change?
    R: results – what will happen if the employee changes (positive tone) or this behavior
    continues (negative tone)?
    9.Effective Decision-Making Competencies
    •Decisions are data-driven using fact-based information and utilization of EBP
    •Demonstrates understanding of levels of authority for decision making for charge nurse and for staff
    •Incorporates patient/family perspectives into decisions about patient care
    •Utilizes rounding with purpose for determining patient needs
    •Sets realistic mutually negotiated goals and priorities
    •Evaluates outcomes of decisions

  3. This is a very tough issue as each person is unique and comes to the table with a different perspective and background. You may want to start with a Myers-Briggs or DiSC assessment for the team. Although this may seem unimportant, it helps the team to get to know and understand the differences that may frustrate them about each other.

    Once the team develops a basic understanding of each others styles and what they bring to the table, developing trust among the team is key. There are several books etc, on how to build trust, but in my experience asking the team individually and as a team what they think is needed to build trust is most effective. That way the own the responsibility of building trust instead of you trying to make it happen. Making sure you as the leader create a “safe” environment where the focus is on how to fix a mistake or problem going forward, as opposed to looking for blame is a key aspect to creating trust.

    Once you begin to develop trust, hopefully team members will begin to take accountability, step up and want more responsibility, and hold each other accountable. This is a little bit of an oversimplification in this short response, but I hope it helps.

    1. Also, make sure that you do not take over their problems on your shoulders. Hold them accoutnable and give them advice How to arrive at the solution but do not make the call for them.

  4. I really think you should see this. It is an incredible example in the field you are working in, only in the Netherlands. This Organization is now giving care to over 80,000 people a year and with about 10,000 employees (mainly nurses), and management consists of only 1 director and almost no staff. Voted best employer of the year for 6,7,8? years in a row. Very strict organizational rule.Teams not bigger than 12 and they brake up to form new autonomous teams.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSoWtXvqsgg

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeOrNjwHw58

    http://journal.aarpinternational.org/a/b/2013/06/Buurtzorg-Nederland-Nurses-Leading-the-Way

    I don’t know if it will solve your problem, but I think it might inspire you (it inspired healthcare over here)

  5. This may sound very simple, but setting goals and trusting/empowering that staff to achieve those goals is likely the only way to reach the level of functioning that you wish for. And while not easy, support must be given so as to help the team know they have the confidence and support of their superiors.

    Continuing to micromanage their affairs will only compound this problem, at least in my opinion. The real challenge is setting fair and reasonable goals to point them towards in the beginning of the process.

  6. I have a daily morning meeting with my steering members, it’s 30-60 minutes meeting. We discuss different points and obstacles, from different points of views, all managers from different departments meet and discuss under my supervision and fight and laugh also. But the conclusion that they discuss about their problems, they get the opinons of other departments managers, they exchange knowledge with other members.
    After their meeting, a minutes of meeting is sent to all members with action points and deadlines.
    I have a dedicated follow up officer who follow up with the concerned members to make sure they fill their tasks in a timely manner.
    Now my steering members, each go to his departments and do the same with his team members ( meetings with them , discussing the problems,and giving them time frame to get find a solution )
    So the culture of discussing problems and finding solutions are embedded from top of pyramid till down the level.
    I find the role of follow up officer is very important ( one follow up officer ) , he / she follow with the managers, they follow with their supervisors, supervisors follow with their staff…extra.
    After a while the culture of taking problems seriously and finding solutions for it is embedded in the Organisation, that even without the follow up officer reminder emails, the problem will be solved in timely manners.
    It need a cultural change, we might follow a boring method in the beginning ( like a continuous follow up ). But the change will come after a while.

  7. I very much agree with Ruth, the only additional thing I might add is remember that building leadership skills takes time. (unless you import it). That means early identification of potentials, ensuring the necessary skills training and allowing exposure to greater and greater leadership roles.

    However, there needs to be some aspect of customisation of what Ruth has mentioned. Including emphasis of the unit goals, visions and objectives. Unit values and culture. Also, mentoring is important.

  8. I would not assume that any of these folks are properly trained in basic management/leadership skills, and therefore, the next level supervisor will have to invest time in meeting with these individuals on a 1:1 basis to determine what are the shortcomings for each person. Once established, then the supervisor should outline the training needs for each and attach it to goals for the upcoming year, or as a part of the variable compensation (bonus) program. Try to tie the training to improvement in important metrics for the organization, so that this doesn’t appear nebulous and they have some “skin in the game.” Good luck.

  9. Managing teams of people with low skills is a challenge. However it is all down to good leadership.
    Managers with good leadership skills are essential to make a big difference -regardless of the teams skills.
    1. Strong leadership skills -traning for the Manager is essenital.
    2. Effective communication with the team -regular briefings by the Manager is a must.
    3. The Manager must set a common vision and set of values with the team (or simply rigorously adopt the Company Vision and Values)
    4. Setting clear individul and team goals, monitor performance and give feed back both individually and to the team is essential
    5. Build trust, and a sense of belonging in the team
    6. Gradually enhance people skills with proper training and development plans.

  10. Someone else eluded to this earlier but the model of micromanaging often hinders the growth of the individuals affected. One clear way for the manager to keep themselves engaged but allow the teams to progress on their reverts back to setting an outlined list of goals and timelines for each project. Then allow each project manager to work through accomplishing them with “update meetings” already scheduled. At that time additional guidance may be given while allowing the teams to still progress on their own.

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