The Illusion of Teams

“Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare” Patrick Lencioni, 2002

To many working in and leading teams, the notion that teamwork could be considered ‘rare’ may be met with some doubtful questioning. However, to understand whether this statement has truth, we must explore several questions

What is a Team?

Irrelevant of the department you work in or the level you operate at, the weekly or monthly team meeting where you and your colleagues come together to report on what has happened and plan for what will happen will be familiar to many.

What are your thoughts prior to arriving at the team meeting?

Perhaps it is your turn to present and you are looking forward to it being over? Or perhaps you are looking forward to your colleagues seeing all the hard work you have accomplished? Perhaps you see it as an hour where you can sit back, enjoy your cup of coffee and catch up with the emails on your phone? Or are you working on something that is too important to pause and so this time you will have to give the meeting a miss?

If we use Katzenbach and Smith, 1993 definition of a team as reference, they define a team as

“ A small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable”

How does this definition stack up with the experience you have?

When it is your turn to present, is it more important to you that you and your work looks impressive or that the work you are presenting will be a step forward in the common purpose that you as a team are trying to achieve?

When your colleague is too busy to go to the meeting or sits there on their phone, how does that impact you? Do you recognise it and hold each other accountable for the impact that behaviour is having on the team’s commitment to a common purpose and set of performance goals or let it slide?

For many teams, the definition of Katzenbach and Smith, which at first glance may seem appropriate, once examined in more detail, may appear far reaching from the norm.

 If we are not a team, what are we?

A lot of teams are operating within a group model rather than a team model.

With a group model, members come together but with individual goals, no common purpose and are accountable for the work that has been delegated to them.

A team model has a shared common purpose across members and the focus is on mutual and individual accountability.

For some organisations group models will be satisfactory, not all organisations need teams. However, if your organisation does want and need teams, the question is whether you are prepared to commit to the investment required to acquire the ultimate competitive advantage?

Is teamwork powerful and rare?

If an environment where

• team members are committed to each other’s development with a view to achieving a common purpose or common intention
• team members work interdependently rather than independently
• there is a collective responsibility for relationships with the wider stakeholders
• team members hold each other accountable for behaviours and deliverables

This may seem far reaching, this is exactly the point that Lencioni was referring to when he called teamwork powerful and rare.

If you are interested in finding out more about how to propel your team to a high level of performance, contact Team Coaching Boutique® at future@teamcoachingboutique.com or call 0203 745 7737