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One Word… Collaboration

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Culture, Performance, Teams. No Comments on One Word… Collaboration

Often, a single word or concept can make a huge difference for leaders and their organizations.

Let’s take a look at a word that is certainly trending: Collaboration.

Why all the fascination about an idea that has been around for so long? I don’t think the concept has changed; I think the context has. Never before in history has information been more ubiquitous or the world moved at a more dizzying pace. These factors, combined with a more globally competitive landscape and increasing complexity, make this tried-and-true concept shine with relevance.

Collaboration may not be the most efficient way to work, but I believe it is the most effective.

Collaboration is a time-tested practice on the path to greater results. The concept is so elementary it doesn’t need much explanation or defense. If you can create the environment for men and women to pool their experience, expertise, education, and passion to tackle your most challenging problems, you can create a huge competitive advantage.

What are some of the obstacles you need to overcome to achieve full collaboration? Here are 4 that I’ve identified:

Individual ownership. Most people care deeply about their work and their contribution to the success of the organization. On the surface, this is a really good thing. However, it is a two-edged sword. The good news is that work gets done; the bad news is that it may get done without the collaborative input of the team. Leaders need to defeat the “I’ll just do it myself” mindset.

Physical space. The pandemic and the radical changes to the way people work has provided challenges when a group of people attempt to truly work together. Find what works for your team and make tweaks along the way to refine your working environment.

Time on task. We have to invest more time together to gain the benefits we seek. Time together is the price you pay for better results. This can be both formal, scheduled time and informal time. Regardless, time is essential in becoming a more collaborative team.

Volume of work. Collaboration is not the most efficient way to work. However, I believe it is the most effective way to work. The more work we have to do, the more we need to collaborate – even though it requires more time. This may feel counterintuitive – it is!

What inhibits collaboration on your team?

 

A pair of glasses being held up in front of an eye chart, and the part of the chart seen through the lens of the glasses is in perfect focus.

Create Clarity

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Culture, Performance, Vision. No Comments on Create Clarity

High Performance Organizations do things lesser performing organizations don’t – they create clarity on what’s important throughout the enterprise. The fact that clarity is so elusive in many organizations is a mystery unto itself. Organizations lack clarity not for it’s inherent difficulty, but rather for the diligence required from leadership. A lack of clarity is a lack of leadership.

To create clarity is essential if an organization hopes to Act as One. The following is how Randy Gravitt and I introduced this best practice in the Chess Not Checkers Field Guide.

For those who wear corrective lenses, there isn’t much better than receiving your first pair of glasses or contacts. Objects become clear and the quality of life improves when an optometrist helps a patient dial in their vision.

In the same way, when a leader creates clarity in an organization, team members are excited once they recognize how they can contribute to success. On the flip side, a lack of clarity can keep a team mired in endless mediocrity.

When people come together around a shared mission,
they gain a huge competitive advantage.

However, being unified around the wrong ideology will do nothing more than lead you together down the wrong road. The teams that make a difference and create lasting impact are more than cohesive. They also possess clarity around the right ideas. They galvanize around a compelling vision and mission and have a core set of beliefs that keep them on the right path.

As a leader, your job is to make sure everyone is on the same page and headed in the same direction. The longer you stay on the wrong road, the further you get from your intended destination.

Clarity takes time and intentional focus. When you are able to cut through the fog and Create Clarity, confusion is minimized and an advantage is gained that propels the team to the next level. By crafting a compelling vision, establishing shared goals, and creating and implementing a plan to communicate them, you position your team to work together in powerful ways.

Clarity is available to any organization, including yours. However, your leadership team will be required to make the commitment to Create Clarity. Are you ready to make that decision?

 

Don’t Set the Bar Too Low

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Development, Performance, Teams. No Comments on Don’t Set the Bar Too Low

I want to lead a great team – don’t you? I want to work on big ideas that will have a big impact. I want to invest my leadership energy in people and projects that matter. I don’t think I’m the only one who feels this way. So where do we begin? We have to start where we are – but thankfully we don’t have to stay there.

One of the things I’ve been guilty of from time to time over the years is setting the bar too low – for myself and my team. This can take many forms, but today I want to talk about how, if we’re not careful, we can set the bar too low as it relates to our team.

First, we need to clarify the key ingredients regarding high performance in a team setting. They are: Talent, Skills, and Community. However, I want to be clear on some important distinctions in this arena.

People and Talent are not the same thing…

Every team is composed of people. However, many teams lack the talent they need for great accomplishment. One of our roles as leaders is to always be looking for talent – always recruiting. What does talent look like in your context? Don’t settle for just anybody to be on your team.

Assigning Tasks is not the same as developing Skills…

High Performance Teams have skilled members. These are men and women who have individual skills and team skills. If we’re not careful, we could find ourselves delegating tasks rather than developing skills. If this happens, over time your team will be devoid of any initiative and creativity. Don’t confuse delegation with skill development.

Collaboration is no substitute for real Community…

People in high performance teams do work together – they do collaborate. But they do so much more. Real community is about doing life together. When this happens, it is the turbo-charger for team performance. The members of the team are no longer just working for the organization; they are working for each other also. Don’t settle for getting along with each other. Invest the time and energy in cultivating authentic community and your team will never be the same again.

 

a wooden picket fence with an attached sign that says "this way" and an arrow pointing to the right

Teams: Pseudo vs. Real

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Creative Thinking, Performance, Teams. No Comments on Teams: Pseudo vs. Real

I usually think about, talk about, study, and write about teams that excel. My book, The Secret of Teams, is about creating High Performance Teams. However, I’ve been looking at this topic long enough to know – some teams stink.

I’ve been on my share of really bad teams – in sports, in non-profit organizations, and at my full-time job. In their groundbreaking work, Katzenbach and Smith gave a name to these severely underperforming teams – they call them Pseudo-teams.

A Pseudo-team is a place you don’t want to be. And if you find yourself there, you want to do all you can to improve the situation as soon as possible. Before we plot your escape plan, let’s be clear on the condition we’re describing. Here are some of the clues you may be on a Pseudo-team:

  • Chronically poor results
  • Little team discipline regarding process
  • Low investment in team development
  • Ineffective meetings
  • Low team accountability
  • Little personal concern for other members of the team

If this sounds like a team you’re on today, what can you do? Here’s the good news: You do not have to stay where you are!

When a team realizes how bad they really are – often coming to grips with the fact they are actually wasting resources by pretending to be a team – you only have three choices: move forward, retreat, or stay where you are. This third option is tragic. If your team is faced with these options, be careful not to retreat to your previous station as a work group. If you do, you’ll miss what could be the chance of a lifetime – to be on an amazing team.

If you decide to move forward, the path is clear and well-marked. To move from a Pseudo-team to a Real Team you need SKILLS. The understanding of team basics will move your team forward. This statement is built on the assumption you have the requisite individual skills to perform your assigned roles with excellence. If that’s not the case, you’ll certainly have to address that. A team with weak individual players will always face an uphill battle.

The skills you need for the team to escape the pit are straightforward. You can actually make your own list. Simply answer the question, “What skills does our team need to better function as a team?” I’m guessing your answer will include skills such as…

  • Goal Setting
  • Problem Solving
  • Decision Making
  • Effective Meetings
  • Conflict Resolution

There’s one more thing you’ll need – I probably should have mentioned it before now.

Leadership will be required.

No team drifts to greatness. Neither do teams generally identify and close their own skill gaps, at least not in the early days of team formation.

My encouragement to you is to identify the gaps and lead your team to close them – one at a time. When you do, you can move to Real Team status on Katzenbach’s curve. From there, you can see your ultimate goal – High Performance!

 

A woman sitting with her laptop open on the table in front of her. Coworkers are sitting around the table with her, and they are looking at her as she speaks. A woman sitting with her laptop open on the table in front of her. Coworkers are sitting around the table with her, and they are looking at her as she speaks.

Creating A Culture of Accountability

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Character, Culture, Performance. No Comments on Creating A Culture of Accountability

How do you hold people accountable?

This is a question I’ve been asked many times over the years. And, like many of the questions I receive, the answer is complex. Here’s my best shot at a 500-word response.

My assumption is that what you really want is not to hold people accountable as much as you want a culture of accountability. There’s a big difference. If you are successful in creating the right culture, this question largely goes away. YOU no longer hold people accountable, the culture does. A culture is the sum of the habits of its members. If being accountable becomes part of the culture, it will be the behavioral norm.

Here are four specific things you can do to begin creating a culture of accountability:

  1. State your intentions. Unapologetically tell people your desire to create a place in which people do what they say they are going to do. You may even want to include this in your core values or team norms. Don’t make people wonder if this is important to you or not.
  2. Rebrand accountability. For many reasons, when you and I say accountability, the general connotation is negative. You’ve got to begin changing that. Help people rethink the purpose and intent of accountability. It is not primarily to catch people doing something wrong. It is about helping people do what they want to do. It is about helping people, and the organization, be more successful. The Marines do not see it as negative that they hold each other accountable to high standards. They see this as a badge of honor. You need to establish the same attitude.
  3. Use systems and mechanisms. Tools, techniques, systems, and structure can help people be more accountable. One easy way to begin the journey is to simply document your Action Items during your meetings – specifically, who is going to do what, by when? Circulate the Action Items immediately after the meeting; send them out again three days before the next meeting; and finally, review past Action Items during the meeting. This simple mechanism can revolutionize a team and an organization.
  4. Model the behavior. If you want people to be accountable, you had better be accountable. I’ve stayed up all night to complete an Action Item before a meeting. Why? Because I told the team I would get it done. I’m guessing members of my team have done the same. I’m thankful to say we’ve created a culture where people do what they say they are going to do.

Creating a culture of accountability is challenging, but worth the effort. Start today and don’t look back. Someday down the road, when accountability is part of the fabric of your team, you’ll be glad you made the journey.

 

a man writing on a display board filled with sticky notes a man writing on a display board filled with sticky notes

Why Project Teams Fail

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Execution, Performance, Teams. No Comments on Why Project Teams Fail

I’ve been studying and participating on projects my entire career. I believe there is a really short list of reasons so many of these teams fail. Sometimes it’s a leadership issue on the team, sometimes it’s a resource question and in some situations, the team will fail because of outside factors beyond their control. But there is one reason that towers above all the others…

The absence of clarity is most often the culprit – clarity around issues of deliverables, boundaries, timing and more. Many teams begin with these details missing or misunderstood. The good news for leaders – this is completely avoidable. The answer to this problem is a team charter – a simple document in which you outline several critical elements.

Project teams are different; therefore, I prefer to offer flexibility and customization in the creation of a charter. However, the following elements could be considered standard…

Purpose – Why does this team exist? Is it to solve a problem? To make a recommendation? To create a product? To reinvent a process? There should be no mystery in the purpose of a team.

Deliverables – If a team’s purpose is to make a recommendation on regional offices, the deliverables provide the specifics. The deliverables might include items such as a rollout plan, a staffing plan, a budget, measures of success, and more. Deliverables provide the specifics that are often not included in a purpose statement.

Key Milestones – When is the work to be completed? Are there target dates that need to be met (e.g., first draft, prototype, etc.)? Are there approvals needed along the way? If so, when and by whom?

Design Principles – Are there factors that must be incorporated into the final output? Examples include: All prototypes will be tested in the field for 6 months before full deployment; or, Accelerated learning techniques will be incorporated in all classroom sessions; or, All training sessions will be delivered by senior leaders from our organization. Any decision which has already been made that affects the work of this team should be stated here.

Boundaries – These can be as unique and diverse as you can imagine. What are the lines that cannot be crossed? As an example: If you’re designing a training event, some boundaries might be that participation is voluntary, or attendees will pay for the training, or no training can take place in the 4th quarter of the year.

Budget – How much money has been allocated to this project? Is this the annual budget or the TOTAL budget? (This will matter if the project will be executed over more than one calendar year.) Does the budget cover design and delivery, or just design?

Team Membership – Who is on the team? If the members have assigned roles, this is a good place to note that as well. Specifically, it is helpful to call out the team leader or facilitator.

Sponsor – Which senior leader has sanctioned the work of this team? I have seen examples with multiple names here – I prefer one name. Who has the team’s back and has approved this charter?

If you give a new team this information, you’ll be amazed at how often they’ll hit the mark.

 

a group of people silhouetted against a pink sky, one man leading in front of the others a group of people silhouetted against a pink sky, one man leading in front of the others

Has Your Team Been Hijacked?

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Performance, Teams, Vision. No Comments on Has Your Team Been Hijacked?

Who should lead your team? The answer may not be as clear as you think. But it may be one of the most important decisions you’ll make if you are trying to build a high performance team.

You may be thinking, “I’ll lead the team.” Well, that might be the right answer and it might not. If your goal is to create a high performance team, the point leader, or supervisor, is often not involved in the day-to-day work of the team. Let me clarify…

A high performance team should be equipped and empowered to manage their day-to-day work without the direct, hands-on involvement of their supervisor. Only then does this approach create maximum capacity for the leader who chartered the team in the beginning. If your physical presence is required for your team to do great work, you have become a hostage of the team.

So, who leads the team if the point leader is not directly involved?

First, in a high performance team, leadership should be viewed as a role to be filled more than a position to be pursued. And based on the work at hand, leadership should be provided by different people. Leadership in a high performance team should always be fluid. As an example, if the topic is marketing oriented, your marketing leader needs to step up; or if it’s a human resources issue, the HR person should lead.

Next, regarding who leads the team meetings, you can certainly have a designated facilitator, team captain, even a general manager. You can call them whatever you like as long as he or she clearly understands the role they are to fill.

The person in this role must:

  • Believe in the power of the team
  • Believe in shared leadership
  • Believe in the power of collaboration
  • Believe in the process of building a team

If your designated captain is a high-control individual, autocratic, dictatorial, domineering, prefers a ‘command and control’ style, or if you’ve ever heard them say “My way or the highway!”, he or she should not be in charge. To do so will guarantee the team will never reach its full potential.

The power of the team resides in the team – not in the mandates and edicts of a single leader. No matter how talented a leader is, a high performance team is more talented. Together, we will always be smarter than any one of us alone. The aspiration of high performance demands this truth be celebrated, not suppressed.

If you want to build a high performance team, be sure you don’t undermine your efforts by allowing anyone to hijack the process.

 

an image of eight people from behind sitting on a barrier near a body of water with their arms around each other an image of eight people from behind sitting on a barrier near a body of water with their arms around each other

The Invisible Force Behind Amazing Teams

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Character, Performance, Teams. No Comments on The Invisible Force Behind Amazing Teams

For years, I attempted to learn what separated great teams from the not-so-good ones. All good teams have talented people, their goals are clear, and they are well led. But some teams transcend all the others. They are not simply good – they are great. So, what’s the difference? Here’s what I discovered:

The invisible force behind all high performance teams is their sense of community.

Here’s a working definition: Community is a place where people know each other deeply, serve each other willingly, celebrate each other enthusiastically, and mourn the setbacks in life together. It’s a place characterized by genuine care and concern for each member of the team.

I’m thankful I’ve been part of a community like this on several occasions during my life. We’ve laughed together, cried together, buried children and parents and even members of our community. We’ve willingly sacrificed for members of the group. We’ve given our time, encouragement, accountability, and corrections to each other. We’ve done life together. It’s really beyond my ability to put into words the power, the joy, and the potential that resides in genuine community.

As you read this, I hope you know exactly what I’m trying to describe. I hope you’ve experienced it for yourself. If you have, you realize there’s no substitute for it! If you haven’t yet been part of a community like this I hope you’re asking one question:

How do you create community?

There’s no formula, but there are some things you can do to fuel the process. Here are a few of them:

  • Be intentional – community rarely forms spontaneously
  • Go slow – don’t force it
  • Celebrate the little things as well as the big wins
  • Express gratitude and appreciation freely
  • Find ways to serve others on the team
  • Put the needs of the team ahead of your own
  • Be vulnerable
  • Think about activities you can do together with your team
  • Make building community an ongoing priority – not an afterthought
  • Never stop looking for ways to do life together
  • Be patient – creating genuine community requires time

Just because community is an invisible force does not mean that it is unattainable. Intentional effort and time on task will go a long way toward creating your own power source for your team.

What can you do this week to begin creating the power of community within your team or organization?

A woman stands in front of a group of coworkers seated around a table, making a presentation with a chart of the wall beside her. A woman stands in front of a group of coworkers seated around a table, making a presentation with a chart of the wall beside her.

One Tool Every Leader Needs

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Engagement, Execution, Performance. No Comments on One Tool Every Leader Needs

How do you keep score as a leader? What key metrics ultimately determine whether you are winning or not? Several years ago, my coach asked me questions like these and others. I had to confess, I wasn’t sure I had good answers for him. His conclusion was: What key numbers does your leader hold you accountable to achieve?

I believe every leader needs a scorecard. I would take that a step further and say every team and every organization needs one, too. A scorecard is a wonderful, multi-faceted tool. Think of it as a Swiss Army Knife for a leader. With a well-conceived scorecard, a leader can do the following:

  • Create focus – The world most of us find ourselves leading in is growing in complexity. This trend is not likely to subside. We are bombarded by facts, figures, data, analysis, and opinion. When you, as a leader, establish a scorecard, you are not discounting other metrics. Rather, you are establishing priority. You are declaring what a win looks like. You are telling everyone what is most important.
  • Monitor progress – A scorecard is like a dashboard on a car. You have critical gauges constantly being monitored. You can watch your fuel level, your oil pressure, your speed, and your mileage. You can even chart your course using a GPS. A scorecard should include critical metrics to allow you to know how you are progressing on your journey.
  • Foster accountability – In most organizations, people are assigned accountability for specific goals and the metrics that inform them. In some cases, an entire organization can be accountable for a set of metrics.
  • Evaluate effectiveness – Is your work making a difference? Is the plan you devised to improve your performance actually working? How will you know if you don’t measure outcomes? A scorecard is a great tool to determine if you need to make adjustments to the play you called. Imagine a football team whose scorecard (scoreboard) indicates they are behind at halftime. This information informs the game plan for the second half. If they are winning by 3 touchdowns, they will likely stay the course!
  • Celebrate progress – Here’s the blinding flash of the obvious for today: Work is hard. That’s just one reason leaders look for legitimate reasons to celebrate. An uptick on key metrics is a wonderful opportunity to stop and say, “Thanks for your extra efforts! Look, what we are doing is working – keep it up.” Without data, without an agreed upon set of metrics, you miss a golden opportunity to acknowledge the people who make it all possible.
  • Declare victory – I love goals, big and small alike. Goals bring out the best in most people. If the goals are relevant, known, pursued with purpose, and meaningful, people will go to great lengths to accomplish them. There is something innately powerful about striving and achieving. Include goals on your scorecard and watch people move towards them. Including goals on your scorecard allows you to declare victory when you cross the finish line–another reason to celebrate.

 

three women around a conference table with their computers three women around a conference table with their computers

Pursue Genuine Community

Written by Mark Miller on . Posted in Performance, Talent, Teams. No Comments on Pursue Genuine Community

Teams outperform individuals in virtually every situation. This fact has not escaped the attention of most leaders. What has been more elusive is the winning formula for creating great teams. The good news, there is a repeatable and predictable formula for building High Performance Teams.

My personal fascination with teams began as a child. Since attempting to capture some of the key learnings and observations from this journey in my book, The Secret of Teams, what I’ve not addressed is how teams fit within the leadership ecosystem.

Leaders who wish to maximize their potential must learn to Lead Self, Lead Others, Lead Teams, and Lead Organizations.

Let’s begin with a review of what many of you know from your own experience – the advantages to building a High Performance Team are numerous…

  • Turbocharge performance – If you create a High Performance Team, you will be able to produce results that exceed your expectations.
  • Accelerate team member growth – When High Performance Teams are functioning well, they are a hotbed for learning new skills.
  • Leverage the talents of individual members – The fundamental reason teams work so well is the diversity of talents, gifts, passions, and experience.
  • Create leadership capacity – When a High Performance team is firing on all cylinders, one of the outcomes is less dependence on the physical presence of the leader.

I’m guessing any leader who has been part of a High Performance Team would validate these benefits, but why call out Leading Teams in a leadership ecosystem?

First, there are specific decisions, skills, and disciplines necessary to create and sustain a High Performance Team. These elements do not spontaneously appear, but they can be forged over time with a high degree of success. They are too important to be a subtext in a description of Leading Others.

Next, here’s how the four elements of the ecosystem fit together…
If a leader can’t lead self, he or she will always struggle with leading others. If you can’t lead others, you will always struggle with leading teams. And, if you can’t lead teams, the chances are good you’ll not have the personal or leadership capacity required to lead an organization.

Not too long ago, I talked to a leader who could testify to the idea of why teams matter to a growing organization. After hearing the potential of a High Performance Organization, he confided in me, “I’m in real trouble.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because I don’t have the capacity to build the type of organization you described.”

“Can your leadership team help?” I asked.

“I don’t have a leadership team.”

I had no response. Every leader needs to know how to build High Performance Teams. If you need a list of reasons, see the ideas above. But perhaps more importantly, if you’re struggling to build a High Performance Organization, leading teams may be the step you’ve missed.

Enjoy the journey!