Transformational Teams - Lesson 5

Welcome back to session number five of Transformational Teams. In our journey, what we have discovered is how important you are as an individual and what you bring to the table during this process. That value cannot be duplicated by other people.

It plays an important role in the team overall. You've also discovered that we can actually, in fact, interpret a team's personality and some of the challenges that you might encounter when you work with a team. So today, what we're going to focus on is how do you work with that team? What are some of the things that we need to focus on in forming a successful team? Well, first of all, let's review the fact that we've learned that it's important that the team cohesion is everyone's responsibility, not just the manager's.

But what do we do when the team actually first comes together? And what about when we add a new member to the team and how does that impact you as an individual team member? So these are important questions that we're gonna try to focus on in this particular session and make it abundantly clear as you move into this process how it's going to impact the team and its success. There is a process that occurs anytime a team is brought together. The first stage is when there is an objective that needs to be met within your ministry or within your church.

Therefore, someone's gonna bring together a group of people that have expertise in areas that can help us develop the answers and a pattern towards achieving that particular objective. So the first stage is actually going to be forming a new team. And during that time, you may bring together people that work in very different areas and have very different personalities and mindsets.

Now, that may be challenging initially, but what I want you to understand is that diversity is what is going to help make the team complete and above all else successful because the second stage of storming is actually going to be a little bit challenging for us. And it's not just you, it's probably for all the team members because we're in a position at that point to where we may not know how competent we're gonna feel and we may not have the confidence necessary to move in there and say, well, these people are a little bit above me or these people are a little bit below me, how is all this gonna shake out and where do I fit in all of that process? The storming process is obviously the most challenging part of the process, yet it will be the factor when you think about this thing holistically that is going to bring success to the team. That diversity will bring its challenges, but as we learned from our session in conflict, those challenges are good.

They tell us where we have gaps and how we can meet those gaps and arrive on the other side successfully. So our next step after storming is the norming phase. This is where the team members begin to understand their role and the impact that they can actually have.

This should actually be a time when people begin to feel a little bit more confident in their role and they feel that it's okay to be me and it's okay for me to bring my opinions and my expertise to the table because this is gonna get us to the next level and that's where we want to be because the final stage is performing. This is where not only do we understand our roles, but we understand how to work together synergistically and that requires that we understand each other, we understand each other's strengths and weaknesses and we understand how we fit into the holistic approach of achieving those objectives. So how do we actually shift from storming to norming and finally performing? Let's dig into that because it's a critical part of how we're going to get to where we need to be.

As we've talked about throughout this course, people are different, they vary and how people score on one style or their mindset has an impact on the people that they're going to be working with. For some, it's gonna enhance the relationship. For others, it's gonna be challenging for the relationship.

But if we can keep in mind that God's uniqueness of each individual has a purpose, we want to make sure that we can focus on how does that purpose fit in bringing this team together and accomplishing our goal. We've talked predominantly in the past and in previous sessions about the two groups, the high DC and the objectives that are much more task oriented and the people oriented, the high IS and subjective people. Now, yes, these are somewhat general categories and not everybody fits into those categories.

They do take up a large percentage of the population but in working with those different types of people, let's take a look at this graphic and see what they actually look like in real life. The task oriented objective person has the red and blue lines very high which means they like ticking off the boxes. They like to make sure that things are done.

They also have that high theoretical utilitarian and individualistic because they are gonna push towards that goal and objective. But with the low people orientation can be a bit of skepticism and a very quick willingness to change mainly because they may be going so fast and trying to accomplish so much that they're not cognizant of what's going on with the people and circumstances around them. Now, let's look at that people oriented subjective person with the high steadiness and influence.

This person wants a predictable safe environment which is actually the antithesis of what we see in the task oriented objective person. Additionally, they're much more instinctive rather than deliberate when we look at that low theoretical and utilitarian. They're driven by emotions.

So rather than what they want to know, they need to experience something that they can feel that bring their emotions to the surface. The individualistic is situational but the structure that they need is high. So when we combine these two people, there are natural opportunities for clashes, for differences of opinion and opportunities for conflict.

So let's think about this. People oriented and subjective people are more inclined to communicate with each other and try to sort through the difficult times. They're willing to turn their feelings into actions.

On the other hand, the task oriented person is much better at taking the feedback of people oriented team members and turning them into well-structured projects. However, they're not gonna express their feelings because for an objective person, that may feel to them like they're expressing their weaknesses and they don't want to express that weakness to other people. The subjective person just kind of wears it out on their sleeve.

So again, we have opportunity for conflict and in that aspect, what we have to realize is that you can see from this graphic that conflict occurs in a person's mind before the other person is actually aware. The first four stages of misunderstanding, forming an opinion, making an assumption and then having this internal anxiety and stress happens before the other person even knows about it. So there has been a buildup at this point and as we've learned from previous lessons, that buildup, that anxiety that occurs within an individual increases that adrenaline and reduces the cognitive ability of the person and puts them in a position to where there's not clarity of thought.

So we need to deescalate during this process, especially if we're moving into that external stage and there's a disagreement, a relational breakdown and a need for mediation to avoid that all out war. So how does that actually happen? We have to approach conflict with a collaborative mindset. In many of our previous sessions, we've mentioned the fact that collaboration can solve 80% of the challenges that we face in a team situation as well as with another individual.

So what we want to do is begin the process as a collaborative partner, walking into a situation with a statement, something like this. I can see that you're troubled or that you're feeling some stress with where we are right now. Could you help me better understand what initiated that stress and why you feel like we're in a position that might be a little untenable or impossible to work through? Because here's what I believe.

I believe there are answers and I believe you and I are both reasonable people and we can work through them. You've actually positioned the other person by telling them that you're willing to work with them even though they're frustrated. And once you understand that the other person can see your energy, your empathy and your desire to work with them, there is the beginning of some de-escalation at this point.

Being a collaborative partner helps you see the different angles and the fact that you're open to solutions. So the other person can actually identify the fact that you are headed in the direction that will allow you to focus where you need to focus. So let's look at this particular graphic because it can help us understand the difference between healthy responses between our team members and unhealthy responses.

First of all, a healthy response focuses on issues, not the person and their personality. We've mentioned that in multiple sessions but it's so easy to forget because when our emotions are charged, our natural response is to default to our natural behavior or our natural conflict style. And when we do that, we remove the chance for collaboration.

Next, we need to drive personal and professional growth through the process rather than emphasize superiority or subordinates. In several of our modules, we've talked about the fact that the growth mindset is critical to us getting better. And the foundation for that growth mindset is humility.

And humility is something that if we don't address it personally, God will bring situations, circumstances, and people into our lives that will initiate humility within us. And that can be a hard, hard lesson to learn. So when we become more collaborative with other people, we tell them that we're willing to learn and grow through the process.

And we do that by asking questions rather than making statements or demands. Questions allow the other person to become actively involved in the process. Statements are either gonna be agreed with or disagreed with.

And demands in most cases may be very challenging to the person. It's okay to wrestle with different opinions rather than think I'm right and somebody's wrong. One of the best responses that I have found when somebody tells me that I'm wrong about something is simply this.

Could you help me better understand your reasoning in that because I'm open to change, especially if I understand how that's gonna be beneficial. You can't argue with that because you're opening yourself up to growth and development. And the other person should be able to see that in the process.

When that happens, you create unity with the other person because you're being clear rather than saying you're wrong, turning around and walking off. That doesn't solve the problem. We want to make sure that as we walk through this process, that we find a way to collaborate with the other person and validate them as an individual because they may be holding back some critical information at this point that we actually need to accomplish the team's goal.

So here's what I think might be a good thing for you to do at this point. When you're in a difficult situation, think of some interests that might be represented in workplace conflict. What kind of words would you change? What kind of phrases would you use to approach healthy conflict? And we've discussed a couple of them just shortly ago, but asking those questions will begin to develop the dialogue.

Whether it's something as simple as, I'm sure you have experience in that. That's probably why you have that opinion. Could you help me understand your experience? Or something as simple as this.

I've been wrong more than once. And so it wouldn't surprise me if I don't have the right answer now. So could you clarify how you got to that decision-making process? Those kind of words and phrases will help you avoid responding unhealthily.

And when you respond from a positive, healthy perspective, people can sense it. They'll actually pick up on it in the conversation. So if these conflictual situations arise, a manager needs to be very concerned about the way that he approaches because managers often have a tendency to be very direct, very to the point, and oftentimes abrasive.

So they have to put it in a position or phrase so that the person understands that they're trying to be collaborative. Then we have to take into account, what's this employee really concerned about? What is it that they're questioning? And why do I think that they're questioning it? And that can be an introduction to a good question. I understand you have some concerns.

Would you express those concerns to me because they may very well affect the outcome of where we're trying to go. Now we've taken them from a defensive stance and move them into a much more positive stance. Help the other person see where your concern is my concern.

There's a natural overlap since we're working as a team and we're trying to accomplish the same goal. So moving from storming to norming and performing, can be difficult, but it's gonna be worthwhile if we use the whole concept of growth and development and learning something that we might not be aware of to help the team achieve their objective. Because engaged teams are much better and much more effective.

And they actually help performance, productivity and bringing more income into the organization. So here's what I ask you to do. Ask yourself this, what are the signs that your team has actually turned the corner? What are the norms that you want to see? I think it might be good at this particular time to stop the video and establish this with your team right now.

What are we looking for after we make these adjustments that are gonna tell us we're all on the same page? What are some of the things that we can identify that tell us we understand our role individually and we wanna use that to perform at a very high level? Then ask yourself, are these attitudes something that we as a team can live with, understand and feel like are an integral part? That limited ego, that interdependence that is there so that we can have shared accountability with a clear leadership there to guide us and direct us to the process. But most of all, we want to recognize each person's uniqueness and get rid of these exceptions and excuses that may limit our ability as a team. So first of all, we want to be relatable with each other.

Even though people are different and they begin to start feeling more comfortable with the team, they need to make sure that there is an understanding and a respect for the other person's capacity. That makes them relatable. And this goes all the way back to our trust course that you probably have had a chance to go through.

But the key is communicating on the other person's perspective and how that affects the team. Second, make sure that the way that you express yourselves is focused on not masking the true feelings, bringing them out to a point to where it's okay to discuss those differences because those differences are not gonna just necessarily provide rabbit trails, but they're actually gonna define new ways to look at things. We should actually encourage these opportunities for expression because they're going to increase productivity, decrease conflict, as well as disagreements.

Third, we need to recognize from our leaders and teammates that each of us holds a critical component to the happiness and the well-functioning of the team in which we're working. You see, the best teams are very systematic in providing recognition for their people. So we have to recognize each individual, our coworkers, for their own unique strengths.

And when we do that, we position them for success because their success contributes to the success of the team. Fourthly, there has to be interpersonal communication. We have to take the thoughts out of our head and transition to norming by helping understand our teammates and focus on the difference of personalities that are not bad, they're just different because each one brings strengths, not just weaknesses.

These people on our team are our friends. They're not our foes. They're on the team to help us achieve an objective.

And therefore, working together is critical to the team's success. Now, the people issues are critical, yes, but we also have to see the facts of what's actually going on in the process. Let's say, for example, you have two married couples come together for dinner.

Which one do you think is healthier? The first one discusses their dispute management strategies and the importance of honesty. The second one says they don't argue and quickly change the subject. It's no different in marriage than it is with a team.

If you just don't wanna discuss something, you're probably not facing the issue itself. It's important to be honest about where you are, how you're performing and maintaining that ability to be open with a growth mindset. But more than anything, all team members must share a hope for the future.

Without a hope for the future, you will not get to where you need to be. And I'm gonna return to a statement that I made in another session, and that is the biblical word for hope means not just I hope this will happen, but I have an expectation that it will happen. That brings alignment together with the team.

We're all expecting to succeed. And when we are together with one set of expectations, and our mission, vision and value statements concur with each other, team members have a better idea of how their work contributes to the whole. With each of these elements, it all comes back to the whole concept of collaboration.

Working together as a team may not always be easy, but working together as a team speeds the process, enhances the process, and is a much better guarantee of success than trying to do it all by yourself. Working together as a team facilitates not just your personal growth and development, but everyone on the teams. That's why God made us interdependent rather than independent.

And if we go back to an old quote from the 1600s, we know that no man is an island. God never expected us to be on an island. He made us interdependent so that we can learn to love each other the way he loves us.

I was thinking back to the beginning of this lesson in terms of what are the signs that you have a healthy functioning group? And in my mind, it's the willingness to share divergent opinions. That if I, like say I'm the leader, and I express an opinion, and if the response of the team is fine, I know they're not being honest with me, because nothing's ever fine. But when someone says, you know, I get what you're saying, but I think it's different.

To me, that's one of those really big things that goes, okay, this team is at least beginning to function healthily. So I guess my question is, how do you foster that kind of spirit in a group where there is a willingness to disagree carefully, politely, but firmly disagree with someone? Or point out a different possibility? Exactly, this is an excellent question, because what it addresses is moving from that storming stage into the norming and performing stages. One of the key elements of moving from storming to norming is the fact that there should be a level of trust at this particular point.

People feel secure in the roles that they are, because a very high dominant person is gonna love the challenge, because they want to banter about it. And yet at the same time, a high I or a high C, who is very non-confrontational, may feel like they're being criticized. So without trust, without that transparency and relatability, predictability, feasibility and empowerment, the team members are not going to handle that well, they will feel that criticism.

But what will gain that trust for the individual is the integrity of the leader. The leader's integrity, knowing that he's presenting a feasible plan to them, and knowing that he is man or woman enough to accept new ideas with a growth mindset, tells them that this person is truly soliciting a request for information that may help the process move ahead. That kind of integrity and trust is what will get the team past that storming phase where we're dealing with personalities to the fact that, yes, they may be different, but I can trust them because they're people of integrity.

That brings about the norming. And then people can relax into their roles and perform at the highest possible level. But what if you've done everything you can as a leader to have your integrity, to try to express it, and you just can't get the people to interact with you? They just, either they don't trust you or they don't trust themselves and their opinions.

What would be the next stage saying, come on, come on, y'all, I really want to know what you think. How do you do that? Well, in most circumstances where you have this particular type of situation, it originates from a somewhat autocratic control or feelings of animosity towards the person leading the group. So the only way that this can be truly approached is if the leader says, okay, time out.

We now are in a situation to where even though there's not outward storming, there is some storming going on in between us below the surface. I want you to know at this point that I'm willing to take whatever punches you wanna throw at me personally. While I may not take every one of your suggestions, I am certainly willing to hear you out.

And I am certainly willing to make an effort to move us to a better level. And yes, I'm willing for you to hurt my feelings even. It's okay.

I'm a big boy. I've had my feelings hurt in the past. But what I want you to know is that you can trust me and that I am a person of integrity even though I may come off autocratically to you at times.

So I'm willing to take my tie off. All of us are in the same position. And if you feel I need to grow in some areas, put it on the table and I will take your advice.

I'll pray about it. And I will do my best to learn to interact more collaboratively with you in the future. If you cannot be transparent and relatable and illustrate the fact that you have failed in past, they will never be able to relate to you as an individual.

So it's all about transparency and relatability.