Session Abstract:
Better communication between team members can lead to greater results, more innovation, and more creativity. However, communication styles vary from person to person which can make leadership difficult as you try to unite and motivate a group of diverse people. By adapting your communication style, you can better help and lead those around you.
This session will address 3 major communication challenges specific to team leadership:
1. Different backgrounds and cultures of team members
2. Diplomacy in handling different ideas from each team member
3. Encouraging and maintaining effective and courteous communication between team members
The best leaders are often also effective communicators who can take up the role of mentor and facilitator of their team. Understanding different communication styles and adapting your communication style to those you lead can help to result in more positive group participation and a greater level of accomplishment. The use of adaptive communication techniques can help a leader to put the talents and skills of their team to their best use. Additionally, it can help team members to feel as though their ideas and abilities are a valued element of the overall team, thereby motivating them to reach their greatest potential on team activities and projects. By attending this session, people can learn tips and techniques they can use as leaders in almost any context to not only better communicate with their teams but also to better facilitate communication between their team members.
2. As a leader, how
can you adapt your
communication
style to encourage
positive team
outcomes?
As a leader, how
can you adapt your
communication
style to encourage
positive team
outcomes?
How can you
better facilitate
the development
of your team?
How can you
better facilitate
the development
of your team?
How can you
turn your
team’s
communicatio
n into
creativity &
innovation?
How can you
turn your
team’s
communicatio
n into
creativity &
innovation?
3. “I want you all to
get into groups...”
“I want you all to
get into groups...”
Oh no! How
can I work
with people I
don’t relate to?
Oh no! How
can I work
with people I
don’t relate to?
I hate
group
work!
I hate
group
work!
I always wind
up doing all
the work!
I always wind
up doing all
the work!
I’m too shy
to work in
a group!
I’m too shy
to work in
a group!
What if we
have a
disagreement?!
What if we
have a
disagreement?!
But I only
want to work
with MY ideas!
But I only
want to work
with MY ideas!
4. Different Styles of Leadership
Democratic
Democratic leaders offer guidance to group
members but they also participate in the
group and allow input from group members.
Autocratic
Characterized by individual control over all
decisions with little to no input from group
members.
Laissez-Faire
Offer little or no guidance to group
members and leave decision-making up to
group members.
5. 3 Problems, 4 Stages, 1 Leader
3 Major Communication Challenges:
Different backgrounds and cultures of team members
Diplomacy in handling different ideas from each team member
Encouraging and maintaining effective (and courteous) communication
between team members
4 Stages of Team Development:
1 Leader:
YOU!
6. 4 Stages of Team formation*
*These 4 stages were discussed by Bruce Tuckman in his 1965 article,
“Developmental Sequence in Small Groups.”
FORMING
In this stage, most team members are polite, anxious about the upcoming
project, and/or excited for the task ahead.
The leader plays a dominant role as the responsibilities & roles of each team
member aren’t yet clear to them.
7. 4 Stages of Team formation
STORMING
At this stage, team members begin to push back at boundaries established in the
original formulation of the group. If the boundaries set were unclear or insist
upon a singular mode of communication or style of working (which may not be
appropriate for all team members), then members begin to feel frustration over
various conflicts. This is most often the stage where a team will fail.
8. 4 Stages of Team formation
NORMING
If a team has made it through the Storming stage, they move into Norming. Here,
the team members have begun to resolve their differences and appreciate one
another’s strengths.
They’ve also come to accept their roles and responsibilities on the team and
respect the authority of the team leader.
The team may begin to make clear progress toward its goal (however, as new
challenges are met, the team can lapse back into the storming stage).
9. 4 Stages of Team formation
PERFORMING
This is the stage where much of the hard work is accomplished, without friction,
as the team reaches its goal.
Leaders may now delegate much of their work to team members and focus on
mentoring team members.
10. Surviving “storming”...
How can you not only help your team through this stage, but also help them use
the storming stage to establish processes and structures which will allow them to
disagree in a constructive and useful way?
11. Surviving “Storming”...
The format of aTeam Charter can vary from team to team, however the
value of the charter comes from thinking through and agreeing on various
elements.
12. Surviving “Storming”...
Some elements often included on team charters:
Context – Explains why the team was formed, the problem it’s trying to solve, etc.
Mission & Objectives – Defines the team’s mission (this allows team members to
pursue their own agendas independently in order to complete their segmented tasks).
Composition & Roles – Establishes the team leader, the liaison between the team and
stakeholders, and who is responsible for what duties and outcomes?
Authority & Empowerment – Outlines what members can and cannot do to achieve
the team’s mission.
Resources & Support – Lists resources available to the team (budgets, time, etc.) as
well as training & coaching support available to team members.
Operations – Outlines how the team will operate on a day to day basis
Negotiation & Agreement – Essentially the established rules and processes for
bringing up, negotiating, and settling disputes.
13. Negotiation & Agreement
This portion of the Team Charter
can make or break your team, if
members cannot bring up issues
or disputes; assert their opinions;
or find compromise or solutions
to problems, a team can fall apart
as members become frustrated
and stressed.
14. A few tips...
Acknowledge the conflict as soon as possible – Passive aggression or
allowing a problem to fester can kill a team.
Agree to a cooperative process – Ask team members to set aside their
personal opinions or ideas. If a team member is more concerned about
“winning” the conflict, it will inevitably end in a stalemate.
Agree to communicate – Allow each team member to express their
feelings about the issue. Encourage active listening in order to ensure
that each group member understands where the other is coming from.
Make sure every team member is given the opportunity to express their
point of view and clarify their positions.
15. A Few Tips...
Don’t let the conflict get personal – stick with facts and issues, not
personalities.
List facts, assumptions and beliefs underlying each point of view (ie
Monica and Derrick believe that option A is best because...However,
Jessica and Laurie believe that option B is best because...)
Utilize techniques that can help the team make a more objective
decision (such as a Cost/Benefit Analysis).
Finally, find the best compromise.
16. Conflict Can be Constructive
Don’t discourage
disagreements, when
team members learn to
see issues from different
perspectives, it opens
up new ways to think.
This can lead to
creative and
innovative solutions.
Don’t discourage
disagreements, when
team members learn to
see issues from different
perspectives, it opens
up new ways to think.
This can lead to
creative and
innovative solutions.
Help your team to
learn how to
navigate negotiations
and disagreements
so that they do not
escalate or disrupt
team work.
Help your team to
learn how to
navigate negotiations
and disagreements
so that they do not
escalate or disrupt
team work.
17. Resources & Citations
Here are a few resources I recommend for learning about leadership,
communication, and team management:
Mindtools.com
CCL.org
Fastcompany.com
Cherry, Kendra.“Lewin’s Leadership Styles.” About.com. N.p., n. d.
Web. 20 Mar 2014.
<http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/a/leadstyles.htm>
Manktelow, James.“Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.”
Mindtools.com. N.p., n. d.Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_86.htm
18. Any Questions or Comments?
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about leadership
communication and team management, please feel free to contact me:
KaylynneH@gmail.com
Twitter: @KaylynneH
Notas del editor
As a leader, how can you adapt your communication style to encourage positive team outcomes?
How can you better facilitate the development of your team?
How can you turn your team’s communication into creativity & innovation?
Both as a student and as a university staff member, this is something I hear all the time...
And I know that this is what everyone is usually thinking...
All of these concerns relate to how groups are often lead and how leaders communicate with their teams.
First I would like to quickly address, on the most basic level, the different leadership styles. Because these styles contribute to how a leader is going to speak to those whom they lead...
There are different styles of leadership, and they each have their time and place to be most effective. However, when it comes to developing a cohesive team that can come up with innovative and creative ideas – it takes a specific kind of leader. It takes a leader who communicates AND facilitates.
A democratic leader doesn’t simply dictate roles or allow team members to operate without any guidance or leadership. A democratic leader will guide the team toward it’s goal but allow for input from the team’s members, organize open brainstorms to encourage creativity, and help team members to recognize and value one another’s strengths in order to facilitate innovation.
And in order to do all of that, a leader needs to understand the top 3 communication challenges (listed here) that most leaders face, the four stages of team formation, and how to participate and guide their team in the most effective way.
In this stage, most team members are polite, anxious about the upcoming project, and/or excited for the task ahead.
The leader plays a dominant role as the responsibilities & roles of each team member aren’t yet clear to them.
At this stage, team members begin to push back at boundaries established in the original formulation of the group. If the boundaries set were unclear or insist upon a singular mode of communication or style of working (which may not be appropriate for all team members), then members begin to feel frustration over various conflicts. This is most often the stage where a team will fail.
If a team has made it through the Storming stage, they move into Norming. Here, the team members have begun to resolve their differences and appreciate one another’s strengths.
They’ve also come to accept their roles and responsibilities on the team and respect the authority of the team leader.
The team may begin to make clear progress toward its goal (however, as new challenges are met, the team can lapse back into the storming stage).
This is the stage where much of the hard work is accomplished, without friction, as the team reaches its goal.
Leaders may now delegate much of their work to team members and focus on mentoring team members.
If a team has made it to this stage and they truly are working efficiently, effectively, and without friction – it is because the team’s leader helped members to develop and establish processes and structures to create an environment were members could work together without damaging conflicts.
Now believe it or not, when it comes to leading effective and creative teams, the storming stage is actually the most important,...
Because, when team members disagree, that’s when different ideas and opinions are being presented and thinking changes. This is the point where creativity and innovation happens as team members create compromises and develop new solutions to problems.
Knowing the 4 stages of team development and knowing that the “Storming” stage is inevitable (because anytime you bring a group of people together with different backgrounds and perspectives, there’s going to be at least some conflict or disagreement), how can you not only help your team through that stage, but also help them use that stage to establish processes and structures which will allow them to disagree in a constructive and useful way?
You can utilize the forming stage by requiring your team to create a “Team Charter.”
Before work can begin on your team’s project, the creation and signing of a team charter will help your team members accept that conflicts will be inevitable but there will be established and accepted ways to dealing with those conflicts.
The team charter is the most important communication tool that a team can have as it sets boundaries, establishes roles, and provides guidelines for dispute mediation.
Some elements often included on team charters:
Context – Explains why the team was formed, the problem it’s trying to solve, etc.
Mission & Objectives – Defines the team’s mission (this allows team members to pursue their own agendas independently in order to complete their segmented tasks).
Composition & Roles – Establishes the team leader, the liaison between the team and stakeholders, and who is responsible for what duties and outcomes?
Authority & Empowerment – Outlines what members can and cannot do to achieve the team’s mission.
Resources & Support – Lists resources available to the team (budgets, time, etc.) as well as training & coaching support available to team members.
Operations – Outlines how the team will operate on a day to day basis
Negotiation & Agreement – Essentially the established rules and processes for bringing up, negotiating, and settling disputes.
You can utilize the forming stage by requiring your team to create a “Team Charter.”
Before work can begin on your team’s project, the creation and signing of a team charter will help your team members accept that conflicts will be inevitable but there will be established and accepted ways to dealing with those conflicts.
The team charter is the most important communication tool that a team can have as it sets boundaries, establishes roles, and provides guidelines for dispute mediation.
Some elements often included on team charters:
Context – Explains why the team was formed, the problem it’s trying to solve, etc.
Mission & Objectives – Defines the team’s mission (this allows team members to pursue their own agendas independently in order to complete their segmented tasks).
Composition & Roles – Establishes the team leader, the liaison between the team and stakeholders, and who is responsible for what duties and outcomes?
Authority & Empowerment – Outlines what members can and cannot do to achieve the team’s mission.
Resources & Support – Lists resources available to the team (budgets, time, etc.) as well as training & coaching support available to team members.
Operations – Outlines how the team will operate on a day to day basis
Negotiation & Agreement – Essentially the established rules and processes for bringing up, negotiating, and settling disputes.
This portion of the Team Charter can make or break your team, if members cannot bring up issues or disputes; assert their opinions; or find compromise or solutions to problems, a team can fall apart as members become frustrated and stressed.
Acknowledge the conflict as soon as possible – Passive aggression or allowing a problem to fester can kill a team.
Agree to a cooperative process – Ask team members to set aside their personal opinions or ideas. If a team member is more concerned about “winning” the conflict, it will inevitably end in a stalemate.
Agree to communicate – Allow each team member to express their feelings about the issue. Encourage active listening in order to ensure that each group member understands where the other is coming from.
Make sure every team member is given the opportunity to express their point of view and clarify their positions.
Be sure to remain open – do not allow criticism or judgment of the perceptions and assumptions of others.
Listen to all solutions and ideas presented by each side of the conflict.
Make sure that everyone feels heard and acknowledged
A few tips (continued):
Make sure every team member is given the opportunity to express their point of view and clarify their positions.
Don’t let the conflict get personal – stick with facts and issues, not personalities.
List facts, assumptions and beliefs underlying each point of view (ie Monica and Derrick believe that option A is best because...However, Jessica and Laurie believe that option B is best because...)
Utilize techniques that can help the team make a more objective decision (such as a Cost/Benefit Analysis).
Finally, find the best compromise .
By dealing with conflicts immediately and using these techniques, you are helping your team to learn how to navigate negotiations and disagreements so that they do not escalate or disrupt the ability of team mates to work together.
Just by being here, you’re all showing a commitment to developing your skills in order to become really incredible leaders and I think that’s awesome!
Thank you for attending!