1. ... and 7 myths about it
Zahhar Kirillov
#tallinnsummerschool

2. Cooperative effort by the members of a
group or team to achieve a common goal.

3. Myth #1:
team must stay together during the
working time (and even longer...)
● Don't be afraid. Try!
● Syncronize!
● Use Dropbox, Trello, Skype

4. Myth #2:
Team needs project manager or a
teamleader to become effective
● Children vs grown-ups vs grannies
● 'Duties checklist'
● Outsourcing dull tasks

5. Myth #3:
Teambuilding events help to build
friendship and trust, and
increase productivity
● Team needs a rest; project manager needs events (to
build a friendship and trust WITH team members)
● Teambuilding takes place during the daily routine
● Team members must like common goal, not each other

6. Myth #4:
Skills are more imporatant, than
motivation
● Aling your self-interests with team goals
● You can share, borrow or even buy skills,
experience and knowledge, but can't do this with
energy, enthusiams and drive
● Unmotivated hi-skilled member is useless (and
even dangerous for the team)

7. Myth #5:
Some members are irreplaceable
● Nothing lasts forever
● Knowledge management
● Discuss problems as early as possible
● Let people go (and they will come back)

8. Myth #6:
Ctiticism among team
members is bad
● Disagreements are good, trolls are bad
● Social conformism (esp. for mature teams)
● Lunch at McDonalds

9. Myth #7:
There are 'rules of thumb'
about teambuilding to follow
●
Individuals, Goals, Culture, Project time (period)
●
Improvisation, Motivation, Leadership
●
Trust and reasonable compensation (not only €)
●
Ask your colleagues if they are happy!

10. Bonus track: hiring new members
●
Slow hiring, fast firing
●
'Photo test' or quest instead of formal interview
●
Hire the most professional people you can get
(2x 500€ probably cost more, then 1x 1500€)
●
Maintain 'Star Map' – team skill matrix
●
'A' players hire 'A' players, but 'B' players hire
'C' players

11. Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledg'd comrade.
(W. Shakespeare, Hamlet)