Take the Team Test and Clear The Fog by Lindsay Uittenbogaard at #AgileIndia2019

CLEARING THE
FOG
Team alignment for
effective delivery

Your current team situation Your work with agility
• Learning about agile
• Transitioning to agile
• Working in an agile team
• Working in agile ways with
other teams
• Leading agile
• Working virtually in your team
• New team
• Cross-functional team
• Post merger / acquisition
environment
• Going through other change

= Ambiguity
decisions &
actions
??

= Ambiguity
decisions &
actions
=
$$$??

Current situation
• more need to alignMore complexity
• employee engagement difficultDisengagement
• enterprise social networks do not
improve clarity and alignment.
Technology not a
substitute

“Problems caused by misalignment include confusion;
waste of time, money and opportunity; diminished
productivity; demotivation of individuals and teams;
internal conflicts, power struggles and ultimately project
failure as well as resulting in time and energy spent
doubting, conspiring, guessing or gossiping when that
same energy could be deployed in moving an
organisation forward.”
(Box, S., & Platts, K. 2005 – “Business process management: establishing and maintaining project alignment",
Business Process Management Journal, Vol. 11 Issue: 4, pp.370-387)

The Future of Work
• dispersed / diverse teams
• short term / freelance staff
• technology / automation
• demand for tailored / niche
• need for accelerated learning / innovation / performance

Not just about … Alignment is a source of
competitive advantage…
• performance
• innovation
• reputation
• sustainability
• engagement
• feedback
• diversity & inclusiveness
• employee experience

WHAT’S GOING ON?!
“This is impossible to
manage”
“We’re busy with other
priorities”
“We don’t have the
capability”

“We’re going digital”
Some kind of
change …

Some kind of
change …
It’s a marketing thing

Some kind of
change …
It must be about a new
platform for our
customers

Some kind
of change
Must be an
acquisition or
merger
It must be about a
new platform

EXERCISE
• Turn to the person next to you
• Person A - back to the screen
• Person B - describe what you see on the next slide – 1 minute

ALIGNMENT FOG
Diversity
of thought
Unconscious
biases
Assumptions
Social and
environmental
influences
Misunderstandings
Information gaps

Facts I
know
ME
Your radar
= blind spots / errors

Interpretations
I make
ME
Facts I
know
Your radar

Interpretations
I make
ME
Assumptions
/ logic I use
Facts I
know
Your radar

Interpretations
I make
Things I know
I don’t know
ME
Assumptions
/ logic I use
Facts I
know
Your radar

Interpretations
I make
Things I know
I don’t know
ME
Assumptions
/ logic I use
Facts I
know

The whole lot mashed together
The whole lot
mashed
together
ME

ME
YOU
HIM
HER
OUR WHOLE
REALITY

ME
YOU
HIM
HER
OUR WHOLE
REALITY
OUR
SHARED
CURRENT
REALITY

OUR WHOLE
REALITY
OUR
SHARED
CURRENT
REALITY
What’s left?

We need to
improve quality –
why isn’t this item
a higher priority?
GAP IN UNDERSTANDING

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
We need way more
data to know we are
making the right
decisions

ASSUMPTION
He isn’t taking the
time to listen to my
views so he obviously
doesn’t think they’re
worth much

WHAT’S BEHIND
THE FOG
PART 2

Social constructionism
Berger and Luckmann
• Meaning is constructed between
people to create a shared reality
Research 1
1972

Learning behaviours 2010
Van den Bossche, Gijselaers, Segers, Woltjer, Kirschner
• Psychological safety
• Task cohesion
• Group potency
• Interdependence
Research 2

Learning behaviours 2010
• Psychological safety - trust
• Task cohesion - commitment
• Group potency - confidence
• Interdependence - reliability
Research 2
The no. 1
factor behind
an effective
team is trust.

Effective teams
within the influence of the team
Shared
understanding
Learning
behaviours

• Leadership
• Culture / behaviours
• Strategic clarity / remit clarity
• Recognition / reward
• Resources / tooling
• Learning & development
• Stakeholder interface
Part 3 - Organizational support

Effective teams
Shared
understanding
Learning
behaviours
Organizational
support

The problem
Teams are more effective than individuals
but effective collaboration is not merely a
case of putting people with relevant
knowledge together.
Team members face the challenge of
integrating their different perspectives and
collaborating as a single unit.

Lines of Communication 8,000 BC
Laloux
The hero ruler
Responding to external threat

Lines of Communication 1,000 BC
Laloux
The organized
machine
Winning with hierarchical order

Lines of Communication 1950 AD
Laloux
Mass production
Achievement based
meritocracy

Lines of Communication 2000 AD
Laloux
Recognition of
the individual
Enabling and sharing skills and
ideas between people

Current situation 2019
Leaders are making sense of their
world at work to meet stakeholder
expectations:
Employee communication is
delegated to ‘internal comms’ who are
making sense of their world at work
to meet stakeholder expectations:
Leadership messages are our bible.
We need to make employees fit in
with what’s required.
I am in charge and will
make sure we deliver.

Definition of internal communications
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_communications#Role_of_IC_in_the_organization
“The IC function may perform the role of
• internal marketing
• channel management
• strategic adviser…”
1975

Current
levels of
engagement
Aon report – 2018 Global Trends in Employee engagement
• 8 million employee responses
• 1000 companies
• 60 industries

EXERCISE – all stand up
1. Do you have ideas and views about the
organization you work for?

2. Are you able to share these with your boss
or other leaders?

2. Are you able to share these with your boss
or other leaders?
3. Do you think your inputs make a difference?

When people feel understood, connected, and valued …
Excited
Prepared
Hopeful
Connected
Inspired
Belonging
Useful
Wanted
Confused
Powerless
Unsafe
Numb
Angry
Frustrated
Unheard
Flat
…they move towards ownership,
innovation, and effectiveness.

Definition of alignment
… when employee goals
connect with organization
goals
… when people have a
compatible outlook on their
shared challenges
Strategic alignment ‘Social’ alignment

‘Social’ Alignment
Appreciation of
others’ views
Finding
compatibilities
Not about
agreement

PART 1 Framing
Strategy
Briefing role
Line Managers / Team Leaders

PART 1 Framing
PART 2
Aligning
Strategy
Briefing role
Implementation
Facilitation role
Here’s why difficult for Line Managers to clear the fog

Employees aligned with the leader Employees aligned as a team

1. More open, respectful, and inclusive
team culture
2. More ownership and engagement
3. More effectiveness in their decisions
and actions
4. Better performance
5. Better feedback for the wider
organization.
What has this got to do with agile?

Existing agile alignment processes
To establish
alignment
• Wheel of values (Kick-off)
• Storyboard
• Show tangible results
• Explicit policies
• Retrospective
• Vision
• Define acceptance criteria
• Refinement (product side)
• Planning (product side)
• Poker (product side)

To maintain
alignment
• Day 2 day conversations with product owner
• Encourage communication (general)
• Visualisation
• Stand-ups
• Reviews / showcases
• Retro
To support
alignment
• Regularly challenge / question
• Fast feedback
• Agile values
• Shared responsibility
• Team autonomy
• Transparency
Existing agile alignment processes

to move teams into
the agile mindset

1. Get alignment on the map
1
step

2. Talk to leaders about the balance of
leading alignment and agile
2
steps

3. Become more aware of alignment
behaviours
3
steps
Listening
Respect
Openness
Inclusivity

4. Find tools and interventions to use
4
steps
Storytelling
Conversation Cafés
Huddles
Interventions

EXERCISE
• I will show a behaviour A and another B
• Which have you experienced most during your career
so far?

BEHAVIOUR A BEHAVIOUR B
People accommodating
views they don’t agree
with every now and again
to win points.
People being curious to
understand alternative
ways of seeing things,
even when expressed
using different words and
ideas.
Which do you see more of?

BEHAVIOUR A BEHAVIOUR B
People handling conflict by
use of authority or
negotiation.
People finding bridges
between different
perspectives as a source
of innovation.
Which do you see more of?

Openness
Respect
Inclusivity
EXERCISE
What do you think
makes a great
dialogue?

What makes a great dialogue?
1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. .
6. .
7. .
8. .

What makes a great dialogue?
1. Speak for yourself, not as a representatives of others
2. Treat everyone as an equal
3. Be open and listen to others with curiosity, even if you disagree
4. Search for assumptions (especially your own) by asking WHY
5. Try not to interrupt or rush to judgment
6. Remember that no single person has the truth
7. Be brief and stick to the point
8. Find areas of compatibility, see differences as opportunities.

Example alignment intervention – Mirror Mirror
• For all functions and sectors
• Designed specifically to close alignment gaps at the team level

Captures perception on learning behaviours
• Psychological safety- TRUST
We treat each other positively and
as equals
• Interdependence – RELIABILITY
It’s easy to ask other team
members for help

Captures perception on context
Open questions discover the
common ground and differences:
• What words do you think your
customers and stakeholders
would use to describe your team?
• What do you think is happening
within your organization that will
have / is having a significant
impact on your team?

Reflects the insights in a report
• Summaries of perceived purpose and
perceptions of context
• Top 5 behavioural strengths per team;
5 weakest behavioural areas per team
• Total scores and breakdown of scores
by behaviours per category
• Group perception / feeling about
alignment, positivity, and
preparedness.

… and changes perception with a dialogue workshop
• Speed refresh on ‘what is best practice
dialogue’
• Break into dialogue groups to discuss
the results and possible next steps
• Come back to plenary to share a
summary of what was discussed in the
dialogue groups
• Capture ideas / next steps / feedback for
the wider organization.

1
1-1 interviews plus e-survey
< 60 minutes per person
2
3
Full team alignment report
4 – 6 hour workshop
Mirror Mirror Full Picture
20 minute e-survey per person
Overview alignment report
2 – 3 hour workshop
Mirror Mirror Quick Scan
1
2
3
Process
43-month action plan 3-month action plan4

Case studies – immediate results … … and why
Participants ratings
immediately
after the
workshop.

… and the reasons why
When people become more
conscious of their own
views, assumptions, and
mental models, they have
more flexibility to adapt
them.
When people are able to
share their thinking with
others in an open and
respectful environment, they
can reach a better shared
current reality.
Mirror Mirror helps to broaden a team’s shared current reality.
It captures how people see things in a way that is
understandable, measurable, and repeatable.
… and the reasons why … and why

Case studies – lasting outcomes… and why
Participants
who could see the
benefits of
Mirror Mirror
continuing 3 months
after the workshop.

… and the reasons why
People take more ownership
when their views are
included.
The extent to which learning
is applicable relates to how
closely it is linked to the
current context.
Mirror Mirror is a facilitated process, anchored in the team context.
… and the reasons … and why

APPLICATION - ideal conditions
• Low change horizon, future predictable
• Clear and specific frame within which the team can operate
• Team leader is available and open to enabling team members
• Behaviours in the team are open, respectful, and inclusive
• Team knows the company processes, network, and culture
• ’Cause and effect’ ideas are realistic and accurate
• Team members are well-suited to their roles & responsibilities

The Cost of Misalignment: Scenario 1
Complete misalignment
Full alignment

Full alignment
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Months
Full alignment

Full alignment

The Cost of Misalignment with Mirror Mirror at month 2
Full alignment

Case Study
University of Applied Sciences, Upper Austria
Masters Student Project Team

Case Study
The Team
• 8 Masters students -
Healthcare, Social and Public
Management
• New team, new project –
duration 6 months
• Balanced gender diversity,
ages 21 – 35
• Varying levels of work
experience
University
Team

Case Study
The Project Challenge
To translate a co-living housing concept from Vienna to Linz within 5 months.
University
Team

Case Study
The Concept
Enabling students to
share accommodation
with elderly people for
mutual advantage
University
Team
Image CTV News

Case Study
The Barriers
The students discovered
early on that in Linz:
1) It is difficult for older
people to find
accommodation
2) There is an excess of
student housing.
University
Team

Case Study
At the outset:
• 80% positivity about the project outlook (average rating)
• all team members said the team is working well together, and is
aligned or well-aligned
• 77% average rating for morale
University
Team

Case Study
Insight: confusion on the team purpose
“What is the
purpose of
your team?”
University
Team

Case Study
Insight: prioritization needed
Disconnects
magnified on
execution
• 36% ‘not sure’
University
Team
What do you
think your
team should
do next?
Communicate with others
Rethink our plan
Be aware of the facts
Do more research
Improve teamwork
Not sure

Case Study
Impact
1. Discussed common ground and difference: expand their views
2. Captured ideas, questions or actions
3. Together, agreed revised actions / deadlines going forwards.
University
Team

Case Study
What the participants said
“I realised it’s important
to address these things
even though they might
seem clear already.”
“Mirror Mirror really helped me
to reflect on a lot of important
tasks concerning the project
from different points of view.”
“It worked because everyone was
engaged. It was their pressure and
their context. I fully endorse Mirror
Mirror as a cutting edge approach
to leadership communications and
employee engagement for change
and innovation”.
FH-Prof. Dr. Johanna Anzengruber
University
Team

Case Study
The Team
• 15 people in 3 sub-teams within Samsung Electronics
• Various generalist and specialist roles
• All delivering logistics services in Europe
• Broad diversity in age, education, nationality and longevity
SAMSUNG

Case Study
The Situation
Ongoing change, including the recent sale of the printer line of business,
means that the workload would soon reduce by 50%. Despite reassurances
there would be no redundancies, the team felt deflated.
An ‘Innovation Day’ was planned to involve staff in creating a new role and
plan. Knowing that innovation doesn’t happen when team alignment and
positivity is low, the HR Manager chose Mirror Mirror to re-engage the team in
advance.
SAMSUNG

Case Study
What the Managers Said
HR Manager, Lisa
Team Leader, Tony
People seem to be closing
down rather than learning and
developing.
If this team can grasp the fact
that it could take the lead on
some exciting new logistics
projects, then we are half way
there. We need their leadership,
drive, and inspiration.
SAMSUNG

Case Study
The Process
• 1-1 guided interviews took place onsite
• The data was processed , written up and presented to
Management
• A workshop was scheduled with all participants.
SAMSUNG

Case Study
First results - contradictory?
• 100% said the team works well together
• 90% agreed the team has the resources it needs
• 68% was the average rating given for morale
• 88% felt the team was not / somewhat aligned
• 67% said they thought redundancies were likely
• 56% felt negative about developments.
SAMSUNG

Case Study
Insight 1: Confusion on the future of the team
Most staff members say they cannot
imagine where the replacement
workload will come from.
To make sense of the situation many
staff assume there will be
redundancies.
Interviewee response:
“We are told nothing will
change but I find that
difficult to believe.”
SAMSUNG

Case Study
Insight 2: Missing stretch goal
The team has been ‘in limbo’ for
some months. They are waiting to
cast off expiring responsibilities,
waiting for news of more decisions,
waiting for the Innovation Day to
provide more focus, and waiting for
their own energy and inspiration to
emerge from that.
“I used to be focused on big
projects and there were a
lot of active innovation, but
now we are just running
routines.”
SAMSUNG

Case Study
Insight 3: Knowledge silos in the team
Knowledge and experience is not
being shared, which is perceived by
some team members:
• As a dependency risk
• As a source of inefficiency
• As a blocker to professional
development and innovation
“We need to develop a
mindset that mentoring,
coaching, training and
sharing makes the team
stronger, not the individual
weaker.”
SAMSUNG

Case Study
Samsung
RESULTS
• 79% of participants said they feel the team has more, or much more clarity and
alignment to go ahead and achieve its objectives than it did before participating
in Mirror Mirror
• 86% of participants said they felt positive or very positive about the team and
its outlook going forwards after the Mirror Mirror workshop
• All participants said they feel their team is better prepared to succeed now
than it was before participating in Mirror Mirror.

Case Study
What the participants said
“It’s good
to find out
the mood
of the team
– that
largely we
feel the
same.”
“I’m pleased to hear that
management is really
open to hear our ideas.”
“It’s interesting to see these insights
– I hope people can continue to be
honest with each other.”
“Great to
get to
know our
newer
colleagues
better.”
SAMSUNG

EXERCISE
• Sample report data on screen
• You take the role of facilitator
• What insights do you see / advice would you give?

Your brief
Four slides of data
1.What do you notice about
alignment?
2.How does the data relate to
their background?
HSK US - Team Background
US Leadership Team of 7 in HR
Consulting. New CEO on seat.
Long established, market leader
but things are changing:
- technological advances (AI)
- more competitive marketplace.

Responses 2
Top 5
behaviour
scores
We are clear on the roles and responsibilities within the team 90%
We constantly look out for what’s changing and what that means 89%
We take responsibility for making change happen 83%
We are good at taking actions as agreed 80%
We review our processes and ways of working as needed 77%
Low 5
behaviour
scores
If someone makes a mistake it won’t be held against them 51%
We are careful not to reject people or ideas if they are different 50%
In my team, we can bring up difficult issues and questions 49%
We are all committed to each other's success 49%
We handle divergent views in constructive discussion 46%

Responses 3
Areas within the team that people think need some development

Responses 4
Key opinions – average ratings
Clarity within team
Alignment with org
Preparedness in team
Pride in team
Positivity about team

Data collected so far
• 41 teams
• Mostly private sector
• Mostly operational level
• Average overall
behaviour score = 61%
Average level of
preparedness to succeed
within the team
54%
Average level of pride about
membership to the team
71%
Average level of positivity
about the team situation and
outlook going forwards
67%

Best useWe see our
context
differently

Best useWe have different
personalities

Best useWe interpret
signals based on
past experiences

“Execution is a systematic way of exposing reality
and acting on it.“
Bossidy & Charan - ‘Execution: the discipline of getting things done’.
“The learning process starts with an awareness of
what is.”
Timothy Gallwey- ‘The Inner Game’.

Thank you
lindsay@i2icomms.com
@mirrormirrorhub
https://mirrormirrorhub.com/
take-the-team-test/

Take the Team Test and Clear The Fog by Lindsay Uittenbogaard at #AgileIndia2019

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Take the Team Test and Clear The Fog by Lindsay Uittenbogaard at #AgileIndia2019