PARALLEL THINKING PATTERNS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS

Teams can allow for the efficient pooling of ideas when developing practical solutions to complex worksite challenges. They can also create complex solutions to practical challenges if not checked. Many organizations rush headlong into the dissolution of traditional management structures, eliminating one (or more) layers of management, anticipating that employees will immediately embrace the opportunity to “make a difference” and work together towards the accomplishment of a single corporate objective. Sadly, such a transformation rarely happens easily.

When people perform individually, it is relatively easy to identify and measure both the effort expended and the results achieved. It is human nature, however, that people prefer to accept credit without blame, exhibit authority without wanting accountability, and make decisions without assuming responsibility for potential negative consequences. Organizations embracing the formation of teams before recognizing these characteristics may not realize their anticipated results. Before abandoning an even marginally successful “traditional” management structure, consider the following:

Teams must receive training to understand how each member fits into the process, leveraging every member’s unique abilities to make the “sum of all parts” a greater contributor to the Organization’s bottom line than would have been their potentially conflicting individual efforts.

Teams should receive an overall direction that defines their authority and any boundaries that may exist before they can operate independently. Management should provide the “content” to be considered, not necessarily the context with which to consider it. Do not try to control a team. An effective team should provide workable solutions that result in the group’s endorsement and “buy-in,” which will help to assure success in its efforts.

Most effective teams have a leader. A formal (or informal) leader will serve to keep the team “on task” and focused - to push through individual preferences as solutions are developed. A spokesperson will typically arise within a team – do not discourage the process. While teams are great “action units,” they often need to rally behind a champion to accomplish their group goals.

Teams should act through consensus rather than taking a “majority rules” approach. To achieve the best chance of success, every team member should agree on a solution prior to its being implemented as taking a vote and moving towards the solution that MOST feel is acceptable does not provide for group buy-in AND tends to create “win/lose” situations.

Work teams introduce multiples into an organization – stretching the limitations of an individual through the power of group thought. This power creates new solutions by applying different ideas and perspectives to tried and true processes. Do not expect team members to achieve success by taking untested ideas through an unmonitored process with little or no training.

Teams are like electrical circuits. Teams that “think in series” (one action accomplished before moving on to the next):

Accumulate a number of ideas before working through them one at a time.

Are like a single electrical wire extending over a long distance carrying a defined amount of power through a limited channel. All productive activity stops if the singular focus of such a team is disrupted.

Since all actions are funneled through a single “thought-line” in a series circuit, it will take a longer time to distribute the power of the team.

Teams that “think in parallel” (many actions taking place at the same time focused to produce a single result) establish alternate routes, paths or patterns in the problem solving process allowing great things to happen through grouped abilities. When teams “think in parallel” they:

Anticipate obstacles before they occur to function more effectively.

Channel a “defined amount of power” through multiple lines, carrying it to its pre-determined destination quicker.

Allow activity to shift to another avenue (rather than being taken off-line) should a disruption occur.

Teams properly assembled, trained, and allowed to function without disruptive outside interference pay multiple dividends. Several heads are better than one when multiple and diverse thought patterns can be melded into a singular action accomplishing significant results. Focusing on the importance of individual contributions tends to minimize the effectiveness of teams. When creating teams, however, leverage the collective spirit of individual entities – but focus a team’s actions through an internal filter (leader) to make sure that all interests are served, all ideas are gathered and everyone is “on the same page” when action is taken.

LOOK BEYOND “WHAT IS OBVIOUS” TO EXPERIENCE “WHAT IS POSSIBLE”

Our first impressions and preconceived notions influence our attitudes as we work with others. Until (and unless) we allow ourselves to view people with an open mind, seeking the value they bring rather than limiting the contributions they may make, we will not be able to realize their significance. We must dig deeper as we deal with others – continually seeking to identify the “method to their madness” as we deliberately limit the “madness from our own methods.”

Unfounded perceptions can negatively influence both thinking and action – potentially undermining both individual contribution and organizational success. I was working with the owner of a small machine shop that was struggling financially. The owner told me that he would like to have a “whole shop full of employees like the 76-year old who had retired before coming back to work, citing his loyalty and leadership ability as being inspirational to his other employees. His employees told me they were always looking for other opportunities – not so much because they did not like the work but rather because they did not want to end up working until they died because they couldn’t afford to retire.” I then spoke to the 76-year old and found that he was aware of what the owner and his fellow workers thought – but that neither knew the REAL reason he worked – that “if I ever met his wife I would know why he still came to work!” Often our perceptions can taint our thinking. ALWAYS take time to learn the facts before leaping to judgment!

Acting on available information without asking for clarification can often lead to disaster.
Many years ago, my wife and son were engaged in a heated discussion when I arrived home from work. It seems that he had been sent to the principal’s office for “hitting a kid with leaves” on his very first day of kindergarten. She could not understand why “throwing leaves at someone” was an offense worthy of a principal’s attention. He could not understand why she kept asking him about the situation after he had clearly and concisely answered her questions. I looked at my son and asked, “How big of a stick were the leaves attached to?” Upon hearing the “right” question he brightened and made a circle with his fingers and said, “Oh, about this big – nobody asked me that!” We often lose sight of where we are going because we are so focused on what we know as determined by where we have been and what we have experienced. Never form an opinion without first thinking about all the things that COULD BE rather than simply focusing upon what we think IS.

Others truly do matter in life. They can lift us up or weigh us down depending on how we view their contribution to our well-being. If we verify our perceptions before we pass judgment we can often avoid making assumptions that could lead us down the wrong path. If we ask for help and opinions from others before acting on our own – particularly when they may have already “been there and done that” – our journey can become much easier. If we truly seek what others can contribute (and listen to their words when we see their mouths moving) we may find support and affirmation coming from unexpected sources all around us. People will always say (and do) the strangest things. Make sure you pay enough attention to what they are saying or doing (and sometimes what they may NOT be saying or doing) that you can enjoy the difference their input makes in your life (AND you in theirs). Maximize the harvest this life offers by intentionally acting with discernment – by ALWAYS seeking prior to judging and listening prior to acting.

BEING A MANAGER

Organizations often move the “best technician” into supervision or take their most efficient employee and expect them to teach - usually without any training or support. Employees who were but “one of the gang” Friday are expected to be “leaders of the pack” Monday – with nothing more than a “personnel change notice” and a congratulatory memo. New managers are often expected to correct all that was wrong in the past by reclaiming lost efficiencies and improving employee morale – often only because they demonstrated unique initiative or innovation in their own work. Such an expectation (implementation of change without preparation for the ramifications of change) is destined to fail. Any employee considering a move into leadership should consider the following:

As a Supervisor, you are no longer a friend to your past peers. You must confront and address the weaknesses you once accepted in others. You have to praise good work, discipline to correct marginal performance, determine pay increases and treat individuals equitably rather than equally. Rather than striving to be “popular,” the best testament to a successful transition is hearing that you are “consistent.”

Accept the fact that some turnover will occur within your department when you take over. A new supervisor or leader creates change – and some employees do not accept change easily. Identify where you cannot afford turnover, taking steps to protect your vulnerabilities.

You must embrace and communicate corporate direction, oversight, goals and visions. It is your responsibility to show people not only where the organization is going but also how they are instrumental in completing the journey successfully. As an employee, you may have complained about “oppressive Company policies.” As a manager, you must support and enforce these same policies unless or until they are changed.

Give credit for success while accepting blame for false starts and “learning experiences.” You must often minimize your need for personal recognition by giving credit to your employees for the ideas you have planted. You must typically encourage them to take the road less traveled more often than you tell them what to do. You must often accept the “pain” so that all may “gain.”

You must praise in shouts while criticizing in whispers – recognizing that as determined as you may be, you cannot make the journey alone. You must develop others behind you as you grow – being lifted towards the top upon their shoulders rather than using them as rungs to step upon as you climb the ladder of success – as individuals rarely rise until a competent successor has been identified and developed to take over.

As a leader, you have greater responsibilities and are accountable for better results. You will take larger risks in order to gain potentially greater rewards. You must determine the direction not only for yourself but also for a group now counting on you for guidance. You must administer the directives of others while remaining true to yourself. Should you disagree with a policy or directive, actively seek to modify it rather than blindly accepting it – BUT support it until changed.

The transition to leadership is not easy. Recognizing the potential risk (as well as the inevitable reward) when making the change, however, will allow you to move forward with a sense of purpose. Most importantly, identify a mentor or confidant with whom you can speak openly and honestly – seeking their assistance whenever necessary to resolve issues before they become problems as you actualize your full leadership potential!

WHY NOT?

One should never allow the apparent unreasonableness of a course of action keep him or her from attempting its completion. We should accept the fact that ANYTHING is possible rather wasting time and effort convincing ourselves to accept defeat before reaching for its alternative. The measure of a solution is in its practical and economic feasibility, not its conventional wisdom or ease of accomplishment.

One cannot be lost if they do not know (nor care) where they are going. One can never fail if they have no plans to succeed. One will never taste disappointment if they have no desire to feast upon success. When we have no destination in mind, we will never reach the end of our journey, for when we do not know what “the end” looks like, we will never know to stop once we have arrived. In order to accomplish anything in life, one must accept the reality that SOMETHING is going to happen regardless of their personal involvement. To thrive, a person must dream of things not yet attained and pursue them until they become reality. To succeed, he or she must be willing to invest energy into bringing their dreams to fruition!

Identifying a solution by starting at the desired result and working backwards can help focus efforts and energies towards the resolution of a task. Starting at the end helps one anticipate lurking pitfalls and problems – allowing one to avoid blind alleys and false starts. People who achieve greatness first expect greatness then figure out how they will accomplish it RATHER THAN starting on a path having no plan or purpose hoping to reach a great destination.

To accomplish great things an individual must demonstrate a sense of determination. A successful person will never repeatedly take the easy road for it often leads towards failure. If success were truly easy, anyone could find it! An innovator will seek an alternate path leading to a different resolution when one road does not bring them to success. Often the effort needed to fail is as significant as that required to succeed! Planning and determination are keys that direct and focus effort towards the accomplishment of dreams - and that allows us to learn from our failures.

If we dare to accomplish our dreams – to be deliberate in our planning and steadfast in our follow-through - we avoid disappointment by recognizing that a temporary failure puts us no further behind than we started. We might rekindle passion for our jobs…our lives…our activities…by seeking not the probable but the possible…not the easy path but the road less traveled.

As another new year begins, toss caution to the wind by stepping outside of your box. We are vessels neither half-empty nor half full waiting impatiently until we can begin to achieve our full potential. Make a resolution to challenge convention this year – to try something different or visit somewhere new – as you bring dreams to fruition by simply asking “Why not?”

OVERCOMING OURSELVES ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Pogo (an early 1970’s comic strip) proclaimed, “We have met the enemy and he is us!” More than ever it seems the things we do to ourselves have a far greater impact on our lives than anything another might do to us. We live within a world of compromise – holding little as being absolute. We promote the faults and weaknesses of those around us because they allow us to look more favorably upon ourselves. We choose the path of least resistance when making decisions - being “right” or “wrong” becoming a secondary consideration to being “socially accepted.”

We once stood united in defense of country, philosophies and dreams – fighting selflessly to protect these ideals from any external force that might seek to change our way of life. We focused more upon how those “outside” threatened us – bridging the largest internal gaps with a common good – ignoring our differences to stand together. We fought to advance the whole by elevating all of its individual parts. All received their share of the harvest based upon their individual contribution to its existence rather than simply because they shared a need for the fruits of another’s labor.

Today it seems that more people seek to thrive NOT by elevating themselves but rather by bring others down. While some still seek to succeed on their own merit, far too many seek to rise to the top by climbing upon the broken dreams of others as if they were but rungs to a ladder. When did we begin to measure “right and wrong” through comparison and compromise rather than with an absolute yardstick or an unwavering moral compass? When did we begin to justify and validate our actions as acceptable by measuring them against the actions of those doing “worse?” When did it become OK to bend the rules to get what we want – when we want it – without regard to what others might want, need or expect?

What is it about our human nature that allows us to accept excuses rather than solutions – to lay blame rather than accepting responsibility? Rather than searching endlessly for external enemies, perhaps it would prove more profitable to beware “the enemy within the mirror.” The greatest threats to our existence lie not within what others might do to us but rather within what we might do to ourselves. If we choose to live within a world of comparative justification, how can we expect to find anything more than relative success?

REFLECTIONS ON CAREER ADVANCEMENT

In today’s competitive environment, employees cannot be stagnant within their job…cannot do only what has been assigned…if success, fulfillment and growth are realistic expectations. Looking back (instead of ahead), remaining content with the present (rather than building upon the present as a step into the future), and doing what works (as opposed to seeking what might work better) are all signs of terminal stagnation. To grow we should identify and nurture “the possible” rather than accepting and hiding within “the probable” AND avoid a few pitfalls that could limit your potential!

Continually upgrade your skills...refuse to accept “what is” as “what will always be.” What was once necessary to maintain a life-long job is no longer sufficient in today’s ever-changing world. An HR Professional will not survive without updating his or her understanding of current employment legislation. A production worker probably cannot be blind to automation and statistical process control techniques. Employees who “fail to know” typically fail to grow.
Do not confuse efficiency with effectiveness…or worse, keeping busy with being productive. An e-mail may be efficient, but a conversation could more effectively resolve an issue without extended “replies and clarifications.” Effective employees make sure that every investment of time and/or energy has a direct and measurable impact on their organization’s ability to conduct business.
NEVER believe you are irreplaceable. If an employee feels that nobody could EVER do what he or she does, that employee has probably limited what he or she can accomplish. If nobody else can do your job, then you never get time to do anything other than your assigned tasks. Individuals who believe they are “critical” to the Organization within their limited and specialized role do not foster growth, they simply reinforce stagnation and the acceptance of mediocrity.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you know all the answers. Employees who know all the questions are perhaps more valuable than those who feel they know all the answers. One can truly contribute to their organization ONLY after identifying the limitations of current systems, policies and procedures, asking questions as to how they might be improved, then moving forward towards more effective solutions.
NEVER forget (or refuse) to give credit to others…particularly when blame is assigned to others should they fail. Employees who recognize and acknowledge the ideas and actions of those who make things happen – and take the blame if things go wrong – will win loyalty, be recognized as leaders, and become vital contributors to their Organization’s growth.

Take time to plan where you are going, think about how you will get there, and maintain a realistic perspective along the way. We rarely rise to the top without occasionally sinking towards the bottom but will NEVER float upon the surface unless we are willing to enter the water.

THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS

America was built upon the belief that individuals can realize unlimited opportunity through hard work and the effective utilization of resources. Thanksgiving recognizes the sacrifice made by so many AND the relationships developed within a new land in celebrating the sweat equity invested to make the harvest possible. Some farmed, some hunted, some cooked, some served – but all shared in the feast they helped prepare. Implied within this basic tenant is that while we ARE created equally, we possess different gifts, abilities and competencies so we ARE NOT presumed to be equal in our ability to produce or achieve results.

Our “roots” establish within each of us a moral and ethical duty to PROVIDE for all – but that does not mean all are entitled to receive EQUAL treatment. While we all taste success, life is an environment of equitability rather than of equality. Our efforts do not create EQUAL results - they produce results that reflect EQUITABLY against the abilities we have developed, the intelligence we apply, and outcomes we achieve.

Our country has survived many challenges from outside our borders. We have overcome adversity, established ourselves as world leaders in almost any endeavor we chose to pursue, and shared our riches with many having less. If the greatness of our country is to survive, we must brace ourselves to overcome attacks from within – attacks on an individual’s ability to demonstrate excellence, the opportunity to reap the rewards of individual efforts, and the belief that one is limited by something other than his or her own shortcomings – by embracing the freedoms and unlimited possibilities we currently share.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, consider not only the harvest but also the work that went into preparing for it. Celebrate the effort as much as the rewards. Recognize the investor as much as you do the return on his or her investment. Enjoy your time with family and friends but hold dear the hard work that made the dreams of those who came before us reality – and pray our efforts can help them continue for those who will follow.