It takes one rotten ingredient to ruin an otherwise delicious dish. It takes one ineffective employee to ruin an otherwise productive team. Ineffective employees are fairly easy to identify. They often have a “blame” mentality, drawing on negatives and pursuing their own goals rather than the team’s. Managers and team leaders find themselves spending copious amounts of energy on these individuals and consequently neglecting to focus on more productive tasks. So what are the key ingredients to creating an effective team and ensuring it’s members work harmoniously?
Most work environments involve people having to work together. Unfortunately these interactions are not always positive ones and can derail performance and negatively impact the overall work environment. Quality relationships within a workplace are a key factor in producing a working environment that is enjoyable and productive. Quality relationships are often represented with employees who relate to each other as friends, colleagues and co-workers and support each other and help to get the job done. Having a code of ethics and company values documented is one thing, but getting employees to behave decently to each other requires more than a document.
Quality relationships within a workplace are a key factor in producing a working environment that is enjoyable and productive.
Blake and Mouton analysed group behaviour in the 1960s and identified three groups of behaviours that occur in most groups and impact the dynamics and overall productivity of teams.
Group Maintenance-oriented behaviours: these behaviours underpin the level of respect within the team. Many team-building activities are based around strengthening these behaviours which include individuals gaining an understanding of different styles and personalities within the group and finding common ground, relationships are often established amongst the team members. Benefits of group-maintenance behaviours are a culture of fun and trust and a respect for different capabilities that add value to each other (synergy), that is, understanding of the sum of the group is greater than the parts. Cohesiveness is formed, where group members bond together and are motivated to stay in the group.
Task-oriented behaviours are behaviours that support the successful completion of the work. They include the setting of goals, dividing of tasks, and tracking and evaluating group progress. Whilst important for overall productivity, a team with only task-oriented behaviours can be mechanical and lifeless and often once the objective is reached the team will disband immediately. If a team can include maintenance-oriented behaviours and task-oriented behaviours the result will be a fun and productive team. In BRW’s top places to work, there is often reference to companies that have this mix of clarity of goals and culture of trust and respect.
If a team can include maintenance-oriented behaviours and task-oriented behaviours the result will be a fun and productive team.
So where does it go wrong? Teams that display the third group of behaviours identified by Blake and Mouton, Self-Oriented behaviours are disruptive and interfere with the focus on the team objective. Unpleasant behaviours such as bullying, complaining and withdrawal exacerbate dysfunctional aspects of the team and infiltrate communication amongst the members. These behaviours pull the focus away from the objectives and energy is spent trying to dispel negative energy rather than complete tasks or support each other. As Daniel Goleman in his book The New Leaders highlights the need to minimise the ‘noise’ in the system and create harmony which is the glue that holds the team together. Goleman contrasts this with the destructive impact that a lack of harmony has on teams. He argues that dissonance or a lack of harmony is quite often the precursor to a toxic workplace which is a major cause of burn out and demotivation that can send them packing.
Like any tasty recipe, quality ingredients are key (top talent) but so is how the ingredients are mixed and how they are cooked (structure and environment). Effective teams require members whose capabilities complement each other and members must share similar behavioural values. Acceptable standards of behaviour must be clear, so that the environment is safe and ineffective behaviours addressed immediately.
We all have the same opportunity, that is the choice to buy the right ingredients. The key is to not let things go off, spoil and become dissonant. We need to mix things together thoughtfully and carefully, nurture our relationships and show appreciation. Above all we need to know what we want to create before we start. What will you choose?
Like to know more about creating harmonious work environments and teams? Contact deliberatepractice on 1300 deliberate (1300 335 423) or email to info@deliberatepractice.com.au