With companies merge, employees leave one company for another, and new members of the workforce land their first jobs, many individuals are trying to form new teams. Regardless of the situation, most organizations encourage open and candid discussions between staff members among employees throughout the organization. These differences in perspective can elevate teams to a higher level of performance. Differences in opinion and/or outright conflict is natural, and it can be very productive. The key is how to use conflict to our benefit so we can reach these higher levels of performance.
So how does one operate on a conflicted team? We still need to be able to create a win-win solution for the team and the organization. How do we use conflict to our advantage?
1. Acknowledge Conflict
Acknowledging conflict can be uncomfortable, yet once the conflict is recognized and discussed the team will feel a sense of relief. People tend to be more effective when they can agree to work together and find mutually satisfactory solutions to common problems.
2. Gain Common Ground
Is there common ground between the parties involved in the conflict? Put the conflict in perspective based on the team’s goals. If everyone is committed to a common purpose, they should be willing to address any issue that may affect the team’s final outcome.
3. Understand Each Point of View
Gaining an understanding of difference perspectives does not necessarily mean gaining agreement on all sides. Here we must take the time both to understand and be understood as we gain information from all sides.
4. Attack the Issue(s), Not Each Other Bickering or fighting with someone on the team is an unwanted stress, yet the issue needs to be addressed in order for the team to maximize its potential. The goal is to reach a solution that allows everyone to achieve individual/team goals without violating anyone’s values.
5. Develop an Action Plan
a. The team will outline specific steps that each person on the team will take in order to reach the team’s goal. Each person will be accountable for his/her role in the action plan, and the plan will be written on paper so that each person is aware of his/her responsibilities to the team.
As team members utilizes this five-step process to address issues and conflicts, they will see more win-win situations and the team will increase their levels of productivity.
There is a type of caterpillar called a processionary caterpillar, so named because one will establish a direction and all the others will fall in very closely behind and move in the same path. As a matter of fact, the followers’ behaviors becomes so automatic that their eyes become half-closed as they shut out the world around them and let the leader do all the thinking and decision making about which direction to pursue. Their behavior is rote and automatic.
An experiment by the French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre demonstrated the rigidity of the processionary caterpillars’ behavior when he enticed the leader to start circling the edge of the large flower pot. The other caterpillars followed suit in a tight process, forming a closed circle in which the distinctions between leader and follower became totally blurred, and the path had no beginning and no ending. Instead of soon getting bored with the nonproductive activity, the caterpillars kept up their mindless search for several days and nights until they dropped off the edge of the flowerpot from exhaustion and starvation. Relying totally on instinct, past experience, custom, and tradition, the caterpillars achieve nothing because they mistook activity for achievement.
I believe that employees can fall into the trap of blindly following their leader easily. Innovation and creativity, risk taking, and strategy is lost when they act like a drone rather than an individual leader of themselves and an example to others. While the business may not suffer if an individual contributor’s behaviors are automatic and without direction, the business may see drastic performance improvement if they have their “eyes wide open.”
If you find your employees are “circling the pot,” here are a few helpful tips for leaders to increase their motivation and hold them accountable for higher performance.
Delegate assignments that are especially interesting to an employee and empower them to take the lead and own the assignment.
Recognize and reward good displays of individual leadership (innovation and creativity, risk taking, strategy).
Teach team members about being accountable. Help them understand what it means to be accountable and the power and freedom that comes from doing your best.
When a team member fails to act as an individual leader, debrief the experience and discuss better behaviors, attitudes, and actions for future situations.
Talk openly about the importance of fulfilling responsibilities, as well as exceeding expectations.
The helm or steering mechanism of a ship adjusts the angle of the rudder, in turn, changes the direction of the ship. In the 18th century as technology increased ships began to increase in size. While this growth was advantageous, at the same time the ships became increasingly difficult to control. Thus a shipmaster needed an invention to foster technical growth but at the same time keep the ship on course. Today’s steering wheel was designed to connect to the tiller of the boat, with a block and tackle. This addition provided a considerable increase in the ship’s mechanical capabilities and resulted in smoother operations with less effort.
I relate this story of the steering wheel because the national and world economy is going through some stormy waters. Although the changes going may turn out to be good in the long run, it is still difficult to stay the course in the middle of these “troubled water”. More than ever we need strong leaders to step up and take the “helm”, provide guidance, and “steer” their teams in the right direction.
A strong leader will effectively partner with each employee and provide direction, guidance, and coaching. He or she can help team member adjust their personal courses and move into “smooth water”.
Providing constant support takes a lot of effort but it will be worth it in the long run. Consider the following points when helping your team stay afloat:
Communicating frequently with each team member
- Will reduce or eliminate fear of the unknown
- Encourages confidence in individual performance
Building understanding within your team
- Instills ownership in the tasks to ensure success
- Keeps each person focused on the goal
Encouraging respect between members.
- Promotes synergy
- Supports a relaxed and engaging environment
Maintaining your integrity
- Retains trust in you and the organization high
- Inspires integrity from team members
“It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what is required.”
-Winston Churchill
Several years ago I was invited to participate on an industry association panel, discussing “offshoring,” (which means outsourcing globally). Having been a senior leader in a global company for many years, I asked the first very obvious question — Which shore? I proceeded to have some fun in addressing the subject by noting that virtually all developed countries (and of late some not so developed countries) are having similar discussions.
While many educated people can discuss the economic and social impacts on countries of the movement of goods and services around the globe, I would like to address some principles of building and operating a company that spans multiple continents.
Let’s begin by getting some of our vocabulary aligned. There is a difference between being an International” company versus a “Global” company. A lot of companies have out-of-country activities that may include sales and procurement – this is an international company, even if it includes a few regional offices. A global company truly operates in various countries providing goods/services both in the native country as well as moving goods/services between countries. A fully functioning global company has a culture and perspective that transcends the locale where it is registered or where its stock is listed.
For those companies desiring to be truly global, the development of an appropriate company culture cannot be left to chance – building the desired culture is a full-time job. A global company is not just a series of regional companies strung together under common ownership. Quickly one can see the need for tailored products/services and the delivery of these to satisfy the local or regional market expectations. But here is the bigger question: How do you build a team of people who recognize the need to serve the local market and effectively operate their assigned area while also being part of the bigger team where they can exchange ideas, get inspiration, and contribute to the advancement of the entire company?
Commitment
Building an effective global culture is not inexpensive, nor is it a one-shot deal. It is a concept to which all senior leadership must commit and make a part of their daily actions. Human Resources can help with well planned global talent assessments, succession planning, and leadership skills development, including expatriate assignments. Cultural sensitivity training and facilitated mixed culture forums can start the process.
Vision
There has to be a Global Vision/Mission statement that is an anchor point for your leaders, irrespective of their home country. It must have longevity, addressing the business purpose and corporate values.
Acceptance
Perhaps the most powerful force in building a global company is the basic human trait to accept and bond with those we have come to know on a more personal basis. Audio/video conferencing is a nice tool once a relationship is established, but it is ineffective for establishing the relationship. To establish the bonds between people and break down inherent nationalistic, cultural and personal biases, people need to travel and partake in the cultures of their colleagues.
Share
Forming a global team to implement a global or regional project (contrasted to a local team doing a global project) brings the best ideas forward and builds strong bonds that benefit the company well beyond the specific project. Functional leadership forums and best-practice sharing sessions break down barriers and drive the best ideas forward. Promoting those individuals that best demonstrate the desired culture will send powerful messages throughout the organization.
Diversity
There is a large WATCH OUT. In the drive for a corporate global culture it is easy to inadvertently paint a picture that the “desired culture” is, for example, American or German or Chinese. To be most effective, a company’s global corporate culture must reflect a mix of the best qualities its participants have to offer.
One way to measure your success in building an effective global company culture is to monitor your recruitment results. Are you able to equally attract and retain talented people from all the countries you serve?
It has been interesting, if not disheartening, to watch businesses close, thousands of people losing jobs, and bailouts to keep some companies upright. As a survivor of one such company, I can relate to the frustration, fear, and fury many of these people are feeling. At the time I experienced this, I was with a company that had been in business for over 80 years. I really thought that if I did my job well, my position was secure. Nevertheless, the company went through some tough times and finally was forced to file bankruptcy. It was devastating to the 30,000 employees nationwide who were terminated and worst yet those who put all of their 401k monies into the stock of that company.
Reminiscing, I can think of five areas, other than financial ethical practices, I feel had a major effect on this company’s failure. Consider these points, as they might help salvage your department, team, or organization.
1. View all employees as having a stake in the future of the company. This seems elementary, but you would be surprised at how many managers look at their people as simply a resource, commodity if you will. However, a successful leader knows that each team member can contribute greatly to the success of the team. When a team is working at 100%, processes are streamlined, costs are reduced, and creative solutions are the norm.
2. Keep the communication lines open. I don’t know how many times a boss has told me, “I have an open door policy” and then been surprised later by something that affects my tasks or position. People will be more receptive to change and will respond more positively if they know of an impending opportunity or crises. Realize that most people already have an acute sense of the organization climate and will know when you are keeping things from them. This creates fear.
3. Hold yourself and others on your team accountable for their commitments. You will accomplish two things by sticking to this concept. First by being an example, your team will know they can count on you and in return you will be able to count on them to be committed to the task or goal. Second, it sets the parameters for excellence. The title of the book by Dr. Steven Stowell and Stephanie Mead says it all, With Teamwork Anything is Possible.
4. Set policies that everyone adheres to – not just certain groups. For example, if a policy is that no one accepts gifts from vendors, the President or Chief Financial Officer should also adhere to that rule. Simply put, leadership should walk the talk.
5. Finally, be open to the other people’s opinions and accept that they may not carry-out the task the way you would do it. If you do allow others to take the ball, don’t undermine their efforts. Give them room to excel. People are going to make mistakes, but don’t bully them or attack their character. Coach, rather than chastise. People become defensive when they feel attacked, creating resentment and lower performance. Coaching more often creates a willingness to change for the betterment of the group. General George Patton was correct when he said, “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
These may seem basic and you may be committed to practicing these already. Just remember, under the increasing pressures of daily tasks, and especially in a crisis, it is very easy to forget these areas. Unfortunately your employees won’t and some may become hurt or even angry. Either way, productivity will go down.
Luckily, I have discovered that when these points are followed, people will support you and your organization in ways you would never imagine.
Recently, I spent a wonderful day teaching team concepts to individuals from various teams for an organization on the East Coast of the US. During our group discussions, one participant shared that her team had been struggling for many months. In fact, there were so many problems with this team that it had been reorganized on four different occasions. She was frustrated, unhappy, and discouraged. When she described the team, I could see how difficult this experience had been for her. She wanted some answers to these problems and solicited ideas from the class as to what to do.Tips and suggestions came quickly and easy from the class members. As a group we talked about disciplinary action to team members for poor performance. Others suggested a team retreat, while others pointed out that another reorganization of the team might be needed.
I listened intently to the discussion and even offered a few suggestions myself. Although the leader of this team had tried to fix the structure of the team, in an effort to get them on track, to me, structure was not the problem. In this situation, the problem was a lack in other key elements of effective teams. One of the areas clearly missing with this team was clarity of purpose. This team lacked direction and had too many members feeling vague about the team’s mission, goals, and ultimate objectives for working together. Teams without clear direction are easy to spot.
Some of the symptoms of a team without direction include:
1. Team members who struggle with change.
2. Team members with competing priorities.
3. A lack of communication within the team that causes ambiguity.
4. Lack of accountability for missteps toward the team’s goals and objectives.If we look closely at world class teams, we see that they understand to the nth degree their mission.
Team members with clear direction know where they are going, and what they are doing to help the team reach its objective. I find that high performing teams can easily answer these questions:
1. What is our team’s singular reason for existence?
2. What are our strategic priorities?
3. What are the shared values that will guide behavior and actions of each team member?
Teams performing below standard often try to fix the wrong thing. In many cases it isn’t who is on the team, but more about the direction and clarity of the team’s mission. I believe that the first step in achieving effective teamwork is to create a clear direction for the team members need to give their full commitment to the team’s performance.
Without direction and accountability, teams will have varying degrees of performance and failure. So if your team is performing less than up to par, ask yourself if the team understands its direction.
Ah, there is nothing like enjoying a cold ice cream bar on a hot summer day. One recent sunny day, I was sitting outside my home and could hear a faint musical tune off in the distance. At first, I ignored it. But as it became louder and louder I thought to myself, “The Ice Cream Man?” with a nostalgic smile on my face. You all know this person; the one who drives around suburban neighborhoods in huge white gas guzzling van with images of ice cream plastered on the side and a loud speaker on top.
As I watched the van go by, my smile drifted away as I was suddenly concerned that this Ice Cream Man was a child perpetrator in disguise. The white van looked very old, had no windows in-tact, and produced a low rumble from a rusted out exhaust system. The 20-something individual driving the van looked far from being in the ice cream business. I’m sure we both had interesting expressions on our faces as we exchanged glances. His face said “come on, are you going to buy something or not?” My face said “should I call the authorities, or is this guy the ‘real McCoy?’
Let’s first take a look at some of the challenges facing this business model:
1. Rising fuel prices
2. Inefficient, gasoline powered vehicles
3. Freezers that hamper fuel efficiency even further
4. Antiquated vehicles (maintenance issues)
5. High liability insurance (driving around children) – an assumption here on my part
6. Image and professionalism
7. Seasonal sales cycle
So the questions is: Does the Ice Cream Man have a survival strategy or not? What are your thoughts?
I personally give this business model, in its current state, a few more seasons of survival at best. If higher fuel prices don’t kill this business model, a poor image and the other challenges listed above will. It’s clear that this business lacks strategic direction and needs some in order to survive.
In response to my evaluation, I told myself that the next time I hear an Ice Cream Man, I would flag him down and let my four year old boy pick out some ice cream. I wanted him to experience this before it becomes extinct. Then he could say “I remember the Ice Cream Man, what happened to him?” Four weeks later, I was outside playing with my son when we heard the music in the distance. He was not headed our direction, so I made a mad dash to get his attention. As he saw me run down the street waving like I had been stranded on an island hoping for rescue, his face said “is this guy the ‘real McCoy,’ running down the street to get ice cream, or is this a joke?”
After my son picked out his Ninja Turtle ice cream bar, I chatted with the driver for a few minutes about their business model and how it works. In essence, he said business some days is better than others, but overall he agreed with my observations. After he drove away, I felt a little sad that the Ice Cream Man is on the verge of extinction. Where does your business stand?
The legend of “the real McCoy”: Elijah McCoy (1844 to 1939), was a Canadian inventor who developed and worked on lubrication systems for steam engines. Competitors attempted to make counterfeits of his products. The legend is that railroad engineers looking to avoid these imitations and knock-offs would inquire if a locomotive was fitted with “the real McCoy.” Whatever he did, he clearly had a strategic competitive advantage with his product.
This past year, I had the opportunity to spend five weeks with a group of twenty five middle-level managers from Latin America. We were involved in a program designed to help the group focus on a series of leadership skills that would ultimately add to their leadership development. This great experience culminated just this past week with some great training experiences. Even more exciting was what has happened in the lives of these participants over the course of a year.
The program started in Brazil and then made stops in Argentina, Uruguay, Honduras, the USA, and Mexico. The participants came from Brazil, Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico. The members of this group were very diverse; in ages, in the work that they do, and the level of leadership experience. They brought with them cultural perspectives of different Latin American cultures and the unique challenges they each face.
It was obvious from the way that they interacted with others as well as in the way that they participated in some of the activities we did during the first week that some of the participants were hungry for new skills, yet others were quite skeptical and unsure of their need for this program. When we concluded this program, the maturation and confidence that each one in this group had developed, even in the one’s who thought that they “had arrived” was more than gratifying.
During the last session, participants shared the results of their personal business challenges that they agreed to accomplish during this year long program. Not only were the results of all their efforts excellent, some had very significant bottom-line impacts. We asked participants to tell us what specific training sessions and key learning’s they felt had a major impact on their ability to achieve the results that they did. Undoubtedly, one of the key things they gained was an internal change that takes place through self-reflection and application of the learning’s. This program definitely gave them the opportunity to do this. It also gave them a chance to see how leadership, even in small packages, affects the lives of those around them. There is no question that each participant was impacted by the contact they had with the others. It will leave a very long-lasting impression on all of their hearts.
More Than Just Business
Several life changing experiences had happened along this journey for these people – some became fathers, some lost family members, some faced major physical illnesses, and some moved families from one country to another. Many personal and private events helped to shape and form this future group of quality leaders. Leadership is not always about work and bottom line results. It is often about how we take our experiences to shape our future and the future paths of others. It is about how we share, teach and inspire. It is how we show kindness, thoughtfulness, and a helping hand at a time in need. Leadership is making ourselves a source for which to lift the life of another. This is where leadership really makes its mark. While it is important to see the business results; the way that you touch other people’s lives and the way that they will remember you is what makes a leader great.
Change for many people is stressful, but for others it can be tremendously traumatic. Dr. Thomas Holmes and researchers at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine, who developed the Life Change Index Scale rated the factors that caused stress from the low (11) a minor traffic ticket to a high (100) the death of a spouse. Different types of business change fell midway on the scale between 20 and 46. Because this study is based on averages, a change stress rating of 47 may not impact one person as much as it may another. As business leaders, we understand that change is inevitable. So we must be aware of how change affects our co-workers and steps we can take to make the transition more comfortable for them and in turn for the success of the initiative.
Resistance
Many times people will resist change by denying or ignoring that it is occurring. Sometime ago, a coworker’s wife was expecting another child. This co-worker was so resistant to the change in his family; he refused to even acknowledge that he had any part in the pregnancy. I remember that for weeks the whole team tried to get him out of his denial, anger, and refusal to accept the new baby. Then when the couple found out they were going to have twins, he became so agitated that we were worried he might leave his wife and the children. Of course, by the time the children were born, he had not only accepted the situation, he amazed the office with his compassion for the infants, especially one. The umbilical cord of one of the babies had been blocked; so the child (a little boy) had not developed at the same rate as the other child. This baby was not allowed to leave the hospital for weeks, and our co-worker visited that child every day and lovingly talked to the baby while gently rubbing the child’s back, a complete attitude change to the situation.
Acceptance
While this story may not seem to apply to the change going on in your organization, it does address the extreme to which some people resist change. This man could not see any benefit of this change in his life, nor was he ready to respond to the change. No amount of discussion, encouragement, or teasing would sway his thinking. He understood that he had only two choices, accept the babies or leave.
Acceptance of his feelings was the one thing that helped him most and it is the beginning act that can make a big difference for change in your employees. My friend’s wife never showed any anger or hurt when he expressed frustration at the upcoming lifestyle change. His supervisor set time aside each week for him to talk out his feelings about the situation. Little by little, he began to make comments about the upcoming event and the adjustments he was willing to make.
Because others acknowledged his right to have his feelings, he was able to sort out the real reason for his resistance. As he stated later, most of his apprehension was based on fear, fear of failing as a father, not being able to provide adequately for a larger family, and that the change would alter his wife’s feelings for him.
Application
Employees who are resistant to change may also be basing their opposition on fear. He/she may fear the change will change his/her position, affect job security, or lead to more and even greater changes. You can help your employees through the emotion of change by:
• Demonstrating commitment; clarifying your reasons for the change.
• Inviting questions and responding promptly
• Using active listening skills; show that you hear and understand the concerns of others, but don’t take on or “own” their burdens
• Increasing communication and information sharing
• Reinforcing the value of your team members
• Providing regular updates on the progress and benefits of the change (e-mails, bulletin boards, memo’s, briefings, etc.)
• Working through the “harsh realities” of change
• Being accessible to team members
• Setting aside time for individual coaching
Change is constant and if we learn to manage change, we will learn to embrace the value it brings.
An experiment by the French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre demonstrated the rigidity of the processionary caterpillars’ behavior when he enticed the leader to start circling the edge of the large flower pot. The other caterpillars followed suit in a tight process, forming a closed circle in which the distinctions between leader and follower became totally blurred, and the path had no beginning and no ending. Instead of soon getting bored with the nonproductive activity, the caterpillars kept up their mindless search for several days and nights until they dropped off the edge of the flowerpot from exhaustion and starvation. Relying totally on instinct, past experience, custom, and tradition, the caterpillars achieve nothing because they mistook activity for achievement.
Let’s begin by getting some of our vocabulary aligned. There is a difference between being an International” company versus a “Global” company. A lot of companies have out-of-country activities that may include sales and procurement – this is an international company, even if it includes a few regional offices. A global company truly operates in various countries providing goods/services both in the native country as well as moving goods/services between countries. A fully functioning global company has a culture and perspective that transcends the locale where it is registered or where its stock is listed.
It has been interesting, if not disheartening, to watch businesses close, thousands of people losing jobs, and bailouts to keep some companies upright. As a survivor of one such company, I can relate to the frustration, fear, and fury many of these people are feeling. At the time I experienced this, I was with a company that had been in business for over 80 years. I really thought that if I did my job well, my position was secure. Nevertheless, the company went through some tough times and finally was forced to file bankruptcy. It was devastating to the 30,000 employees nationwide who were terminated and worst yet those who put all of their 401k monies into the stock of that company.
Ah, there is nothing like enjoying a cold ice cream bar on a hot summer day. One recent sunny day, I was sitting outside my home and could hear a faint musical tune off in the distance. At first, I ignored it. But as it became louder and louder I thought to myself, “The Ice Cream Man?” with a nostalgic smile on my face. You all know this person; the one who drives around suburban neighborhoods in huge white gas guzzling van with images of ice cream plastered on the side and a loud speaker on top.
Change for many people is stressful, but for others it can be tremendously traumatic. Dr. Thomas Holmes and researchers at the University Of Washington School Of Medicine, who developed the Life Change Index Scale rated the factors that caused stress from the low (11) a minor traffic ticket to a high (100) the death of a spouse. Different types of business change fell midway on the scale between 20 and 46. Because this study is based on averages, a change stress rating of 47 may not impact one person as much as it may another. As business leaders, we understand that change is inevitable. So we must be aware of how change affects our co-workers and steps we can take to make the transition more comfortable for them and in turn for the success of the initiative.
