Growth teams are self-transforming

Teams have four operating modes: compliant, competing, constructive and transforming. Before you start your development process, consider first what kind of team do you have.

Compliant teams have no boundaries and are overwhelmed by the demands of their work and stakeholders. Have no confidence in each other. Seek rules or powerful figures to protect them. Are slow and inconsistent in performance. Nice, friendly and undemanding. They are happy to share and support other teams, but often this only reduces their own performance. They are weak performers and lack both quality and agility. Morale is superficially high. But the reality is that members lack challenge. Morale is low, but no one is willing to admit that. They spend too much time worrying, complaining and talking about the past. They get information too late. Other teams and stakeholders ignore them and downplay their needs and concerns. The team has a low impact and low respect. They review performance and quality only superficially. Anything negative is avoided as is conflict in general. Meetings are formal, low on energy, repetitive and unproductive. They ask for orders and guidance rather than show initiative.

To grow: Create healthy boundaries. What is our purpose? What are our goals? How do we need to improve? Who is responsible for what? What do we need to do to improve our impact? How do we improve relationships with stakeholders? Members commit to and hold each other accountable for goals and deliverables. Increase challenge and willingness to discuss poor performance. Give feedback to each other.

Competitive teams have strong boundaries and they guard them fiercely. They are confident, but tough on each other. Assertive and controlling, they protect their time and resources. Never share openly information outside the team. Disliking transparency, they create smoke screens and block attempts when stakeholders would like to review processes and practices in the team. Strong on the inside, they see others teams as weak links and / or competitors. They deliver strongly on performance and quality. They are agile due to their vigilance towards outside threats. They don’t like to lose. Morale is often high, but members are stressed and stretched. They often have to watch their backs for threats and challenges coming both from the team and outside. The big weakness is their inability to work well with other teams and stakeholders. They get bogged down in fights and disagreements. Disconnected from other teams, they force people to help them, rather than build collaboration on reciprocity. They can also lack internal flexibility: restrictive and tight internal roles and responsibilities. They are best when the external threat is extreme. They can also be highly rigid in thinking and action, sticking to how the most important team members like to work and how these few people see the world.

Growth: Build healthy relationships. What do our stakeholders really think about us? How can we create more flexible internal relationships? How can we support each other inside the team? How do we improve relationships with other teams? How can we create a more open and creative way of talking and thinking inside the team? How does our own actions prevent resources, information and influence coming freely to us? How can our way of talking and working impact negatively on relationships inside and outside the team? How can we work more flexibility and less hierarchical in the team? How do we help each other grow in confidence and competence? What resources and ideas are we ignoring or overlooking? Where is our true potential for growth as a team? How can we create a more constructive feedback and review process, i.e., less blaming and critical? How do we become more transparent and open to the outside world?

Constructive teams have strong and flexible boundaries. They are designed to grow both internally and externally. They are confident and supportive. They build reciprocal relationships with stakeholders and other teams. They are energized by achievement rather than fear of losing. Commitment and creativity is high as members enjoy their work more and there is a much more open team culture. Members discuss ideas and challenge each other positively. Information and resources flow into the team based on good relationships. Learning and growth are central to success and members spend time helping others. Constructive teams practice transparency in everything. Take feedback seriously. Set challenging goals and work systematically to achieve them. As they spend time predicting the future and scanning the horizon for opportunities and threats, they respond often proactively to changes and disruption. High levels of mutual trust make these teams robust when pressured. Instead of blaming, complaining and gossip mongering, they encourage others, ask questions and explore new ideas. They are highly productive internally and they attract resources, information and influence from outside. Their biggest flaw is potentially not predicting or managing threats from competitive teams. Since constructive teams act ethically and responsibly, they can be weak when faced with an attack from ruthless people or teams.

To grow: Become transformative. How do we become more sustainable in terms of people and resources? How do we become even more connected to our organisation? How can we make a bigger contribution to the results and reputation of the organisation? How can we deepen our sense of purpose? How can we integrate more effectively with other teams? How can we challenge and grow the way our key stakeholders see the world? How can we evolve the team and change roles to prepare for the future? How can our vision become even more powerful? How can we get more feedback from our stakeholders and partners?

Growth Teams have a transforming mindset.

1. They AIM for HIGH goals, high standards, high performance and high engagement.
2. They STEP UP by being curious about the world, learn from mistakes and say what they are thinking
3. They GO HIGH by creating a sustainable working culture where people help each other and adjust work load and roles.
4. They TRANSFORM by deepening relationships with and their impact on the organisation, stakeholders and world around them.
5. They LIFT OTHERS UP by creating a encouraging and supportive team culture.
6. And, they TEAM UP with people inside and outside the team to create a postive flow of information, ideas, ressources and influence.

If you'd like to find out whether your team is a Growth Team, we have tools to measure your current mindset.

Skip Bowman