Operating Beyond the Core
Welcome back to xNEWS, where we explore principles and practices of leadership in an exponentially changing world.
Henrik Bresman, my partner on this newsletter, posed this question to me last month: “On the one hand, x-teams need to combine a focus on internal alignment and efficiency inside, and on the other, focus on the inclusion of diverse stakeholders outside. What does it take to manage this paradox?”
Empowering the Outer Net: Extending X-Team Culture
Okay, assume you are a team that has taken on a true “out-before-in” x-team strategy.? You have learned how to focus on both your internal dynamics, e.g., creating clear goals and psychological safety, but also your external activity. You engage in sensemaking (making sense of the external environment), ambassadorship (getting buy-in, resources, and alignment with senior leadership), and task coordination (managing collaboration with other individuals and teams within the organization and outside of it). In short, you are feeling good about your x-team process. Yet, you may still be vulnerable to problems.?
The challenge: spreading your culture and motivating those x-team members who are not part of the core team. These are the “outer net” members who may feel very distant from all the great work that you are doing.?
Keeping X-Teams Unified
Take for example an x-team that controls strategy, marketing, fund raising, and finance for a small company that operates a set of discount clothing stores helping low-income people to dress for job interviews. The team was very cohesive and motivated by the mission. They were in close touch with customers, suppliers, and donors. But some of the people working in the stores were more removed. In fact, one of the employees started stealing from the store. For the team, this was not just a bad thing—it felt like a violation of their core purpose.??
Or take an x-team in a high-tech company that is working on a big innovative project.?The core team running the project was totally committed and pulling long days to move the project along. They were in touch with senior leadership on their progress, mapping technological innovations, and competitive progress. But, many of the people helping with the project in marketing and R&D, as well as staff positions, did not feel as motivated by the project. Their performance was lagging.?
x-teams need to fight the centrifugal forces that pull people away from the core of the team. These people are not in the day-to-day meetings and may not feel the connection and excitement of making key milestones or overcoming challenges. Of course, it is not possible to keep everyone in the loop all the time. But since x-teams may involve extensive networks of people working far away, possibly even at other organizations, or connected only electronically, something must be done to pull them in.?
How does an x-team bring these people into the fold?
Here are some ideas:??
The core team members can take the initiative to communicate to the outer net through a short account of what is going on in the team. In this account there might be news of progress, changes in strategy, or what other parts of the x-team are doing. It would be as simple as “3 News Items for the Week” or “Current Progress and Challenges.” The key is to keep people informed and involved so that they feel part of the team. You can even ask for input and reactions or have different team members take on authorship.?
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While much work can be done with x-team members working apart and online, it is helpful to have occasional events to bring people together. The purpose of these meetings is to make (or communicate) strategic decisions, work on cohesion and culture, and enhance networking and connection. In one company there are events that include a guest speaker on a topic of interest, discussion of the topic, meetings with people who are working together on a particular part of the project, and meetings with people further afield. There are presentations from the core members and people working on key tasks, as well as meals for socializing and having some fun. Personal stories of challenge and success also create trust. There may even be some awards or celebrations of progress.??
It is always a good idea to have continuous feedback from all parts of the team and to figure out how connected people are feeling. Periodic conversations with selected people from all parts of the x-team can serve as a check on what is going on and whether there are any issues that need to be addressed. Thus, sensemaking needs to take place both outside the team as well as inside and across the team.??
When there is no time or resources for in-depth conversations, another strategy to test the waters is to have pulse questions or polls. These can take multiple forms—they can be general questions about how things are going and how leadership is doing so that you can monitor the general tenor across the team. Or, they can be more specific questions about an area of importance in the team, e.g., what are you hearing from new customers, or why do you think numbers are down? In either case, this is an opportunity to learn more about what people across the team are thinking and feeling. If there are signs of trouble, these can be identified and handled quickly.?
James Foster, the CEO at Charles River Laboratories, oversees an operation that spans the globe. While he cannot make it to every location every year, he does get around to all of them frequently. And when he does, he asks that there is a seat at each table at the gathering left empty. Why? So that during lunch he can go from table to table to check in with as many people as possible. That personal touch can make a real difference in terms of making a connection with people far afield from the center of activities.?
Of course you are busy, of course it is easier to stay focused on your core team, of course your good intentions to connect may become derailed. But, ignore that outer-net group at your peril. Information, communications, check-ins, feedback or personal visits can all make a big difference in making the full x-team succeed.??
Henrik, connecting the core team to the outer net can, inevitably, create tensions. How can the team take on this challenge?
Hopefully you already caught the last newsletter from my partner in this experiment, Henrik Bresman. You can learn more about Henrik here and me here.
In Henrik’s last newsletter: “The Diversity Paradox: If We Focus on the Business Case for Diversity, We Will Not See the Business Benefits” he explored the controversies and concept of reframing diversity. It is an interesting read.
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