We are the Champions

The title for this week’s edition of the TLS Continuum Toolbox newsletter comes from the classic song from a classic rock and roll group-Queen. But it is used to support a belief about continuous process improvement efforts and many organizations trying to implement the said process.

Go to any bar in the world during a sporting match and I would expect you would observe several conversations that are undergoing in which there is friendly banter (sometimes not so friendly) about which team is better than another. Turn on Morning Joe on MSNBC and you are likely to hear this banter regarding the Boston Red Sox.

In any given cross-functional team environment there is a tendency to forget to some degree because you are there. As is human nature, we let our office politics and feelings intercede into the environment. Mary is mad at Jane because Jane took credit for Mary’s idea. John got a promotion over James. Martin feels slighted by his boss because he is never given the opportunity to contribute to discussions. Robert feels slighted because his manager has a preconceived idea of what he is capable of. All these situations are detrimental to the success of the team and the cross-functional team.

The success of your cross-functional team is critically based on the office politics being left at the meeting room door. Everyone at the table has equal value to the effort Their contributions need to be given equal consideration. I get it, it is tough to accomplish this but here are some simple strategies to change the focus.

Strategy #1: You are not in a debate – Your idea has merit. The goal is not to try and win an argument. Ben Suo in his book Good Arguments talks about how to use debate tactics in business situations but our goal is not to show that we are better than someone else.

Strategy #2: Change the nature of the meeting – Instead of trying to prove whose answer is better try shifting from a discussion to a dialogue. Use your time to express some ideas as to potential solutions to the system constraint. Use the Design Thinking scenario and answer the questions What is and What if to discover potential solutions. Let our minds run free to look at all alternatives.

Strategy #3: Don’t jump to a conclusion just because you want it to be true – Take the time to talk out each idea. Use the system thinking tools to reflect on each suggestion and all its ramifications. There are times when you need to make a quick decision. There are times when you are better thinking slowly and see and feel what the suggested idea does to the organization.

Strategy #r4: Change the nature of the team member concept – Your fellow team members are not your enemies. They are there for the same reason you are, you need to find a solution to a system constraint. Treat each other with respect and the belief that they are your colleagues. No one has better status on the team. Decisions are made as a team not as one individual being the command-and-control person.

Strategy #5: Become the organizational champion – The team can become the organizational champion. The solution the team determines for the system constraint may save jobs. The solution the team determines may increase revenue in such a fashion that you might all see raises in income. The solution the team determines may dramatically improve the workplace environment that you come to work to everyday.

Strategy #6: Envision the future - By utilizing the first five strategies you will be on the path to see a problem, feel the problem, and create a new corporate normal. A new corporate culture that is grounded in the future of what your organization could and can be going forward. A new corporate culture which becomes the vision of what you want your organization to become.

?Thank you as always for reading this newsletter as always. Now go out and become the organizational champion and participate in the new exciting organization you will create.

?About the author:?Daniel Bloom?knows HR and Change Management. He’s a speaker on transformational HR, a strategic HR consultant and trainer. Looking to ways to enhance your vale to your organization? We now offer virtual fully accredited six-sigma yellow belt certification training. Learn more at https://tls-continuum-learning-center.thinkific.com/courses/the-road-to-operational-excellence-the-hcm-edition

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