Life Coaching, Human Resource and Consultancy

"The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual." Vincent Lombardi

HR & Training Updates

Excellent teams have ten core team values, these are:

1. Listening to each other with an open mind without interruption

2. Sharing knowledge, information and experience with those who can benefit

3. Taking key decisions based on reasoning not rank

4. Expressing concerns only to those responsible for dealing with them

5. A responsibility culture not a blame culture

6. Focus on the job at hand

7. Striving for continuous improvement

8. Behaving with integrity

9. Positively challenging dishonesty or destructive behaviour

10. No ego

The Green values are about involving people, and ensuring decisions have a broader base of expertise.

The Red values are ‘results’ values.

The Blue values are about ethical and cohesive behaviour.

Values 1, 2 and 3 are about involving others for the greater good and increasing the expertise behind decisions.

1. Listening to each other with an open mind without interruption

   Every different point of view could be an opportunity to learn something. Listening shows that you value the other person and that you are open to the possibility of change. Interrupting shows that you think you or your opinions are more important (unless the other person is really rambling or repetitive). Are you a good listener or a bad listener? When you listen, are you open to what the person is saying? Or do you just wait for them to finish before saying what you were going to say anyway?

2. Sharing knowledge and experience with those who can benefit

   The 'information is power' culture breeds ignorance, mistakes and defensive behaviour. But it’s refreshing when someone offers their information or expertise in a helpful way without expecting anything in return. Proactive people do this simply because it’s the right thing to do. When was the last time you shared a good idea or useful information, or passed on your experience sensitively?

3. Taking key decisions based on reasoning not rank

   When people know that their ideas will be debated and considered properly, they will be more encouraged to come forward with them. It doesn’t mean we have to agree on everything. Democracies mean that regardless of whose reasoning is most sound, the majority view always wins and the minority loses. This ‘win-lose’ culture can de-motivate and disenfranchise people. ‘Win-win’ cultures ensure that every view is heard and debated. In a meritocracy any reasoned contribution is welcome and can affect the team’s direction or methods. Values 4 and 5 are about how we should curtail problems and move forward proactively.

4. Expressing concerns only to those responsible for dealing with them

   A fundamental characteristic of highly effective teams. Don’t exacerbate situations by telling lots of people how bad things are when those people are not responsible for sorting them out. This is called validating – seeking solace in someone reflecting your opinion without seeking a solution. Instead, tell the person or people responsible for sorting it out, and only them. This requires tremendous self-discipline: it can be comforting in the short term to seek solace in complaining to anyone who will listen – but isn’t it better to seek positive change?

5. A responsibility culture not a blame culture

   There are few things more demoralizing than a blame culture. It forces people to protect themselves by unnecessary paperwork or shifting blame – taking attention away from those we serve and hindering continuous improvement. It is often said of politicians that their desire for power makes them by definition unsuitable for office. This is because the stereotypical keys to promotion in politics – spinning situations to personal advantage, shifting blame, taking credit, and moving up at the expense of others - create distrust and poor teamwork: they live in a blame culture. Similarly, people who are good at ‘office politics’ thrive in a blame culture. They may be successful in their personal ambitions, but no-one really wants to work with or for them, so their ability to get the best out of people around them is limited. Teams therefore fragment and the organisation fails to maximum its potential. Values 6 and 7 are about focusing on results.

6. Focus on the job at hand

   Fixating on each other’s faults or failures is not great for team working. Colleagues should not be each other’s obstacle. The real focus should be on the work. Remind people who are having issues with each other that this has nothing to do with the objective, which is to achieve the organisation’s vision and values.

7. Striving for continuous improvement

   Every team and every organisation should always be on the lookout for how it can better achieve its aims. This task is never complete: it is really a continuous process, and at its best is a constant state of mind of every team member. This means being open to ideas. Avoid phrases like ‘we never used to do it that way’, ‘it never worked before’ or ‘they’ll never say yes to that’. These sayings put a stop to potential solutions or improvements in the work we do. Encourage questions and phrases like ‘whose expertise could help with this?’, ‘what’s the next step?’ or ‘great idea!’ Values 8, 9 and 10 are about cohesive behaviour.

8. Behaving with integrity

   An organisation’s reputation is the crux of its success. A lack of integrity in one part of the organisation can, if it becomes widely known, undermine the entire organisation. Integrity is also at the heart of treating people equally and fairly.

9. Positively challenging dishonesty or destructive behaviour

   Honesty, ethical behaviour and effort are essential to a team that pulls together. It must be up to the manager to enforce these standards, having first given a fair hearing to the person or people concerned. This should be done calmly but assertively, taking time to explain exactly what is the desired standard of behaviour, and explaining the consequences of further breaches of the team’s standards. Challenging undermining behaviour is actually part of the process of helping everybody on the team, and should be seen as a positive step. And of course the same standards must be applied across the whole team.

10. No ego

Displays of ego risk undermining anything you achieve by following the other team values.’ No ego’ behaviour is about the importance of just getting on with the job. Sounds easy, but there are subtle displays of ego that are easy traps to fall into. Have you ever broken any of the following rules?

• Force yourself not to act to impress but to act out of values
• Never seek compliments from the team
• Never complain about your lot to the team
• Praise people as much in their absence as in their presence
• Acknowledge and learn from failure

Acknowledging failure is a sign of honesty, openness and a commitment to learning. Demonstrating and standing up for these values will help in building a SMARTER team working culture for the greater good of the organisation you work for.