In high performance organizations with project-oriented environments, ad hoc teams are becoming the norm. Examples are companies like Levi Strauss, ABB, and 3M.

Temporary teams differ from permanent teams. Most important, they have high demands placed on them to produce results quickly and then disband. Their mandate and authority (can they make final decisions? can they implement?) are often unclear. If cross-functional, teams have complex goals affecting many parts of the organization and beyond.

And then there are the team members! They come with varying degrees of commitment, different agendas, functional backgrounds, perspectives, and loyalties. But they all wonder whether their efforts here will be rewarded at performance review time.

The Ad Hoc Team Faces a Unique Challenge

It must sort out its human dynamics issues early, get everyone aligned on a common mandate, and build the genuine commitment of all members to that goal-quickly! These teams seldom have enough time to devote to the project. They need to get on with the task ASAP! Yet, again and again experience has shown that when team members do not address the human dynamics part right at the beginning, team performance suffers seriously later on.

So, what should your project or ad hoc team do to maximize its performance? Its first meeting is crucial. Plan to invest just one day, up front, on its “process” issues. This initial session should be facilitated by a skilled person who is not a team member. As a guide, here is what my one-day “kickstart” program typically covers:

Purpose/Mission

Why was the team created? What goals and deliverables (e.g. design a process to reduce wastage by 18%) are expected of it? Ensure that all members understand and accept these objectives and their related time-lines.

Champion(s)

To which manager, board or steering committee does the team report? What support has this champion promised? What information/updates do they expect from the team? How will the team liaise with the champion?

Team Members

What skills, knowledge, and experience do they bring? Identify and discuss each person’s hopes, desired benefits, expectations, concerns, and initial degree of commitment to the team. Make it OK not to be committed at the outset.

Operating Guidelines

Determine how leadership will operate within the team. Is there one leader? What is his/her role? How will the team make decisions? How often will they meet? How will they communicate amongst one another? What is expected of each member? Can someone miss a meeting? What happens if someone fails to meet a commitment?

Next Steps

Now it is time to turn the group to its task. Here members start developing a plan of action and assign responsibilities. The day should end with this underway.

The above fills a very productive day. A facilitator will fast track the team to performance by:

1. providing structure and leadership
2. training members on group dynamics
3. helping them through the start-up energy-draining issues around power
4. ensuring that they stay focused

A good facilitator will leave the team with tools and techniques to address interpersonal issues whenever they obstruct team performance downline. What about your temporary teams? Can they afford a slow acceleration to maximum performance?

©Ian Cook, 2004

Fulcrum Associates, Inc. (http://www.888fulcrum.com/)

At that moment what Sally really wants to do is to respond in the old style of leadership, with both barrels blazing: “I don’t want any excuses, Gary, just see that YOU have that on my desk by Tuesday!” or the much more subtle “There you go again, Gary. Don’t you think it’s about time you showed some initiative around here?”

In fact, this is a common, yet absolutely critical, point of choice for any manager. Does Sally or does she not choose to assume responsibility for making Gary change his behavior and attitude? She does when she decides to challenge the resistance by overpowering it or manipulating Gary with guilt or threats.

Tempting as it might be, this approach does not really accomplish what Sally, the leader, wants. It might generate Gary’s short-term compliance but what she sacrifices is his longer-term commitment, creativity and productivity. By trying to make the resister do her bidding she will shift herself into the parent position and maneuver him into the role of the child.

In Gestalt psychology this situation is called the “Top Dog/Under Dog” dynamic. The Top Dog is the boss, the master, the authority figure, the one who seeks a certain behavior from the other person. The Under Dog is the-ostensibly-powerless one, the slave, the victim and the one from whom the behavior is being demanded. But who has the real power in the long run? The Under Dog does. It is he/she who ultimately determines whether or not cooperation will be forthcoming.

So, if browbeating a resister just heightens the resistant force, what’s a leader to do? The answer lies in understanding what the Under Dog truly wants. The resisting Under Dog wants to be acknowledged, to be heard, to have his or her point-of-view honorednot necessarily agreed with.

This last point is critical for leaders to grasp. When someone resists your will no one expects you to just cave in and abdicate your responsibility for performance results. At the same time, if you can make the resister feel heard and truly understood by you, he/she will be more inclined to consider your position and buy into it. Remember, one of Stephen Covey’s famous “7 Habits” is “Seek first to understand and then be understood.”

Here is a “cutting edge” approach that draws from both Gestalt psychology and the martial art of Aikido. I call this the 4 + 2 Method. There are six steps: the first four focus you on the other person. With the last two you assert your own needs.

1. Consciously acknowledge to yourself that you are encountering resistance.
2. Center yourself. (Use deep breathing or even a brief meditation, if you have time.)
3. In your own mind, consciously grant them permission to take the position they are adopting.
4. Explore, investigate, become curious about their resistance. (Use questions to find out about the source of their opposition.)
5. Declare your own perceptions, expectations, requirements and rationale.
6. Resolve/decide/act as you see fit. (Here you exercise your ultimate responsibility for performance results.)

Try it out on the next time you encounter a low-risk situation of resistance. Notice the response of the resister and how your own stress is reduced. With practice you will be surprised at how often you turn resistance into genuine support.

©Ian Cook, 2004

Fucrum Associates, Inc. (http://www.888fulcrum.com/)

I have always liked this distinction: “management” is getting things done through others; “leadership” is getting others to want to get things done. Howard Gardner, chronicalling some great 20th century leaders in his fascinating book, Leading Minds, calls a leader “an individual who, by words and/or personal example, significantly influences the thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors of… human beings.” Leadership now is really the practice of influencing.

But why is influencing becoming the preferred way? What is wrong with just telling them, from your own experience and authority base, what to do? Allow me to offer two good reasons.

First of all, the processes to provide most products and services have become complex. No one person alone has the answer any more. People are increasingly called upon to communicate and make decisions laterally with others, rather than vertically through the boss. In my own consulting practice I am seeing more cross-functional teams, greater sharing of vital information, and more involvement in the ranks. I am frequently being asked to assist in initiatives to break down walls between those darn “silos.”

Secondly, today’s more complex work demands high levels of skill and knowledge. Employees, the so-called “knowledge workers,” who possess these assets are in great demand. They seek the challenge of contributing their ideas and using their heads in their work. This is what they are being paid for. These people do not tend to hang around when you become overly directive with them.

So, what is a well-meaning manager or supervisor supposed to do? How does he or she operate as a leader in today’s emerging high performance organizations? My advice is to concentrate on six roles that, together, earn you the right to call yourself a “modern leader.”

1. Servant Leader.
   Robert Greenleaf coined the term. The idea is that the best leaders see themselves as servants first. Decide whom-not what-you serve in your leadership capacity. Help them succeed in contributing to the organization, help them learn and grow, and see them as your “customer” (for your leadership services).
2. Direction Setter.
   Communicate the overall goals of the company so that they are understood. Engage your people in crafting individual and team objectives that support these wider goals. If you are a unit leader, your job is to ensure that the energy and priorities of your group are aligned with the organization’s strategic direction.
3. Steward for high standards and results.
   No matter how much you share decision-making power and involve your people, you are still ultimately responsible for the results being achieved and the objectives being met. Insist on high standards, for yourself, of course, and for those you lead. This means dealing with those who choose to underperform. As W. Somerset Maugham once said, “It’s a funny thing about life. If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.”
4. Motivator/Coach.
   Yes, you do have a role inbut by no means 100% responsibility for-motivating your people. That direction you articulated in (2) above…add your passion about it. Enthusiasm is contagious. It is also motivating. Help them identify what they truly desire (the WIIFM, if you are in sales) from their work and career. Do what you can to help them achieve this.
5. Changemaster.
   You will never stop being called upon to lead, or at least support, change initiatives. All humans are forced on a psychological journey when faced with change. The journey takes one from “endings” through a “neutral zone” and finally into a period of “new beginnings.” William Bridges’ excellent book, Managing Transitions, lays out clearly how to manage people at each of these critical stages.
6. Role Model.
   Leadership manifests itself, above all, in how you behave. On what to you focus your attention? Your time? Your questions? Do you act consistently with your values? For example, if you espouse an open, trusting work culture, do your people find it “safe” to speak their mind to you?

Make no mistake about it! These six roles are at the core of leadership in the coming years. Give them a central place in your set of attitudes and skills and you will be better, do better and feel a whole lot better as you serve others…from out in front.

©2004 Ian Cook

Fulcrum Associates, Inc. (http://www.888fulcrum.com/)

Furthermore, only a fearless few people will give them the honest, useful feedback that self-development requires. The “culture” expects them to be role models and our models are supposed to get it “right.” Showing their vulnerabilities is a “no-no,” not to be done in front of those who report to them and certainly not advised in front of competitive colleagues on their leadership team. Of course, the CEO is too busy (and often not sufficiently skilled) to help them grow interpersonally.

The fact is that many individuals arrive at the senior level with much still to learn about people. Often they bring to the executive wing styles, habits and beliefs that have worked for them since they were a supervisor. Suddenly these formulae for success no longer work and, in many cases, must be unlearned and replaced with behaviors more in line with modern leadership.

This is why so many organizations today are investing in coaching for their key leaders. The benefits from being coached stem primarily from the leverage that is obtained. When a senior leader operates with a less-than-functional style, its negative impact on performance and morale can reverberate from within the senior leadership team right out through the frontlines to the customer. The good news is that turning this individual’s style around will have the same multiplier effect in a positive direction.

What is Coaching?

Coaching is a series of periodic one-on-one consultations, usually with an external resource, over a period of time-typically anywhere from three to eighteen months. Between sessions the “coachee” (whom we will call the “client”) applies newly learned approaches at work, receives feedback, then reassesses, and refines his/her behavior accordingly. Coaching is not therapy, however, occasionally a coach may suggest counseling as a promising course of action for deeper-seated issues that are blocking effectiveness. Well-done coaching yields a high return on investment because the process is totally customized to the “client’s” challenges and needs and it maximizes the executive’s time off the job.

The goal of the coaching process is to generate, in the client, effective skills and attitudes that are self-sustaining, self-correcting and directly supportive of his or her expected performance results.

When Does One Engage a Coach?

Usually-but not always-it is the individual’s boss who initiates the coaching intervention. Typically this is in response to a need to turn around a significant performance problem or to improve an interpersonal skill deficiency that is holding back an otherwise excellent executive. Coaching is also used to prepare someone for a promotion, generally enhance leadership potential, and provide support for a particularly challenging leadership situation (e.g. managing a major change, inheriting a new department).

On the other hand, Coaching is not always indicated. I would not take on a coaching assignment when the boss has already decided to fire or demote the individual, when there is insufficient time to generate the results required, or where the person is entering a coaching process against his/her will. This latter condition is sometimes a judgment call but my ethical and business bottom-line is that the client must buy in to the process freely and genuinely.

What Should You Look for in a Coach?

Consider the mix of (1) skills, (2) knowledge and (3) attributes of any coaching consultant. Critical skills are communications (interviewing, listening, feedback, summarizing), facilitation (including the ability both to confront and support), teaching, and the ability to take a systems perspective (the client does not operate in isolation but as an integral part of complex organizational systems). The knowledge you should look for is an understanding of psychology/human behavior, business/management/ organizational life and how adults learn.

The coach you select should possess certain important attributes, including flexibility, work experience/maturity, self-confidence, confidentiality, and comfort with complexity and ambiguity. I believe your coach should be someone who places a high value oneven has a passion forthe growth of others and who is willing to learn and grow himself/herself in the process. And, of course, the relationship must work for parties, client and coach.

Some coaches are clinically trained, that is, they are psychologists or professional therapists. This is not necessary but neither is it negative. Clinicians bring a deep understanding of human behavior and effective interpersonal techniques. They are trained to recognize deeper pathology should it become evident during the process. As long as they have a solid understanding of business and organizations and they stick to coaching, certainly do consider them for coaching.

What Does a Coaching Process Look Like?

Each intervention is unique but let’s look briefly at a typical sequence. The first step is for the coach to meet with the client’s boss and the client to ascertain issues, objectives and the standards expected by the organization. Then coach and client meet. In this meeting I particularly check out the chemistry and my client’s degree of buy-in. Once that is confirmed, I conduct an in-depth interview with him/her to scope in detail his/her personal and work background, version of the issues, feelings, needs, concerns, and how the client currently perceives and interprets his/her world.

Step three is data gathering. This may involve interviews with key players in the team, the client’s direct reports, and others who interact with him/her. Often a 360-degree feedback instrument is used to obtain perceptions from the client’s boss, peers, and subordinates. Psychological measurements also can contribute a lot. I routinely use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator with great success. Another technique is to “shadow” the client and observe him/her in typical interactions and meetings.

In step four the coach compiles all this information, feeds it back to the client, and facilitates a discussion sometimes lengthy and emotional. Step five has the client identify and commit to specific objectives and deliverables for the process. Steps six and seven are to develop an action plan, which, with the on-going involvement of the coach, the client implements over an appropriate number of months. Once the plan has been accomplished, client and coach conduct a final assessment step eight of the client’s progress against the objectives. Here we may determine the need to gather data once again to confirm others’ perceptions and experience of the progress made. Finally, a step nine might be contracted where the coach checks in occasionally over the next year or so to provide on-going support.

When we look to the world of athletics and entertainment we see that those who aspire to excellence understand the value of coaches. The seasoned masters in my field of professional speaking certainly use them. I have several coaching colleagues amongst whom we coach one another.

What about your key people? What about you?

©Ian Cook, 2004

Fulcrum Associates, Inc. (http://www.888fulcrum.com/)

Are your employees clear about what you expect from their performance this year? I should be able to come in as a consultant, sit down one-on-one with any individual who reports to you and ask him or her, “What will constitute ‘fully satisfactory’ and ‘outstanding’ performance by you over the current year? Please describe it for me.” When I then meet with you and ask the same question about the individual, your answer and theirs should pretty well match.

In working with organizations large and small, I am repeatedly amazed at how few people really know what their priorities are and what performance standards their boss expects them to meet. As a result they assume certain standards or, more typically, they just keep working from day to day until at year-end they receive a surprise “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” in their performance review.

But why don’t more managers worldwide do this well? Why don’t they identify what they expect from their direct reports? Why do they leave such a vital item as expected results so fuzzy? I mean, What could be more important? Let me suggest a couple of reasons. See if these apply to you.

Sometimes the manager truly does not know. Maybe he (or ’she’ with this pronoun) has not received clear priorities and expected deliverables for his unit from his own boss. If this is true for you, then obviously you need to have that conversation with your boss about his expectations.

Often, the manager is unable to find the time to articulate performance expectations for each employee. Hey, managers are super busy today. They have more people reporting to them than ever before and they face immediate pressures, fires to fight, sixty-five e-mails to answer and just generally “doing more with less.”

But there is a number one reason they don’t communicate expectations. Let’s face it, it is hard mental work for any of us to decide what we truly want from our employees. We have to think of the various areas of each person’s job and determine what level of output is fair to expect and what standards we will measure it against. Besides, frequently we don’t know that much about a particular job. We may never have performed it ourselves.

Here is my advice. Take the time! Map it out. Have your employees themselves identify key result areas for their job and suggest the numerical indicators or observable behaviors to be reviewed during the year and at review time. This will enable your people to plan their activity, commit to results and self-monitor their progress towards goal achievement.

Communicating performance targets is not some extra task that keeps you from “the real work.” It is at the very core of being a professional leader/manager.

©Ian Cook, 2004

Fulcrum Associates, Inc. (http://www.888fulcrum.com/)