Can you handle a dynamic team?
We tend to throw adjectives around about the teams that we aspire to have in our organisations: high-performing or high value yet there is no single definition for each of these. For a team to be high performing (or valuable) it needs to be able to meet the needs of the organisation now and in the future. It needs to be dynamic!
Definition of dynamic (from the Oxford Dictionary)
- (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress: e.g. “a dynamic economy”
- (of a person) positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas: e.g. “a dynamic young advertising executive”
This would suggest that a dynamic team (no definition found) would be one that is constantly changing or progressing with a positive attitude full of energy and ideas. For this to happen the team needs to be focused on working together to achieve the same objectives. They need to have the basics of an effective team:
- Psychological safety
- Structure and clarity of roles and objectives
- Interdependence and good communication
- Accountability
But that does not make them dynamic. They may be very successful delivering to the mandate for today, but what about the flexibility to look forward and grow or pivot to meet the requirements of tomorrow?
The challenge is to form a diverse team of individuals who can work together effectively in the business-as-usual space, whilst having the ability to take a continuous learning approach. Learning from the past successes and failures, appreciating the value of both and looking for continuous performance improvement and growth. They create a dynamic space that is continuously evolving.
Being a manager or leader is challenging. As John Adair said way back in the 1950s in Action Centred Leadership, it is the balancing of the task that needs to be completed, the individual that needs to be developed and the team that needs to be built. This is still true today and the manager’s role is to facilitate the team members’ ability to get the job done. It is also to keep the future in mind so that the team is thinking beyond the present time to the future.
Bringing diversity into the team adds to the dynamic changing the status quo, reshuffling relationships, bringing the team back from a Performing stage (Tuckman Team Development Model) to Reforming and Storming. This can feel uncomfortable and disruptive to the easy running of the team and yet with it comes the benefit of new ideas, new energy and creativity. The more diverse the team the more perspectives and options will be opened up resulting in better problem solving and decision making.
Managers who are challenged by diversity will tend to keep recruiting similar individuals into their team, people they understand and who require less management. The long-term effect of this strategy is to limit the ability of the team to be innovative and can ultimately lead to the valuable skills that led to them being a high performing team leading them to becoming mediocre or even irrelevant to the organisation’s growth.
This highlights the importance of managers reviewing their skills and confidence in terms of recruiting and managing diverse skills and talents, nurturing and supporting the team members to work on their strengths and development while building a collaborative team.
Ask yourself are you a dynamic leader:
- How well do you handle change and uncertainty?
- What are you doing to develop yourself to stay relevant in the future world of work?
- Do you know what skills you require for the next two years in your team?
- How do you get your team to keep their eye on the future and on their own development?
As Chameleons we love reflecting and learning from the past, making choices in the present that will ensure a positive future. We encourage you to do the same and if you would like a partner on the journey for you and your team then please feel free to contact us here.