Real Help for Your Struggling Team…
“You can manage or coach individuals, but you have to lead a team.”
I have just returned from a fantastic two-day update on the Kolbe System™ in Phoenix. There were consultants there from across the globe, all gathered to receive an intensive update on the new Leadership Analytics tools which are ready for immediate use by leaders.
Why do we focus on leaders? They are the ones deciding now about which team members, or even entire teams, to lay off. They are the ones who are faced with sorting out the chaos caused by sudden, involuntary change in the structure of the organization. They are having to figure out what “rhyme or reason” to use when seeking to subtract x dollars from the budget.
The very first question to be addressed with leaders is, in fact, what their leadership style is. Some leaders do not really work interactively with teams that they supervise. They may be more “hands off” or one-to-one in their approach. The leader is able to reflect on that using a structured self-assessment. An action plan emerges from the results of that assessment.
The next question is: how interactive the team is in the way it strives toward goals. The word “team” is a popular one, and has been used to describe groups of individuals who have very little interaction in terms of relying on each other to complete tasks.
Basically, the more interactive the team, the more crucial is its balance of instinctive methods (which are measured by the Kolbe A, measuring the team’s
Real Culture; the Kolbe B, measuring the team’s Perceived Culture; and the Kolbe C, measuring the culture required by supervisors).
Factors affecting PRODUCTIVE
The most productive interactive teams have SYNERGY, which occurs when the instinctive methods in the team are naturally distributed in an ideal way. These teams get more done in less time; they achieve more with fewer people; they need fewer financial and other resources to reach their goals.
When there is too much of one type of instinctive method, you have “CLONING” in the team. The members in that team may get along with each other really well, but that does not pan out in their results—their productivity suffers. The team members enjoy being together, they feel validated that their approach is correct, and often do not feel the pain of the dysfunction.
When there is insufficient energy in a team in a certain instinctive method, you have a “MISSING METHOD” situation. This can have a profound impact on results.
There are a total of TWELVE METHODS of problem solving in the Kolbe System™. Even one missing method causes a void within the team’s efforts to problem solve. The net effect is a loss of momentum in the team’s productivity. The leader can’t resolve this void by use of technology, only by adding a vital human strength. This added person does NOT have to be a full-time employee; this also does NOT have to be a person who is a content expert in what the team is doing.
When a team has too much POLARIZED energy, and not enough energy in the mid-range, the team’s productivity suffers because there is ongoing conflict about the correct process for achieving a goal. These are NOT personality differences. These are natural conflicts that occur when there is a strong sense of shared purpose, and too few voices of compromise in the mix.
Factors Affecting EFFICIENCY
When a team has a lot of STRAIN, this means that the team members are experiencing self-induced stress. This stress is reflected by having significant differences in the team members’ natural instinctive talents and their perceptions of what is demanded by their jobs. This stress is analyzed by comparing the Kolbe A results with the Kolbe B results for the team.
When a team has a lot of TENSION, this means that the team members’ natural instinctive talents are significantly different than the ones their managers are expecting from them on the job. This stress is analyzed by comparing the Kolbe A results with the Kolbe C results for the team.
When strain and tension are low on a team, there are high levels of efficiency. Team members get more done in less time, and there is higher job satisfaction, less physical illness, higher levels of commitment, and better attitudes toward management.
These Leadership Analytics assessments are accompanied by a full range of powerful interventions, some of which can provide some instant relief for teams struggling with productivity or efficiency.
I would welcome any questions you may have, and I would also welcome the opportunity to consult with you and your team.
Content quoted from “2009 Kolbe Professional Growth Seminar” participant’s manual.
Thanks for reading ZigZag--
Pam
The Kolbe-A Index ™ is a powerful predictor of a team's success. Also of your personal success when given certain tasks to do. Whether a college student, mid-career, or about to retire, you will be freed by knowing your Kolbe M.O.
Call Dr. Pam to get a free phone consultation. She can be reached at 443-742-6038 or leave a voice mail at 410-995-0760.
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Dr Pam is a psychologist, therapist, and Kolbe™ coach. She can be reached at www.instinctivecoach.com
Her office is located in Elkridge, MD. Her phone number is 410-995-0760.
All content © Copyright 2009 - Dr. Pamela Armstrong. All rights reserved. |
