Leading Edge: Dynamic vs. Static Teams
It’s time to think about the creation and management of teams in a new way. It’s time to break the mold and think about how to create a new definition of what teams should look like.
It's ok for leaders to break from the norm
Leaders need to make tough calls when it comes to the creation of teams, and professional sports is littered with examples of where a coach created a losing situation by relying too heavily on players who had been stars in the past that failed them at the critical moment, or old plays that had just become, well, played out. Feeling uncomfortable breaking the mold and trying newer players or a different team structure, they failed by holding onto how things have always been done.
The fastest way to fail is to wilt clinging to the old “We’ve always done it this way.” The world of business has changed drastically, and the talent and formation needed to succeed in today’s workplace shouldn’t look the same. CHROs can’t cling to tradition while the world spins around them, or they’ll be marched out without anyone looking back. The dynamic market of business today requires leadership teams to be dynamic. HR needs to lead the charge to view the structure of teams differently to meet those needs in order to ensure the right team is in place for the right tasks.
Find the right talent
Team selection and assessment requires the same rigor as hiring decisions because essentially it’s the same process. The right talent in the right formation that is poised for success is the second part of the hiring equation. Put that super-talented person in the wrong place, and the team fails and turnover begins. Teams should be structured at the highest level and then assessed constantly to measure performance. Even the C-suite team might need to change in structure and title, particularly if you have a team that stretches across geographic borders. But selecting the right personalities and talents to work alongside each other in the right way is the difference between losing and winning the game of business. The winning side is usually the most innovative. Which side would you rather be on?
Rethink how to select, develop, and monitor team structure and performance
It’s time to rethink how to select, develop, and monitor team structure and performance. Consider them the core of sustainable business success, and feel free to break the mold to make this core as agile and responsive as possible. Experimenting with new, dynamic structures gives your company the best chance.
The next time you are looking to hire someone into your organization, make sure that you give as much attention to whether the individual has the skills for the position as you do to their ability to work in and be flexible in team structures. Ask yourself what team roles could this individual take on? What capabilities do they bring that could strength the current team structure, what examples can they provide of their ability to work in teams of different shapes and sizes.
Equally, if, you are about to embark on an interview, make sure you emphasis your ability and experience to work with diverse teams, it’s a must have capability in today’s world.
Bottom Line: Dynamic teams mean you’re poised for ultimate success. Best of all, nobody knows your playbook. You’ve got the competition on its toes. Keep them there.