10 Goals and Practices for Leading Teams: No 2. Appreciate team dynamics - and use them to team better

Introduction

Understanding team dynamics means shifting from “me” to “we” - and that includes the leader. It’s not “me and the team” - inferring a separation. It’s “we as a team” - and that goes for everyone. What makes “us” is what teaming is about. Two fundamental dynamics direct teams unwittingly - what makes "us" similar and what makes "us" different to each other. Some teams bond around a common goal (similarity) and can do so because members all provide complementary skills (difference). Other teams bond around a common set of skills and practices (similarity), yet work with different people (difference). Both types of teams occur naturally and can be found in any organisation. The question is, are you making the most of these natural team dynamics, or are you forcing your team to conform with a specific model? 

The Goal

To harness the natural dynamics of the team and team better, together. Are your team members together because they depend on each other’s work or do they rarely interact because they work with people outside the team? What similarities and differences do you see? Are you recognising what’s really going on or are you only noticing what isn’t happening? 

The Practice

Consider your team purpose and how value is created for stakeholders - this will shape your subsequent practice. If value is provided as a combined output of the whole team - ie a goal they have achieved together - then develop your team’s interdependency. Use meetings to coordinate activity, or review working arrangements. On the other hand if stakeholders receive value via the practice of one member at a time, then develop your team through learning together. Start with asking them to share their successes, encouraging them to be open about their work. When you feel they are ready to be stretched, invite them to share their mistakes or near misses. Discussions around this are hugely valuable and deepen relationships and strengthen skills, techniques and their shared identity. 

Links to the other nine Goals and Practices for Leading Teams:

No 1. Be clearer on the team's purpose

No 2. Appreciate team dynamics - and use them to team better

No 3. Let's ditch SMART objectives and replace them with OKRs

No 4. Empathise with our stakeholders - more, with skill

No 5. Don't motivate your team - create the conditions for them to motivate themselves

No 6. Make performance a team game

No 7. Agree on how to disagree

No 8. Don't delegate, or empower - coach

No 9. Let the team engage with uncertainty

No 10. Learn to self-manage - together