You can dramatically increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your teams, committees and task forces by implementing one simple idea.
You wouldn’t start to assemble your child’s new bicycle without reading the instructions thoroughly would you? Okay, bad example. You wouldn’t start to cook some exotic dish without first being sure you have everything you need. You don’t start your daily jog without first stretching or warming up in some way. You wouldn’t set out on a long driving holiday with the family without getting the car checked out.
So why do we launch our various teams, committees or whatever without some kind of preparation?
Chances are it has happened a thousand times at your work, probably even to you.
A committee is set up and its first meeting scheduled. There are nine people from various departments involved. One of the Vice Presidents is serving as Chairperson. After a 30 second welcome and some muttering about there being no coffee, the group is right into whatever hot issue is concerning them.
No orientation. No discussion of expectations and purpose. Nothing. Just right into the deep end of the pool. The result is aimless floundering disguised by lots of talk and tabled decisions. Often you'll experience the same discussion over and over again.
Here is the idea that will save your teams and committees countless hours of frustrating and fruitless time. In one word, the secret is – PREPARATION!
To that end, here's a few simple suggestions:
1. First, take a careful look at the team’s membership. For example, you may have the departments most impacted by the issue represented. But who, specifically, is representing those perspectives? The most common decision is to have managers serve on the committee. Nothing particularly wrong with that, but give serious consideration to having non-mangers involved instead.
Non-managers will often have a more intimate knowledge of the issue because they serve on the front line. They will likely approach team/committee responsibility with more enthusiasm than managers who are usually ‘over-committeed’. And serving in this way is an excellent experience for developing management and leadership skills. It’s one way for your organization to build bench-strength. If you frame it right, serving on a committee can become part of your recognition and reward program.
2. Make the first meeting an orientation meeting – not one in which you try to solve problems or accomplish tasks.
If the team’s usual meeting lasts one hour, this first meeting should be three hours. Make the orientation meeting three times as long as a regular meeting.
3. In this orientation meeting, the team should discuss and come to a common understanding about the following matters:
• What is the PURPOSE of this team? I’m not talking about its
agenda or even its scope. I’m talking about the ultimate legacy of this
team. What good would never happen if this team ceased to exist?
• How does each member see this purpose and the various issues contained
in that purpose? Why it is important to the group they represent?
• What, if anything, is likely to undermine the efforts of this team (lack
of senior support, turf wars, funding, etc.)?
• What would make this meeting something members really looked forward
to?
• How will this team actually make decisions? Will they work to consensus?
Is it by majority? Is it what the Chairperson decides?
• What is the team to do if tension arises or if some impasse is encountered?
• What expectations do the members have of each other – including
their expectations of the Chairperson?
• How will the team know it has been successful and how will they celebrate
that success?
It is very important that the Chairperson not let the group get into the actual ‘work’ of the team. Keep this initial meeting as an orientation! This is a difficult restraint, but it will pay off many times over. When you take the time to establish an effective and efficient process aimed at a clearly defined purpose, the solutions come quicker and the implementation of them more effective.
Did you know that the word "teamwork" did not come into common English usage until 1886? That makes it a relatively new concept. Etymologically the word "team" means "to pull." It makes sense then, that leaders improve team performance by pulling rather than by pushing. And to pull one has to be a step ahead.