Team Projects: So What Happens When It's Over?

Ever wonder why we think we are too busy to sit together after a project is done and review how it went?

I know I too often am already overwhelmed by the next project on my plate to give much thought to what has been completed. I'm starting to gather what is needed to notch the next success for my team. What's done is done, why waste time thinking about it?

STOP! Think about that for a minute. There are a lot of valuable lessons hidden back there now that the completed project is behind us. There are teaching points and training opportunities. There are successes and there are areas where we need to fess up about not doing what we said we'd do when we said we'd do it.

I spent 21 years in the Air Force--after each flying mission aircrews do what is called a debriefing. Teams need to do the same thing. Together, with the sense of position removed and only with those who participated in the task. There is a lot to learn and go over.

It is not as easy as sitting together and saying: "OK so how'd it go?" But that is a good start. Before the session, every member of the team needs to review the project from their point of view and have a good understanding of their contribution and their tasks.

Team members need to be self critical. But definitely not suicidal. It all has to do with the outcome--if the team outcome was overall successful, then remember that. If the overall outcome was less than successful, then there will be a lot of items to discuss.

Team members need to be honest. They know where the fell short of the mark.

Limit the time. Don't let this drag on into a "pity party" session. The leader should go first and definitely start with self-criticism. "I should have been clearer in specifying the format for the deliverable up front rather than saying, 'I'll know it when I see it,'" for example.

Why do this? Well it will help the junior members of the team learn that everyone makes mistakes as well as being successful. It is a training ground for the future leaders of the team.

As failures are noted, if they are major shortcomings, do an exploration for the root cause. Why did the team come up short. We may know why we failed--we made a bad decision, but what caused the bad decision or failure to consider some external factor. That is the teaching point.

The only way this works is if everyone checks their emotional baggage at the door. And, what is said in the room, stays in the room. It should not show up on performance appraisals or in water cooler discussions. The review of the activity needs to be a safe zone—or nothing will be gained. Everyone needs to come clean.

The leader needs to maintain order--one person at a time talking. And--it is OK to write down the larger items for the future such as best practices that worked and processes which need improving corporately.

This type of process is really applicable to every team endeavor including sports, musical bands, and organizational process teams. Groups with a performance activity involved, like a band, actually can have some very concrete data to review on the character of their performance. Recordings from the activity. Organizational teams can review process charts and the products as the basis for their review.

I do personal debriefings in my life--for successes and failures. It drives my wife crazy because I go over what happened (sometimes multiple times which is too many), what was the situation, what were the external influences, how did I react, how should I have reacted, what did I do and what should I have done. I do this after I play racquetball, after I do a project like working on my Jaguar, or a home improvement--good or bad, or serve as a leader for a conference or a performance oriented group. I do it after a poor interaction with someone. My personal debriefing gives me a basis for modifying my behavior. I also look for outside information (like form my wife) as to how my perceptions were askew from reality. I will even do a debrief if, for instance, I leave home without locking the door. I try to recreate the situation and my actions to determine where I should have acted and what external influence distracted me so that I did not act.

Leaders, take time. Schedule time. Make your teams go over the task just completed so they can learn from it and apply those teaching points to future projects. The apparent resource investment will more than pay for itself in future productivity and team morale.

I Walked out of the Club This Morning, and

it was beautiful. I had just finished playing a match of racquetball and I noticed that day had broken, it was about 6:30 AM. The sky was bright. And I was filled with a sense of hope for the day.

I've been driving my Jaguar, even though I really don't want to, because my truck needs a new engine due to an oil pump failure. I like my Jag, but I did not buy it to be an every day car. Though it is fun to drive, I really want to turn it into a show car. And it has Historic plates on it, which the garage says is OK to drive since it is not an everyday car, but my everyday car is laid up.

I get to play racquetball three times this week at 5:30 AM--and I really like starting my day that way. What a great way to use my time and to get the energy level up for the day.

Do I win or lose and does it matter? Not really. Of course I'd lie if I said I didn't like winning--but I used to play a guy who I almost never beat--and my game improved dramatically over the four years we played so that by the end I was winning about a third of our matches. Now, I'm in a league and playing one guy fairly regularly. I can't remember a time when I was in as good shape as I'm in now.

So, I walked out of the club this morning with the earth alive and birds singing. It made me happy. Joy of living and life.

Team Competition: Playing in the Sandbox

Leaders! Come on now. Remember kindergarten. What good comes from throwing sand into other's eyes? Yeah, I know--we feel good for a couple of seconds, but then we usually get called upon to clean up the mess. So why make the mess in the first place?

In the world of team dynamics there is always going to come a time when teams or organizations come into conflict or competition. Competition can be a good thing for the larger organization. Conflict is probably not a good thing. It all comes down to how the leaders handle the situation.

There is of course good competition between teams. But, where it gets bad is when the competition becomes destructive--either in the relationships between the teams or in the overall outcome. Competition on teams can also be a good thing and help people strive for excellence--but again, leaders must be careful to encourage healthy competition.

So as a leader--how do we play together nicely in the sand box while encouraging competition?

Most important, ensure that the nothing gets personal. No personal attacks on people. Everything must be held to the inanimate object, impersonal level. Once things get personal, that is when the sand is beginning to leave the sandbox.

Keep the competition focused on the objective. It is easy to devolve into scrapping for smaller goals and nonsense items, but if the competition remains focused on the organizational goal--then everyone on the team should feel empowered to contribute. If, for instance, the competition on the team becomes focused on the presentation--then other members of the team will become disenfranchised and potentially reduce the significant contributions in their areas of expertise.

Insulate the team, as much as possible, from outside influences which will seek to distract them. Sometimes, bringing in outside influences only increases stress while not serving to improve performance. Leaders must know their team well enough to encourage them and not demotivate or unnecessarily stress them--which usually results in sub-par performance.

Leaders should also identify the external factors and people/teams which are potential trouble spots and attempt to keep them from throwing sand into the eyes of their team.

The sandbox of organization in which teams play can be very small. Leaders should protect their teams and not throw sand at other teams which will engender retribution. The ability to meet organizational goals should be the standard of success, not the broken bodies and sand-filled eyes of the competitors.

St Michaels Food and Wine Weekend - 2008

Food and wine weekend. What a fantastic idea. A get away to a bed and breakfast coupled with some great food and wine. Wow. We have been having a lot of fun sampling wines and talking to distributors.

The weather on Friday and Saturday was absolutely delightful. Today, it is a bit cooler and gray. But we have been lucky to be able to attend all three days of the festival.

The festival is great. We were there with friends. One of the highlights has been the B&B: Wade's Point Inn. A beautiful place right on the bay. I highly recommend it if you are planning a weekend get away. We enjoyed two fabulous nights at the Inn.

Dinner last night was at 208 Talbot. A very high end dinner which was nicely done. Although a bit more than just a night out dinner, it was worth the price to be reminded about classic and gourmet prepared dishes.

We have been having fun. I am just amazed at what I learned about wines and soils and growing conditions. And how to begin to identify different types of wines and then where in the world the grapes were grown. I found a new appreciation for Pinot Noir form Oregon. I was not a huge fan of Pinot Noir before the weekend, but I found the Oregon Pinot Noir very appealing. I especially was impressed with the Willamette Valley Vinyards and highly recommend their Pinot Noir.

We had a great time and I am already looking forward to next year.

Communication Part 2 - It Makes the Team a Team!

Communication happens on many levels. Formal and informal. Verbal and non-verbal. Successful leaders recognize the many forms of communication and the various channels. They are adept at using them to benefit the entire team.

Communication is what makes organizations work. The effectiveness of communication (or the lack of it) can be found everywhere in an organization and within a team. It ultimately is the leaders responsibility to ensure communication happens. The leader must be adept at using both formal and informal means to ensure the message is getting out and must also ensure that what is being communication in both types of systems is similar.

I've written before about secrets and how they can destroy an organization.The corollary to that is ensuring that the messages that are being sent are accurately portrayed and ensure that they are accurately received. Allowing the communication to be misinterpreted will have a similar result--it allows for the disintegration of the organization. And it will only cause problems later.

Leaders are the key to communication. They must develop a "transparent" approach to activities and ensure that the team is aware of developments and activities. And this doesn't just mean email. Communication is a process that requires the use of multiple transmission modes: verbal and non-verbal. And then there are the formal and informal means. Consider the difference to be the difference between a newspaper and a blog. Both get the news out--but each will have it's own spin on the truth. Good leaders know what is being said on the "grape-vine."

Here is a danger. something big is up and the team knows it. But, then nothing is heard formally. This is when the informal communications network takes over. In an information void rumors and speculation abound. And morale can plummet Openness is the key. Transparency. Leaders must bring as much to their team about what is happening as possible.

Another aspect of communication regards the day-to-day operations of the team. Keep them open. Constant communication will help a team come together. Years ago there was a management philosophy called: "Management by walking around." I like that concept. Don't just talk about work when you walk around. Go deeper into communications and find about about people's lives. What makes them tick. Why they are who they are. Find opportunities to catch people in the middle of doing good work. And praise them. In front of others. Let them know you saw what they were doing and appreciate it. Communicate your approval. Give them a high five!

Learn about communication. Develop your leadership skills and one of the key tools is communication. Try it! Communication is a unifying force when used properly.

Jax is Getting Big

Jax is doing great and I thought it was time to update everyone on his miraculous progress. He is growing and is now over 10 lbs in weight. He came home from the hospital at just over 7 lbs. He is very alert and is just a joy to be around.

He is picking his head up and looking around trying to be part of this really big world. Of course his big brother Ethan, who always reminds me that that is my little brother, baby Jax; needs to be part of the action.

It is just so rewarding and exciting to watch him develop and grow after such a traumatic start. Keep praying that Jax continues to grow and is strong and healthy. Thank you to all of you for your continued prayers.

Organizational Whitespace

The pastor at the church I am attending has been teaching about whitespace. While the actual concept of whitespace is a printing and graphic design term, it has application in life and for teams. He has been teaching that whitespace is necessary in everyone's lives and that Jesus, himself, saw the need for whitespace in order to stay in touch with God and what was important. There are many verses in the gospels which relate how Jesus withdrew to eat, or pray, or be alone with the disciples.

What is whitespace? It is the area of our lives we haven't filled up with meetings, or dinners, or some other preplanned activity (like driving the kids to and from practice).

Whitespace is the area where creativity and reflection can occur. It is the unplanned portion of our time and it is the time where people can reflect on their direction and their strategies. People, he maintains, need whitespace to decompress and to help order their lives. In terms of capacity and load whitespace is what is left over after the load of our lives is subtracted from our capacity. If the our load equals our capacity--then there are problems because there is no whitespace.

I have experienced this in my own life. I feel that lack of whitespace contributes to burnout. It may also contribute a sense of being out of control and a victim of what is occurring around rather than participating in life as the individual desires. When I run out of whitespace, I don't sleep well, I can't think well and my actual capacity for accomplishing things diminishes. The funny part of it all is that I don't believe I'm actually fully maxed out on my capacity when this happens. But over the course of a few weeks, it becomes apparent that there is not enough whitespace in my life. We, as people, can function at max capacity for a time--but not for an extended time.

As leaders, we must be aware that our teams and organizations can suffer from lack of whitespace, too. Organizations or teams where the pace is frenetic are prime candidates. Or where the team members are constantly moving from meeting to meeting and then dutifully creating meeting minutes or correspondence are another example of an organization in need of whitespace.

What are the symptoms of loss of whitespace for an organization or team? I think there are a few that can be listed as sort of a list of symptoms to look for:

1. Innovation decreases or stops all together

2. The organization or team becomes stagnant

3. Team member morale declines

4. Social networks begin to collapse

5. The team does less outside work together--parties, get togethers

6. Simple tasks become monumental endeavors

What can leaders do to create transforming whitespace for teams? Of course first, recognize that whitespace is valuable and (this sounds funny) plan for downtime to create the whitespace.

1. Create situations where the team is together just to talk and vent with no ulterior motive. This could be an extended lunch outside the office or it could be a morning coffee break.

2. Assist the team members in devoting part of their day, say 20-30 minutes (about 5 percent of an average work day) as unscheduled time. Let them surf the net if they want to.

3. Ramp up slowly in the morning as the day begins and encourage exchange of ideas and niceties.

4. Get the team away from their desks for meals--or at least ensure they are reading the paper or surfing the web if they remain at their desks.

5. As the team gathers for projects allow some time to get off task and digress--do not be quick to keep everyone focused. Great ideas are born out of free association.

Whitespace is a new concept for me--but as I learn more about it, I see how valuable it is. The applications to teams and organizations are just as valuable as to our personal lives. I used to think that unplanned time was wasted time--but now I am beginning to believe that unplanned time is the most valuable time. It is the time where I am most creative and it should be the time which is most productive for teams as well.

Backyard Friends

We love to feed the birds in our backyard. We have three feeders for three different kinds of seed: Safflower, sunflower, and thistle seed. We get a variety of birds at the feeders throughout the year and we also enjoy the spring and autumn transients the nuthatches, the junco's and the like. But we really enjoy the regulars--the cardinals, the jays and the tufted titmouse along with an assortment of finches who change color with the seasons.

Spring has brought a great bounty of birds this year and we can barely keep the feeders full. Additionally this year has brought a new friend to watch--Rocky, a gray squirrel (who is really a female). She will take peanuts directly from the hand and is very comfortable with people--a trait which I am sure will be her undoing at some point.

Consistency

Leaders need to be consistent in thought and direction. This is different from the concept of minimizing dissonance. Leaders need to set an organizational objective that enables the team to implement strategies and develop the tactics to achieve the objective.

I was once part of a team which had a pretty well defined objective. The strategy though was not so well defined and the tactics shifted weekly. As a result, the team under performed. It went through the motions of establishing itself, but the leader of the team kept changing the strategic direction which kept the team members from achieving their potential. It seemed that every time the leader went to a conference, class, or seminar--everything had to change. I agree things had to change but one strategic direction was never adopted for long enough to give the team a chance to develop the tactics necessary to make the strategy successful and then to achieve the objective.

Leaders are driven people. They are inherently successful and want to be successful. I know I like to be on the cutting edge of my profession. But the downside is that if, as leaders, the direction of the organization or our leadership style is constantly changing, the team cannot adapt and learn how to be successful. Worse, if the objective or strategy is constantly changing, the organization cannot succeed.

So what is consistency? Does that mean we can never change or alter our organizational course? No, of course not. Leaders need to carefully consider that every change comes at a cost. At a minimum the cost is lost momentum as the organization shifts to another objective. Organizations undergoing change become inward looking--focusing on internal mechanisms and operations. Successful organizations remain outwardly focused--keenly aware of the changing external environment and the competition. Successful teams adapt to the changing environment because their strategy already incorporates the ability to change to meet external stresses. A major reorganization and redefinition of the strategic goals should not be necessary every time a new external obstacle/threat appears.

Some leaders work well with organizational chaos, but for the most part long-term chaos is not healthy for people or organizations. Boundaries need to be set, goals determined and the approached fairly well planned. In military speak--the objective is identified, the strategy defined, and the tactics to implement the strategy are developed in response to the external forces which impede progress towards meeting the objective.

I attend leadership conferences and seminars to improve my skills and tool set. It is critical that leaders continue to improve their skills. The danger is that, based upon attendance at a conference or seminar, the leader will return and "change everything." While the leader may see a need to do this, the incorporation of change needs to be carefully considered and orchestrated. It must be communicated and if the change can be incorporated within the existing structure--so much the better. People expect product improvement and organizational improvement--these at least should be values that the organization is built upon. So small changes and incorporation of new procedures and ideas should be the norm. But if, as in the case of some leaders, the desire to change everything occurs after attendance at every seminar or class--then the problem is much larger and is probably related to feelings of inadequacy or inferiority that the leader has regarding the task or the organization or the situation.

Consistency is the ability to, when all of the chaos is happening, keep the organization's focus on the objective. Use the existing strategies to adapt and succeed. Consistency allows a leader to incorporate improvements and enhancements within the existing framework and not have it appear as a shift of focus from the existing objectives and strategies. The leader who lacks consistency is always chasing the next fad or invention and clearly is behind. The consistent leader is ahead of the fad and can rapidly incorporate ideas without giving the team a sense of emergency or panic.

E is 3

Ethan is Three and having multiple parties to enjoy the achievement. Party One with his friends was yesterday at Chuck E Cheese. There were 12 or 13 of his closest in age friends there to celebrate the moment. It was grand, noisy, fun, and generally high energy. Chuck E Cheese made a personal appearance in the mayhem and was impressive.

The gang was there and it was a very enjoyable time. For my own part, I had forgotten how high energy these affairs can be. But all of the parents of the other children stayed and so there was a lot of good adult conversation as well. Chuck E Cheese provides a reasonably safe environment for kids to play and enjoy these types of affairs in. I was impressed with the security system for matching children to parents. It was good to see that they are concerned about the safety of children--after all, their business is all about catering to the young part of life.

A definite good time was had by all and especially Pop-pop!