How to boost team effectiveness
In the Western world, the emphasis on individualism and the competition for the top spot often begins in our school days and extends into the workplace. It's no surprise that individual leadership is frequently celebrated over collective efforts. However, leadership that is misaligned or self-serving can have a cascading negative effect, fostering disharmony throughout the organisation.
Achieving true teamwork is challenging at any level, but it's particularly critical—and difficult—for top teams. These teams bear the responsibility of addressing a company's most pressing issues, and without team collaboration, their effectiveness can be compromised.
Our founder Kazuo Inamori, said in the Kyocera Philosophy: “I credit our success to the fact that our operation is based on employees sharing the same aspirations and mindset, instead of the more common vertical relationship of power and authority.”
We speak a lot about teamwork at KDZA, and this emphasis helps us remain agile and responsive, but it never hurts to take an honest and humble look inward to ensure that our individual and team behaviours remain strong, effective and collective. A great example of this was the Springboks approach to winning - each individual plays a part in setting up to play to the strengths of their fellow players.
Harvard Business Review cites the following five traits of effective top teams:
Direction
Top teams are aligned on their overall direction and shared commitment toshort- and long-term priorities, both internally and in public. This is established through clear communication and active listening between team members.
Discipline
Lack of discipline in meetings, can result in misunderstanding and a lack of clarity around individual and team responsibility. Constructive meetings are essential to implement discipline and effective traits that help leaders make collective decisions and ensure that they have a clear understanding of their own and their colleagues roles.
Leadership
Effective leaders are open to change and promote consistently proactive and productive behaviour by collaborating to refine their team’s purpose, focus, collective behaviours, norms, and routines.
DriveDrive is the basis of success for top teams who use it to build resilience and stay motivated over challenging periods.
Dynamism
Dynamic teams see change as a positive by responding quickly to take advantage of opportunities and deal with challenges immediately before they become big problems.
By combining these traits we come to the essence of effective top teams, which is collaboration and effective communication. Collaboration gives everyone a voice and the opportunity to use their strengths. It also provides the accountability necessary to ensure that everyone sticks to their commitments and shares in our collective victories.
Our Springboks have got it right when they say “Stronger together”.
Michelle Frenzel - HR Manager - KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa
