Greetings!
Welcome to the July 2009 issue of ODC's Update newsletter. In it, you'll find two recent BizTimes articles titled, "Build a winner: What a team needs to succeed" and "Work together: The keys to a successful team". |
| Milwaukee BizTimes May 29 - June 11, 2009 |
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| Build a Winner
What a team needs to succeed
Question:
I'm part of a five-person executive leadership team (ELT). There's a lot of tension in our team. This rough patch we've encountered with the recession hasn't helped. We've had two CFO's come and go and it wouldn't surprise me if the one we have now is asked to leave. The president/ CEO is very demanding. Nothing is ever done the "right way." Lately, the message has been that people aren't "listening" to what she is saying. My take is they're listening, they're just not obeying her. Both the marketing and operations VP's are competent in terms of what they do, but they're not very supportive of the rest of the team. In my role as VP of HR, I'm caught in the middle. Some days my office is a revolving door as each one comes in to complain about one of the others. Despite some efforts to "talk it out," for every step we take forward as a team, it seems like we take two or three steps in reverse. The truth is we're not a team- we know it, and the rest of the company knows it. Please outline some suggestions before the wheels come off all the way.
Answer:
Given that the work I pursue in my consulting practice focuses on improving organizational, team or work area, and individual performance, I hope you are not surprised when I say that this is not an uncommon situation. Over the years, I have probably seen more leadership teams that operate like what you describe than ones where everything is running smoothly.
Click here to read more:
http://www.od-consultants.com/pdf/Build-A-Winner.pdf
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| Milwaukee BizTimes June 26 - July 9, 2009 |
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Work Together
The keys to a successful team
Question:
I saw your column on teams in the May 29 issue of BizTimes. While I appreciated what you wrote, my experience with teams hasn't been very positive. To be perfectly honest, I don't like teams. In college I hated classes when we had to do group projects. My group was always the one where a couple of people did nothing and still got the same grade I did. Unfair! At work, it's been more of the same. On projects, I carry some of the others while they loaf. No one calls them out. Very unfair! You say that teams are a good way to get the job done. I think that's only true when you have capable people who are committed to doing good work. I've never been part of a team like this. What do you say about this?
Answer:
Hold on! Before you thoroughly dismiss all teams, let me point out a couple of things. First, might your experience be biasing your perspective just a tad? Maybe you've just been unfortunate to find yourself in ineffective rather than effective teams.
Click here to read more:
http://www.od-consultants.com/pdf/Work-Together.pdf
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