Agile and robust team characteristics:
A New Era of Team Management Made Tougher
Navigating team management in today's digital age is a daunting task. With dispersed teams, flexible schedules, and extended geographical locations thrown into the mix, it's become essential for leaders to adapt and transform their approaches to lead their teams effectively.
Traditional office hours are now a thing of the past, and even before the pandemic, teams were trying out different strategies with employees scattered across various locations. However, the pandemic accelerated this trend, pushing organizations to switch to remote work overnight, and given the prolonged period of roughly 18 months, it's more of a daily routine for most workforces now.
While teams have an edge when it comes to taking on challenges, managing globally dispersed teams and keeping them motivated poses significant challenges.
In the book "Unbreakable: Building and Leading Resilient Teams" by Bradley Kirkman and Adam Stoverink, the authors discuss strategies for managing teams through setbacks that could potentially disrupt operations.
Teams, when faced with setbacks, have a crucial advantage – the collective energy of the team. This collective energy can help support any team member during trying times. However, for teams to work harmoniously, they need proper coordination, communication, and strong leadership to set directions, define outcomes, and maintain a clear timeline.
A successful team is a resilient team. The authors of "Unbreakable" outline four key qualities that resilient teams should cultivate:
1. Team Confidence
Confidence is vital for a resilient team. However, it's essential not to let overconfidence overshadow the team's success. Instead, strive for a balanced approach that offers a balance of confidence and caution. Transparent communication, empowerment, recognition of success, and offering support in difficult times can help develop this balance.
2. Foresight
Resilient teams need to be proactive. This involves creating a realistic roadmap, understanding the strengths and limitations of each team member, being able to perform other team members' roles during a crisis, and planning for the absence of team members by having backups ready.
3. Improvise
Teams should be flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances. This requires knowing who has the necessary skills to address specific problems and assembling diverse teams with a high level of capabilities.
4. Psychological Safety
Psychological safety is essential for a resilient team. This means creating an environment where team members feel safe to experiment, make mistakes, and share their observations without fear of judgment. Regular check-ins, discussions, and open communication can help maintain team morale.
Resilient teams can overcome most challenges and draw valuable lessons from their success. At the end of every project, it's essential to have a debriefing session to document successes and failures and how potential obstacles were resolved. This aids in improving team performance and fostering growth in future projects.
The Path to Building a Resilient Teamby Daniel Akst SnB 2023/03
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- The shift towards remote work in the scientific field necessitates an emphasis on workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness, ensuring employees maintain a balanced lifestyle while working from home within their home-and-garden surroundings.
- Prioritizing team confidence, foresight, improvisation, and psychological safety is crucial for resilient remote teams to navigate setbacks and collaborate effectively on challenging projects.
- To foster a resilient team culture in the era of remote work, leaders should encourage regular debriefing sessions to document successes and failures, offering valuable insights for continuous growth and improvement in team performance.
