The Team Diagnostic Checklist
-
Identifying Structural Problems in Teams
Introduction:
The Team Diagnostic Checklist is a simple
tool for reviewing team design, briefing,
coaching and feedback. It helps you to identify
some of the key issues that can undermine
team performance and therefore contribute
to team stress.
While there are many possible causes of
team stress (some of which will not be covered
by this tool), using this technique will
help you to identify some of the key problems
that can arise.
This tool is useful as an early action
in solving problems that are creating stress
within a team. As you will see, the checklist
provides a framework with which the team
can discuss problems without the discussion
becoming unpleasant and personal.
Using the Tool:
To use the tool, work through the checklist
in the table below. For each question, think
carefully about the answer.
As you work through the checklist, you
may identify shortcomings in the team’s
structure. Where you do, take what actions
you can to resolve the situation. Where
you cannot resolve the situation, think
about what the consequences might be, and
manage stakeholder expectations appropriately.
Remember to be pragmatic in the way you
do this. Circumstances will rarely allow
for the creation of a perfect team. However,
by understanding the issues you may face,
you can work around problems in a practical
way, without issues becoming personal and
unpleasant.
Team Diagnostic Checklist
| Question |
Answer |
Observations |
Team Design:
Is this a team task – i.e. is
the product of the team greater than
the sum of the product of all individuals?
|
|
Some types of work are best done by
individuals. This is particularly the
case where individual tasks are small.
In these cases, coordinated teamwork
may reduce efficiency. If so, consider
using a non-team-based approach. |
| How many people are on
the team? |
|
While it varies depending on circumstances,
the most efficient team size is usually
around 5 people. Much larger teams lose
efficiency, and become vulnerable to
“free-riding”. For groups
of more than 5, you may want to consider
splitting into sub-teams. |
| Do you have the right technical skills
to achieve the team’s goals? |
|
This is of grave importance,
and should be sorted out immediately
if the necessary technical skills are
not available. |
| Are people similar in
background, or do they come from a range
of different backgrounds, and have a
range of different skills? |
|
Teams with a breadth of experience
tend to develop more creative and flexible
approaches to work than those from a
similar background. Often this results
in delivery of a better product. Bring
different relevant experience into you
team where possible and practical. |
| Do all team members have
the social skills needed to work together
well? |
|
People work better together when they
have good social skills and are used
to working in teams. People with poor
social skills, or with little team experience,
may need coaching to help them become
effective team members. |
| Does the team have access
to the resources it needs to do its
job? |
|
For example, does the team have
enough skilled members? Is it properly
financed? Does it have the time it
needs to do the job? Does it have
access to the help it needs from elsewhere
in the organization?
While people rarely have all the
resources they need, serious resource
shortfalls can cause extreme stress.
If resources are seriously short,
the team needs to make all stakeholders
aware of this as soon as possible,
and either negotiate for the needed
resources, or agree to reduce the
specification of the product (for
example, by gaining more time to deliver
the team product). |
| How are rewards and bonuses
allocated to team members? In particular,
do they reward individual behavior at
the expense of the team? |
|
Poorly aligned rewards can sabotage
team performance. If rewards are not
well aligned, it may be appropriate
to see if you can change the way this
is handled so that rewards are given
for good teamwork. |
| Is it in the interests
of each team member to act as part of
the team? |
|
People tend to want to work on a team
when they perceive that the benefits
to them exceed the costs. Benefits may
be direct (e.g. financial or career-progression-related),
or may be emotional (for example, having
good learning opportunities or warm
relationships with co-workers). Similarly,
costs may be direct or emotional. For
instance, a bad team atmosphere will
reduce the cohesiveness of a team. |
Team Briefing:
Do you clearly understand what your
client wants to have delivered? Do you
understand specifications, requirements,
volumes and quality? Do you understand
the positive meaning of the work? |
|
All teams have clients, whether internal
or external. To perform successfully,
the team must meet, or exceed, the client’s
requirements. Make sure that you fully
understand these. |
| Does the specification
of work leave the team enough freedom
to use your expertise to add real value? |
|
By the end of the project, you should
have more expertise in this specific
problem than your client. It may be
appropriate to explain to your client
that you may be able to deliver a better
product if some aspects of the specification
are relaxed. |
| Do you know what checkpoints
the client will be using, and when he
or she expects delivery? |
|
Particularly if the work you are doing
is important, the client will be anxious
that it is completed on time, and of
high quality. Involve the client as
early and as often as practically possible.
This will help to keep the client “on
board” with the project and help
him or her better manage any problems
you experience. However, you may also
need to explain that excessive involvement
will slow delivery (because it takes
people away from the job). The key is
to find the right balance. |
Do the requirements and the timetable
seem realistic? |
|
If these seem unrealistic, then do
the detailed work that proves or disproves
this. If it is unrealistic, then you
need to work out how you can manage
this, and communicate potential problems
to project stakeholders as early as
possible. |
| Do you understand the
resources you have available? Are they
available when you need them? Are they
sufficient to achieve the team’s
goal? |
|
If the resources you need to do the
job are not available when you need
them, then this will cause problems.
Make sure that you book resources early,
and escalate resource issues as soon
as possible. |
| Do you understand clearly
what you have the power to do, and what
you do not have the power to do? |
|
Manage your boundaries carefully and
sensitively. It is too easy either to
spark a turf war if you exceed your
powers, or not to use all of the options
you have open to you. |
Coaching:
Can you call on project sponsors when
you need them? Can you ask the advice
of people who have successfully done
similar things? Do you have access to
the education or training you need?
Do you have coaching available from
people who can help you think through
team problems? |
|
Good, accessible, regular coaching
can often make the difference between
success and failure for a team. Find
appropriate mentors who can give you
advice and help where you need it. |
Feedback:
Do you have feedback mechanisms in place
with your client whereby you can see
how successful you are on a regular
basis? |
|
If you do not get feedback, you cannot
know whether you are doing a good job.
You also do not have the ability to
correct your approach to work if this
is not delivering the results you need.
Make sure that appropriate feedback
and review mechanisms are in place with
your client. |
Tip:
Many of the problems of inadequate
team briefings can be avoided if the
person setting the team up agrees
a “Team Charter” with
the team members. The Team Charter
explicitly documents team aims, powers,
resources, performance measures and
so on, so that the team is clear on
these points from the very start.
A good example of a team charter
is available at:
http://www.npd-solutions.com/charter.html
|
Summary:
The Team Diagnostic Checklist is a simple
tool for identifying the structural problems
that may undermine a team, or cause relationship
problems within it. By identifying and managing
these problems, you can reduce team stress.
Where you experience significant team stress,
making use of this tool is one of the first
things that you should do. By using the
tool, you avoid taking precipitous actions
that deal with symptoms of the problem rather
than the underlying causes. This serves
to avoid unnecessary damage that may be
done to important working relationships.
To use the tool, work through the checklist
in the table above, answering questions
appropriately. Where potential problems
are highlighted, take action appropriately.
The next
article helps you resolve issues amicably...
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