How to Assess Your Team

 

Ben Kill, Chartered MCIPD

Assessing and developing critical skills within your team is essential for achieving high performance and ensuring continuous growth. In this text, we'll focus on two fundamental skills, communication and problem-solving, and provide some insights on how to evaluate and improve these skills for better team outcomes.

Effective communication is crucial in any high-performing team. This means you want every team member to be able to convey information clearly, both verbally and in writing. They should also excel at active listening, understanding, and validating others' points of view, and be able to adapt their communication styles to suit different audiences. If these behaviors are not being displayed, there are several ways to improve. You might practice summarizing others' points, which can enhance active listening skills, while online courses in public speaking and professional writing can improve overall communication abilities. Additionally, seeking feedback from peers on communication styles can provide valuable insights for improvement. Of course, the negative impact of not improving communication skills can be significant, leading to misunderstandings, errors, inefficiencies, and poor team morale.

Problem-solving is another essential skill for high-performing teams. Team members should be able to quickly identify issues and generate effective solutions, utilizing creative thinking to develop innovative solutions for even the most complex problems. They should also be able to analyze potential outcomes effectively to choose the best solutions. To improve their problem-solving skills, team members can participate in regular brainstorming sessions to foster creative thinking, or even engage in puzzles and games to sharpen their analytical skills. Finally, they should purposely seek diverse perspectives on problems so that they can broaden their approaches. Unfortunately, the consequences of not improving problem-solving skills include project delays, increased costs due to inefficient solutions, and reduced team effectiveness due to the growing number of unresolved issues.

Leaders should encourage team members to train and mentor each other in communication and problem-solving, and provide new opportunities and challenges to help them apply and further develop these skills. Additionally, managers should try to set clear objectives and create a structured development plan to ensure continuous skill enhancement. By focusing on these strategies, you can build a high-performing team that is motivated, engaged, and effective.

Continuing the assessment and development of critical skills within your team is essential for sustaining high performance and growth. In Part 2, we'll focuses on two additional fundamental skills: time management and leadership.

Effective time management is crucial for any high-performing team. Team members should be able to properly prioritize tasks by urgency and importance, thus ensuring that critical tasks are completed on time. Utilizing tools to manage time and stay organized is also key to maintaining productivity and meeting deadlines consistently without sacrificing quality. If these behaviors are not being displayed, team leaders can foster improvements by implementing new time management techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, using digital tools for tracking deadlines and tasks, and regularly adjusting priorities to respond to changing demands. Failing to foster good team management can lead to missed deadlines, poor productivity, and dependency on others due to poor workload management. Any leader can tell you that this can quickly alter team dynamics and cause a lot of unnecessary friction.

Leadership is another essential skill for high-performing teams. Effective leaders help inspire and motivate team members, fostering a positive and productive work environment. They also delegate tasks wisely, ensuring optimal workload distribution, and make decisions confidently. If these leadership behaviors are not being displayed, improvements can be made through mentorship from more experienced leaders, participating in leadership training programs, and seeking regular feedback from the team to refine leadership methods. Without good leadership, teams may suffer from a generalized lack of direction, leading to confusion, inefficiency, and poor decision-making, which can compromise project outcomes.

Whether you're the leader, a manager, or just team member, it's essential that you try to train and mentor one another in time management and leadership skills. You should also seek to provide new opportunities and challenges to help your teammates apply and further develop these skills.

Continuing the assessment and development of critical skills within your team is essential for sustaining high performance and growth. In Part 3, we'll take a closer look at two more fundamental skills: adaptability and teamwork.

Adaptability is crucial in today’s fast-paced work environment. Team members should be able to quickly adjust their approach in response to changing circumstances, embrace new technologies and processes readily, and maintain productivity and composure under stress. If these behaviors are not being displayed, leaders should try challenging team members with new and diverse projects, setting up cross-functional projects to gain experience with different perspectives, and offering feedback to help them understand new viewpoints. Failing to do so can lead to inflexibility that slows innovation and response to market changes, causes undue stress, and contributes to a sense of resistance to new ideas.

Teamwork is perhaps the most important and most obvious factor required for high-performing teams. Remember, just because people are working together, doesn't necessarily mean they are functioning as a team. Effective collaboration, open communication, and respect for diverse viewpoints are key components of strong teamwork. Each member should be able to contribute to group goals, help resolve conflicts amicably, and communicate openly. If these behaviors are not being displayed, it may be time to start engaging in team-building activities to strengthen bonds. It's also a good idea to try and instill empathy by having them consider others’ perspectives or create collaborative projects to improve team dynamics. If a team can't function as one, it can lead to project failures and missed goals.

Leveraging and supporting these critical skills is crucial for sustained success. Leaders should consider encouraging team members to train and mentor each other in both of these disciplines, and provide new opportunities and challenges to help them apply and further develop these skills. By focusing on these strategies, you can build a high-performing team that is motivated, engaged, and effective in achieving its goals.

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How to Have the Perfect Meeting

 

A study by Harvard Business Review revealed that 58% of our time is spent in meetings.

What-the-what?!

That is twice as much as the 1960s.

Today we are going to fix that by showing you:

‘The Perfect Meeting.' 

Personally, my favorite is no meetings.

But if you are going to have them - make them productive.

Let’s deep dive into how to do this!

1. Start on Time

   • What it is: Initiating meetings at the agreed-upon time.

   • Why it is important: Shows respect for participants' time and maintains meeting discipline.

   • Actionable Step 1: Send calendar invites with a clear start time.

   • Actionable Step 2: Begin the meeting at the exact time, regardless of latecomers.

2. Small Groups

   • What it is: Limiting the number of meeting attendees.

   • Why it is important: Facilitates more effective communication and decision-making.

   • Actionable Step 1: Apply the 'two pizza rule' – if two pizzas wouldn't feed the group, it's too large.

   • Actionable Step 2: Split large meetings into smaller, focused groups if necessary.

3. Defined Agenda

   • What it is: A clear outline of topics and objectives for the meeting.

   • Why it is important: Keeps the meeting structured and on-track.

   • Actionable Step 1: Distribute an agenda before the meeting with time allocations.

   • Actionable Step 2: Stick strictly to the agenda during the meeting to avoid overruns.

4. Leaders Go Last

   • What it is: Having leaders contribute their thoughts after others have spoken.

   • Why it is important: Encourages a variety of perspectives and avoids biasing the discussion.

   • Actionable Step 1: Establish a speaking order that allows others to speak before leaders.

   • Actionable Step 2: Leaders should actively listen and encourage others before giving their input.

5. Live Polls

   • What it is: Real-time voting or feedback collection during meetings.

   • Why it is important: Provides immediate engagement and expedites decisions.

   • Actionable Step 1: Use digital tools to set up polls prior to the meeting.

   • Actionable Step 2: Integrate poll results live into the meeting flow to guide discussions.

6. Stand-Up Format

   • What it is: Holding meetings where participants stand to encourage brevity.

   • Why it is important: Promotes quick updates and keeps meetings short and focused.

   • Actionable Step 1: Schedule regular stand-up meetings for quick updates.

   • Actionable Step 2: Enforce a time limit for each speaker to maintain pace.

7. Silent Brainstorming

   • What it is: Individuals write down ideas before sharing with the group.

   • Why it is important: Leads to a wider range of ideas and prevents anchoring on early suggestions.

   • Actionable Step 1: Allocate time for individual idea generation without discussion.

   • Actionable Step 2: Collect all ideas anonymously and discuss them as a group afterward.

8. Tech Check

   • What it is: Verifying that all necessary technology works before the meeting starts.

   • Why it is important: Avoids delays and maintains a professional atmosphere.

   • Actionable Step 1: Test all technology, including conference links and presentation tools, before the meeting.

   • Actionable Step 2: Have a backup plan for technological failures to prevent meeting disruption.

Adding 4 More Pro Tips!

1. No Interruptions

   • What it is: Respecting the speaker’s time and attention by avoiding distractions or disruptions.

   • Why it is important: It improves communication, builds rapport, and prevents misunderstandings.

   • Actionable Step 1: Turn off or mute any devices or notifications that could interrupt the meeting.

   • Actionable Step 2: Use a hand signal or a chat function to indicate when you want to speak or ask a question.

2. Action Items

   • What it is: Assigning specific tasks or deliverables to attendees with clear deadlines and expectations.

   • Why it is important: It ensures accountability, follow-up, and progress towards the meeting goals.

   • Actionable Step 1: Summarize the action items at the end of the meeting and confirm who is responsible for each one.

   • Actionable Step 2: Send out a written recap of the action items and deadlines to all attendees and stakeholders.

3. End Early

   • What it is: Finishing meetings before the scheduled time to allow for buffer or transition time.

   • Why it is important: It boosts morale, productivity, and efficiency by avoiding meeting fatigue or stress.

   • Actionable Step 1: Stick to the agenda and avoid going off-topic or over time.

   • Actionable Step 2: Schedule meetings with enough gaps between them to allow for breaks or other work.

4. Follow Up

   • What it is: Communicating with attendees after the meeting to provide feedback, updates, or support.

   • Why it is important: It reinforces the meeting outcomes, strengthens relationships, and monitors progress.

   • Actionable Step 1: Send out a thank-you note to all attendees and acknowledge their contributions.

   • Actionable Step 2: Check in regularly with the action item owners and offer assistance or guidance if needed.

Small Groups

My product team meetings had become sluggish and unproductive.

With over 20 members trying to contribute, discussions were unfocused, and decision-making was slow.

I noticed team members were feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, often multitasking during the meetings because they felt their voices weren't heard among the crowd.

I decided to restructure the meetings using the 'two pizza rule.'

We split the large team into smaller groups, each focused on specific areas of the product.

By creating an agenda for each small group and ensuring that no group was larger than what two pizzas could feed (about 6-8 people), each member's input became more valuable.

Decisions were made quicker, and the overall morale improved as everyone had a chance to be heard.

Leaders Go Last

At a company I was helping I repeatedly noticed during their meeting that once the senior manager shared their thoughts, the conversation became one-sided.

Subsequent contributions often echoed the leader's sentiments rather than presenting new ideas.

This pattern stifled innovation and made the less experienced team members hesitant to share their unique perspectives.

In the next meeting, I suggested a change in the format.

I asked the leaders to hold their comments until everyone else had the opportunity to speak.

This approach not only led to a richer diversity of ideas but also encouraged a culture of equality where every contribution was valued.

The leaders, going last, were able to provide feedback that was informed by a broader range of insights, fostering a more collaborative and innovative environment.

Here's how you can make it real over the next 4 days:

Day 1: Preparation

• Schedule a meeting for Day 4. Send out a clear agenda with a start and end time. Ensure there's a defined purpose and intended outcome.

  • ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I am preparing an agenda for a meeting regarding [insert topic]. Identify the top three goals we should aim to achieve from this meeting and outline a clear agenda that aligns with these goals.”

Day 2: Inclusivity

• Reach out to each intended participant individually. Encourage them to think about and note down any input or ideas they'd like to contribute.

  • ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I have a team meeting coming up with 6-8 attendees, and I need to ensure everyone's voice is heard, especially those who are usually quieter. Draft a participation plan that encourages equal opportunity for input and includes a method for quieter team members to contribute their ideas."

Day 3: Technology and Structure

• Do a tech check to ensure all systems and software needed for the meeting are working. Plan a structure that allows for a stand-up or brief update format.

  • ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "For my upcoming [insert meeting topic], I need to keep discussions focused and on schedule. Construct a set of facilitation guidelines that will help me manage time effectively, address off-topic discussions, and ensure the meeting adheres to the agenda."

Day 4: Execution and Follow-Up

• Conduct the meeting as planned.

• Start on time, encourage silent brainstorming, allow leaders to speak last, and use live polls if possible.

• After the meeting, send out a quick survey or poll for feedback.

  • ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "In our last meeting, several action items were identified but not clearly assigned. Write a follow-up plan that details each action item, assigns responsibility to specific team members, sets deadlines for completion, and schedules a check-in meeting to review progress."

As you work towards meeting mastery, remember the power of incremental change.

Keep aiming for those perfect meetings, and the results will speak for themselves!

When you have meetings - meet with intention, where every voice has the power to stir innovation and every moment is an opportunity to lead with impact.

Strive not for perfect conversations, but for conversations that perfect your work, your teams, and your visions.

Your next meeting could be the catalyst for change.

Make it count.

Until next week and with lots of love,

Justin

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