Understanding What Makes Your Team Tick

Variety, the so-called “spice of life,” can be challenging at work when team members have dramatically different work styles (don’t laugh; it’s a thing!). Building a successful business starts with building productive teams; but, as the saying goes, “the devil is in the details.”

This fascinating topic is the subject of an article in this month’s edition of Harvard Business Review (HBR) by two Deloitte executives: Suzanne Johnson Vickberg and Kim Christfort.  They describe their research and practical experience working with companies by identifying and understanding the four basic personality types:

Pioneers – “value possibilities, and they spark energy and imagination on their teams. They believe risks are worth taking and that it’s fine to go with your gut. Their focus is big picture. They’re drawn to bold new ideas and creative approaches.”

Guardians –  “value stability, and they bring order and rigor. They’re pragmatic, and they hesitate to embrace risk. Data and facts are baseline requirements for them, and details matter. Guardians think it makes sense to learn from the past.”

Drivers – “value challenge and generate momentum. Getting results and winning count most. Drivers tend to view issues as black-and-white and tackle problems head on, armed with logic and data.”

Integrators – “value connection and draw teams together. Relationships and responsibility to the group are paramount. Integrators tend to believe most things are relative. They’re diplomatic and focused on gaining consensus.”

Sound like anyone you know at your company? Most likely, you’ve got a mix of all of these personality types (if not, you’ve got a big problem!) and that’s a good thing – assuming you know how to manage the differences in how people approach their work.

If you’re a CEO, or someone in a senior leadership position, it’s highly likely you’re a driver or pioneer. Don’t let that blind you to the value integrators and guardians bring to the workplace. “All work styles types have something important to offer. But they can cause conflict among team members,” note the authors.

Their advice to managing teams with a variety of work styles include:

  • Pulling opposites closer to foster productive friction
  • Seek input from people with nondominant styles
  • Pay attention to sensitive introverts (they just might surprise you!)

The limits of a single blog post won’t allow me to share all the great examples and detailed information about how to put this advice into action, but you can read it for yourself in the March-April edition of HBR (also available online to subscribers).

It’s worth looking up the article for these details and a handy one-page “Profiles at a Glance” guide. It’s similar to the “cheat sheets” we use at Intertech to understand and respect the work and communication styles of our leadership team. Making an effort to understand how we’re wired has made a big difference in our ability to function as a productive management group. Viva la difference!

standardMarch 28Tom SalonekLeadership

How Smart Strategy Can Move your Business Ahead (Part 2)

The-100-Title-OnlyThe second in a series of two posts

Last time I shared how values are a key part of any company’s competitive strategy. This series of posts is inspired by my new book, “The 100: Building Blocks for Business Leadership.” Today I’ll delve deeper into the role of values as a strategic tool for building a strong team and giving your company a competitive advantage in the process.

After your company has clearly identified the values that set it apart from competitors, you should begin articulating your values internally on a regular basis. Don’t be like Ole in the old Ole and Lena joke:

Lena: “Why don’t you ever tell me that you love me Ole?”

Ole: “I told you I love you the day we got married. If it changes I’ll let you know.”

To be authentic, people and companies need to articulate what they care about early and often. At Intertech, we have devised the following value statements, which are posted on signs and regularly included in our employee newsletter:

Attitude: Each day we choose our attitude. Attitude is contagious. For others to be positive, excited and inspired we must be so.

Commitment: As a team, we deliver. We demand more of ourselves than others could ask.

Excellence: We’re committed to providing a world-class customer experience that results in world-class customer satisfaction.

Words are important. Words in action are powerful. So find ways to make the words describing your values mean something tangible, then sit back and be amazed. That’s what happened at Intertech when we created the ACE program. ACE is an acronym for our values and it’s how we make our values comes alive every day. The program encourages team members to nominate fellow team members who are “caught” living one of our core values.

ACE nominations are included in our weekly newsletter. Four times a year, we host company-wide meetings in which employees who either nominated someone or were nominated themselves, have the chance to win gift cards through drawings.

Once a year we host the ACE awards (sort of like the Academy Awards but without the tuxedos, champagne or George Clooney!). ACE award categories include: Top ACE, top ACE nominator, and top Rookie ACE (the newest employee who received the most ACE nominations).

It might sound silly to outsiders, but being called an “ACE” at Intertech means a lot to our people. The results: increased camaraderie, satisfied customers, revenues that consistently exceed expectations and very low employee turnover.

There are countless ways to recognize and reward employees who embody your company values. Doing this, with the full support of senior management, will communicate volumes to employees about the importance of company values while helping keep them alive as a powerful force within your organization.

Next time: Strategy and Goals: You can’t have one with the other!

standardOctober 18Tom SalonekLeadership