WORKING FOR THE FUTURE (2): TRACKING TEAM PROGRESS
A good team is aware of the need to remain dynamic. Review progress regularly to maintain momentum, provide an overview, and ask team members, singly or in groups, to define specific aspects of the project that could be improved in the future.
Holding Team Reviews
Regular team reviews strengthen teamwork and provide impetus for further progress. They can be conducted by the entire team or by key team members. Use them to check team performance against team objectives and any valid comparisons – such as the results of competitors. Check work methods to see if they are still appropriate, and consider what the next stages of action need to be. If necessary, delegate the development of any necessary action plans to experienced people.
Highlighting Obstacles
As a team becomes established, every team activity can be seen as a distinct process. Tracking these processes almost always reveals ways in which time and money can be saved and quality improved. This is a valuable teamwork exercise, both for results and for the discussion involved in achieving them. For example, a team may draw up a flowchart showing how customer orders result in final delivery. Each activity and all decision points are marked on the diagram. If the flowchart reveals a bottleneck, the team draws a diagram of causes and effects, then resolves or improves the situation.
Action on Information
In addition to information from reviews and the team’s own analysis, a team may receive information from outside, such as a falling share of a particular market. In other cases, a team itself seeks new information – for example, customer reaction to proposed changes in its services. Some of this data-gathering is analytical: which activities generate what costs, which products make money. To remain dynamic, the team needs to use this information to change and improve. Encourage team members to look at the information and discard some activities, reduce some costs, raise some prices – and obtain better overall results.
TIPS
- Circulate all relevant facts and figures before team reviews.
- Never make personal attacks on individuals during reviews.
- Remember that relationships will change over time.
- Avoid the trap of minimizing or ignoring bad news.
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