| In recent years in the business-world there has | | | | hierarchical system of management characterizes |
| been a lot written and said about team | | | | gang behavior. Gang members are highly territorial |
| development. Unfortunately, most of the people | | | | and defensive, thus creating aggression in |
| doing the majority of talking lack the psychological | | | | defending their perceived territory. In business, |
| background to accurately describe the conditions | | | | gang behavior frequently includes empire building |
| under which people choose to become a true | | | | where gang members attempt to exclude |
| team. | | | | "outside" resources by becoming totally self-reliant |
| In a large retail store it can be a challenge to build | | | | or self-sufficient. |
| an environment where all or most of the | | | | Committee (Task Force). In business, committees |
| employees feel they are part of a store team. | | | | are usually thought of in positive terms. Actually, |
| It's more common to find individual departments | | | | compared to interdependent teams, committees |
| that act as a team, rather than the entire store. | | | | are inefficient and ineffective. Due to the lack of |
| That's because as a general rule it's easier to build | | | | team cohesion and identity, traditional committees |
| a relatively small team of up to a dozen team | | | | frequently have problems focusing on their |
| members than it is a team with a hundred or | | | | purpose until they satisfy a strong need for |
| more members. | | | | organization, defining procedures, establishing |
| The developmental process of a group of people | | | | policies, and having a controlled leadership. Some |
| evolving into a cohesive interdependent team that | | | | committees invest most of their available time in |
| can direct itself to solve organizational problems | | | | these areas. This results in a lengthy process that |
| rarely happens spontaneously. A true team does | | | | is cumbersome and oftentimes fails to achieve |
| not happen by chance or accident, but requires | | | | superior results. |
| planning, an understanding of group dynamics, and | | | | Group. A "group" consists of people in a setting |
| most of all effective team leadership. Most people | | | | that lacks purpose, leadership, communication, and |
| in business today confuse ineffective groups, | | | | obviously results. The best examples of groups |
| committees and other adverse groupings as a | | | | are the people in an elevator or doctor's office. |
| true team. An adverse grouping is a situation | | | | They are there, but have superficial |
| where people come together, either by accident | | | | communication at best. In fact, if someone breaks |
| or on purpose, but function in some way other | | | | the rules of groups by attempting to lead or |
| than a true team. Once a person has been a | | | | force communication, other members of the |
| member of a true interdependent team, that | | | | group become uncomfortable and unwilling to |
| experience isn't soon forgotten. And that | | | | cooperate. If you doubt this, try asking someone |
| experience can sour the person in the future to | | | | in an elevator to join you in singing a song. The |
| serve on ineffective groups, and committees, | | | | person will likely repel at your comment, because |
| because the person now know what it feels like | | | | it's not acceptable group behavior. |
| to be a member of a real team. An | | | | If you are a student of human behavior you can |
| interdependent team is a highly unusual and unique | | | | probably see examples of these four types of |
| interpersonal experience there is probably no | | | | adverse reactions to human interaction in almost |
| other parallel in all of human experience. | | | | every aspect of life. When one department in a |
| The process of team development is neither | | | | store demonstrates gang behavior toward |
| complicated, nor impossible. Many new and | | | | another department, it can result in a very |
| previously inexperienced team leaders are able to | | | | unhealthy situation. There may be a sign placed on |
| build a team with proper training and coaching. | | | | a backroom door that says, "Research and |
| Being successful as a team leader requires only a | | | | Development Personnel Only." This would be |
| minimal knowledge of the process, but it does | | | | characteristic of people defining their territory |
| demand a willingness to try new techniques and | | | | demonstrating gang behavior. Obviously, any of |
| methods. For most new team leaders it means | | | | the four adverse reactions can be |
| stretching beyond what may feel natural or even | | | | counter-productive to smooth store operations. |
| comfortable. Whether you are experienced or | | | | Next month we'll look at the process a leader |
| inexperienced, old or young, it is possible for you | | | | takes to build a group of people into an |
| to become an effective team leader. | | | | interdependent team. We'll see, for example, the |
| Before we learn what an interdependent team is, | | | | benefits of team cohesion and team identity. Until |
| let's first understand what it isn't. There are four | | | | then, keep your eyes on the teams in your |
| typical negative or adverse reactions to the | | | | workplace and see how many of them might be |
| grouping of people in interpersonal relationships. | | | | mobs, gangs, committees, or groups. |
| This is true in both personal and professional | | | | If you would like more information on Team |
| relationships. These adverse reactions are | | | | Development, please contact one of our team |
| observable in behavioral terms and for simple | | | | members at (888)262-2499. You can also visit |
| clarification are called: mob, gang, committee and | | | | our website to learn more about our products, |
| group. | | | | services, and the multinational organizations we |
| Mob. Individualistic or selfish thinking can identify | | | | have served over the past three decades. |
| mob behavior. People displaying mob behavior are | | | | Reference this article to receive a 50% discount |
| tactical in that they think only for the moment | | | | on any of our books or 15% off your first |
| and have virtually no strategic or long-term | | | | scheduled training event. |
| planning. In mob behavior there is no leadership, | | | | Dr. Richard L. Williams is a retail consultant |
| which creates mob disorganization. When we think | | | | specializing in team development, performance |
| of street mobs, the first thing that comes to | | | | coaching, leadership development and |
| mind is violence, but actually violence is the | | | | organizational development. |
| product or outgrowth of disorganization, which | | | | Due to outstanding scholarship while a doctoral |
| happens because there is no effective leadership. | | | | candidate at Oxford University, Dr. Williams was |
| Gang. Although gang behavior sounds similar to | | | | honored with Knighthood. His formal title is, |
| mob behavior, it differs in almost every aspect. | | | | therefore, "Sir Doctor Williams. |
| Strong autocratic leadership along with a | | | | |