Five Men in a Tub
A team out to master the seas
acrylic painting 42” by 54” $ 750.

Mastery Part II – The Team
Last week I discussed what makes individuals willing to work extremely hard to achieve mastery. We explored why some people are driven set goals for virtuosity. There is a second type of mastery, however, one that goes beyond individual skills and relies on team effort. An orchestra, for instance, will sound chaotic if the players do not work together to achieve one coordinated aim. Successful businesses bring people together to balance their skills. So, you individualists, this is a reminder that even geniuses like Einstein do not work alone.

As a young woman I used to hang out in a place in Michigan called Synergy. The founder, Bob, believed that communicating with others in a relaxed environment would create synergistic results more profound than the sum of the individual contributions. Japanese businesses act similarly when they conclude their day in bars, giving workers freedom to express their opinions and ideas. The managers not only get a rich variety of work related grievances and suggestions, but increase staff bonding, a prerequisite for strong teamwork.

Numerous studies conducted in medical and mental related health fields show advantages to participating in group rather than private practice. Not only is a joint practice convenient, but it provides economies of scale in dealing with management, marketing, negotiating, and shared risk-taking. And since access to peer consultation is easy, the client also benefits.

What makes a team flourish, and why would anyone be willing to give up control for the benefit of a group? Those joining a dance company or orchestra do so realizing the advantages of following a choreographer or conductor. Actors submit themselves to a director anticipating that the team will excel as a creative unit. Surgery is conducted by a group of surgeons and nurses assembled for their individual skills. In each of these cases we are talking about professionals who have achieved mastery in their respective fields and have acknowledged the need for being part of a team.

But what happens to those working for minimum wage? Can a manager orchestrate an uneducated, unmotivated staff to want to achieve mastery? When asking these questions I think about a fast food restaurant I visited on a recent trip to Seattle. I noticed that it was particularly clean. Customers were treated with smiles and efficient service demonstrating good management. Pleasant treatment by service providers made me feel welcome and ready to return the next time I traveled north.

How do managers bring about this state of excellence? Disney Institute has become masterful at nurturing such a culture. Though stressing service, they also promote happiness and fun. At McDonalds’ Hamburger University trainees focus on management skills and employee recognition. They also stress that minimum wage jobs are the first step to career advancement so that no one feels to be in a dead end situation.

Paired with operational acumen these facilities indoctrinate trainees in the values of the organization. Their goal is to inspire employees to work for a higher cause than just a paycheck. Building a “family” mentality is part of the indoctrination. Since most people are communal and enjoy the company of others, jokes and laughter go a long way towards reducing workplace stress. Joy and pride are infectious and create and an atmosphere that encourages relaxed attention to jobs. The most effective boards I served on were those where the trustees liked each other and gathered socially and for business dealings.

Jobs at any level change from drudgery to enjoyment when worker needs are are taken into account. The good leader engages in designing a growth path with each employee. A manager who understands worker motivations can assist the employee find meaning in the job. Scholarship opportunities, management training programs, letters of reference, recognition, acknowledgment of value by listening, picnics, after-work sport teams are additional methods used to build team loyalty. Companies like Nike and Google go to the extreme to create campuses that promote “ family” values. Exercise areas, child care, restaurants, tasteful art and a variety of down-time locations make work an enjoyable place to build friendships. Staying long hours at work is not so bad when you think of it as a social/job commitment.

Women engaged in quilting circles know that busy hands and friendly conversation help pass the day. The Amish participating in barn raisings and other communal activities benefit from work party camaraderie. Building relationships of trust and friendship rather than fear or power is the first step needed to establish a close team.

This message was brought home by accident one year when Chinese businessmen, visited my home to discuss plans for a joint venture. While we were sharing a cup of tea I happened to point to an orchid I had been given me as a gift. I mentioned that it was an amazing plant because it had never stopped blooming over the year. One of my guests immediately started to grin and told me that I had been caring for an artificial plant. “Hadn’t I felt the petals?” he asked. I said that I had not because I was afraid of getting brown spots on the leaves. At this response everyone had a good laugh over the incident. From that moment on, every time I visited them in Hong Kong, the first question I was teased with was, “How is you orchid doing?” My naïvety was fortuitous, because it showed my vulnerability, indicated that I was willing to acknowledge my mistake and could take a ribbing as well. I instantly became more than just a business acquaintance and was on my way to establishing a bond that led to years of lucrative contracts.

Team building as an art is done well by those who enjoy the quirkiness of human nature. A successful manager involves employees in establishing the standards of performance they are expected to abide by. At my catalog company our mission and values statements was discussed several times a year. It was not unusual for the document to be amended and re-signed by all present. By including new staff in the conversation they understood that their presence made a difference. Each addition to our team changed the group’s dynamic and adjustments often needed to be made.

There were times I worked with people who were not team players yet were valuable to our organization. When this occurred, special accommodations had to be made. At times staff became jealous of the privileges given to these mavericks. It took skill to help them accept idiosyncratic behavior much as they would for a disabled person. In one situation the employee had a public persona that brought prestige to our organization. In another case, an anti-social individual happened to be highly creative when working by himself. Every person initiates a unique challenge.

Team builders are dreamers who are flexible course-correctors, and they are problem solvers who understand when and how to push. At Job Corps I watched an instructor propel children with tough love. He skillfully defined the roles and responsibilities for each student, then provided praise when warranted and dealt out push-ups and loss of privileges for misbehavior. He was a good communicator and active in providing honest feedback with two-way opportunities for exchange. Students were encouraged to work as a team and were expected to help one another. His methods worked well, for he had more youth graduating from his classes than any other instructor at the center.

Lastly and most important, success has to be celebrated. It is common to think that just doing a job and getting paid for it is enough. It is not. Instead, step back periodically and reflect on why things went well. In my catalog company we had annual wrap-up sessions to discuss the state of affairs, and then honored our successes with group outings to celebrate a year of hard work.

Just as with your own family, share the happy times, the birthdays and anniversaries, and don’t just be there for the funerals. Whether in a work environment or at home it is good to remember that we only have so many years to live, so why not make them pleasant?

Art Work is always for sale: contact me at marilynne@eichingerfine.com  or go to my web site eichingerfineart.com for more information.

It is wonderful hearing from my readers. Please fee free to comment.

References:

http://www.apapracticecentral.org/business/management/group-advantage.aspx – Group vs. individual practice.

http://mitsloanexperts.mit.edu/changing-a-companys-dna-to-inspire-teamwork/ about how to inspire people to work together.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2012/10/01/6-ways-successful-teams-are-built-to-last/ – creating a successful team.