Just as every individual is different, with different thoughts, emotions, ways of being, and quirks, so is every team. The character and culture of each and every work team will fluctuate as members change, as leaders change, and as the work environment changes. There is nothing static about your team. They are on their way somewhere, and your job is to pay attention and make sure they are going towards their next best place.
To do so, first you must understand where your team is today and what they want from you. To help you, I’ve written some letters from the types of teams I engage with most often. There are four types, and today starts this series with…
The Brand New Team
Dear Boss,
Oh wow! Here we are! We’re nervous but excited to be kicking off this new group. This could be one of those special teams that everyone hopes to be a part of at least once in their life. You know, the one that has a culture of respect and caring for each other, combined with an indefatigable drive to succeed. We really want this to be that team, and we want you to be the leader that makes us that team! We are going to be stressed out during this building phase, because there are always hiccups and glitches when things are in start-up mode. So here are our thoughts on what you can do to help us do well and stay sane.
To start with, please talk to us as grown up humans. Don’t keep information from us that you think we might not like or be ready for. We are trying really hard to get a handle on this new system and figure out what we are trying to do together. If you tell us something that isn’t in set in stone, and promise to keep us updated, and then do that, we will roll with the punches. If you believe in us enough to talk openly about everything that is going on as we get this team started, we will be open with you and with each other. We will solve our problems together. We won’t always agree with you or with each other, but we will be ok with that, because your respect and compassion for us makes us feel like we matter.
Second, we are all adults, but as a team we are young. We need attention and TLC. When one of us starts to act out, that is a sign to you that we need you to get in here with us and help us…like, stat. One team member who is always frustrated or domineering or mean or oppositional makes the rest of us feel uncomfortable and unsafe. It seems like they must know something that we don’t, and we will listen to them even when we don’t want to, just to make sure we aren’t missing something that management has missed. Everything is new right now, and we don’t always feel like we know what’s going on, so we are constantly looking for clues that give us more information to work with.
Also, please tell us what you want us to be. We aren’t our goal. Our goal is what we are going to work towards, but there are a lot of moments and meetings and small wins between here and there. What do you hope those look like? Do you promise to tell us when you see them? It would be great to know how you think things are going. Not just how far we are, but how we–as your team–are doing as we grow and mature.
Finally, we get it. You are the boss. You call the shots and make the final decisions. That’s cool. Some of us want to be in your position someday. Please don’t piss us off by treating us like we are fragile, stupid, or inhuman robots with no ideas of our own. We are excited to be here, and we hope you put each of us on this team for a reason. You are smart, but sometimes we will see interesting things that you don’t. Like how our customers and clients react when we talk about that third talking point, or how hard it is to work efficiently when we can’t access the information we need—and how we have learned to work around that. We are nervous about saying anything in meetings, but if you ask us directly, we will probably tell you. And if you have demonstrated that you care about us and want the team to be strong and successful, we will also help figure out the solutions to our own complaints. If not, you can assume we are talking about it with each other quietly, and you have just placed yourself out of the loop.
Ok, so that’s about it. Tell us the whole truth, keep a close eye on how we are acting and address it when someone gets weird. Tell us what you care about, and what you want us to be. Make the decisions, but get informed along the way by asking us questions about what’s working and not working, and give us the chance to help fix stuff that’s not quite right yet.
Thanks for listening boss! You are the best! We can’t wait to tell people how awesome this experience was!
Sincerely,
Your Team
Do you have a Brand New Team? Let me help you get things started on the right foot. We will focus on establishing roles and group norms, engaging the motivations of each team member, assigning the right tasks to the right person, and setting goals.
Next Up…The Stressed Team writes a letter you really, really, really need to read.
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