Ten Steps to Deploying Self-Directed Teams

How can teams be fielded to deliver both the advantages of small teams and the power of a larger organization? First, you must ensure that the individual, team and company goals are in alignment. This is critical for maximum harmony and productivity. Once that alignment is secure there is no limit to how much can be accomplished.

Here are ten suggested steps to maximize your company's productivity:

1. Determine the individuals' short- and long-term objectives. Talk about individual, team and company goals, where you want to be, and what you want to do in the next six months to three years. Next, discuss and contemplate where the individual and company want to be in five and ten years.

2. Confirm that these objectives are aligned with the team's, and ultimately, the company's objectives and values. Make sure that goals make everyone feel good about themselves.

3. Confirm the members' commitments of deliverables over a specific time period. Creating a time-line promotes accountability -- an important factor in keeping a team strong.

4. Determine how the individual will be evaluated. Agree on how they will be compensated. Agreeing upon a reward system keeps everyone's faith in the fairness of the agreement. Remember to celebrate when you reach milestones.

5. Team members hold themselves accountable to their goals and commitments. In this arrangement, it's not a matter of reward or punishment. It's a business agreement that helps support the team member and the company.

6. Give team members freedom to operate by minimizing the rules regarding how goals will be achieved. As long as you agree to proceed with honor and dignity, you can be as original as you like.

7. Agree that all team members will commit to gathering feedback for guidance. If this process starts with the CEO, the rest of the team members will find the process easier and more rewarding.

8. To accomplish this, companies must train team members to seek and accept feedback. Creating a culture of "no reprisals" and "no negativity" will help team members to feel safe and comfortable to say what's on their minds and in their hearts.

9. Provide a full-feedback environment for guidance. This allows the individual and the team the freedom to get the job done when, where and how they believe it needs to be; use their problem-solving and entrepreneurial instincts; draw on the brainpower of those not on their team, reap what they sow; and learn from their mistakes.

10. Solicit the team's input as to who is to be on their team. They may instinctively know who they can and cannot work with. Empowering teams in this way makes them stronger and inspires them to reach for new heights.

These ten steps properly introduced and maintained will help you create a business that is successful and full of energy. Your team members will enjoy their work experience and that will make your company one of the first choices for great talent.

About the Author: Joe Phelps is the founder of The Phelps Group, one of the nation's leading integrated marketing communications agencies located in Southern California. Phelps, who started his agency more than 20 years ago with one client, Fender Guitars, was named the "Entrepreneur Leader of the Year 2000" by the Los Angeles Advertising Association, is a Belding Award-winning writer and has been featured on the cover on Inc. magazine. At his agency, and prior to that at NW Ayer and Grey Advertising, Phelps managed multi-million dollar campaigns for many of America's and Japan's top companies. Phelps' revolutionary business model is used as a case study at numerous universities, including Northwestern, Colorado, Pepperdine and USC.For more information, please contact: Bahareh Ramin (310) 752-4400 x164 bahareh@thephelpsgroup.com

Article Source: http://www.marketingarticlelibrary.com

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated