Thriving teams discuss culture
What is team culture? Culture is a set of norms (ways of behaving and communicating) that all members of the team consider acceptable. In a high-performing team, these norms are rewarded by all team members, consequently each individual feels they can be themselves. This motivates individuals and keeps the creative mind flowing. For that reason, team culture discussions also need to include what is shunned or not acceptable behaviour.
In project-based teams, team performance is often calculated according to whether or not the team finally achieved its task-related goal. Did they reach the deadline? Did the client say they were satisfied? Was the new product launched according to norms?
What constitutes team performance?
However, achieving the task-related goal is only one factor (1) of a high-performing team. According to the study below there are three factors that should be calculated each time:
- The team achieves measurable output of the task it has been assigned
- Team members ability to work together again in the future
- Satisfaction of team members’ individual needs and goals
If individuals leave the project feeling they have not achieved personal goals or that they were not motivated to be the best possible version of themselves, they will eventually leave the team or even the company and search for something else; maybe even head to the competitor.
HR then needs to invest in recruiting and training new personnel and the team members then need to learn to work together from scratch. This can be costly and time consuming for each new project, not to mention it can create a toxic team culture.
How does a thriving team discuss culture?
So how do you discuss team culture that allows for each individual to feel they are giving the most of themselves and also being respected, listened to and taken seriously?
- Start with understanding the personal communication preferences of each individual. Here are just a few examples:
- How do they deal with disagreement?
- How much information or detail do they need before being able to make a decision?
- How much trust and interaction do they need before being able to give honest feedback to one another?
- How do they deal with change? Do they thrive on risk and run head-first into a project and look at details along the way or do they need to plan the details before starting and even have a plan B and C for security?
2. Discuss how each of the individuals on the team might perceive these preferences
- Look at similarities and differences. Diversity creates strength on a team because you have less group-think.
3. Decide together on acceptable group conducts and norms to improve collaboration
4. Think about what to do when the team strays from that norm
Thriving teams discuss culture and create the team culture they want to be a part of.
What are your thoughts on what makes a high-performing team? What motivates you in teamwork?
1. Ursula Brinkmann and Oscar van Weerdenburg, Intercultural Readiness, Four competences for working across cultures, page 140
