High performance
teams
Dr. Jeff D Borden
It’s Not Much
Making Sense of…
You’ll Answer…
• What is conflict to you?
• How open are you and how does that impact
a team?
• What story / stories define your team culture?
• What is your favorite team metaphor?
• What is your role in a team?
1: Teams Matter
Harvard Assessment Seminars
Social Learning Matters
• 1990: 55% of science majors stayed majors
• 2000: 63% of science majors stayed majors
Teams / Collaboration
From Perry Mason…
To teams of experts
From Dr. Kildare…
To teams of professionals
From Lone Professor…
To Lone Professor…
Students Hate…
•
•
•
•
•
•
Math (especially Calculus)
Speech Comm
History
Literature
And…
Group Work!
Calculation
Calculation
Calculation
Fill in the blank:
• I’m not a _______ person.
Calculation  Capacity
Capacity
What is the greatest
compliment you can give a
learner?
Capacity
Students CAN Learn To Master Groups
2: Teams =
Individuals
Understanding the Individual
Differentiation: “By definition,
differentiation is wary of
approaches to teaching and
learning that standardize.
Standard-issue [students] are
rare, and educational
approaches that ignore
academic diversity in favor of
standardization are likely to be
counterproductive in reaching
the full range of learners.” –
Tomlinson (2006)
Miscellaneous…
• Finish the sentence - "Conflict is ______“
What’s Your Preferred Team Metaphor?
Organizational Narrative
What’s Your Story?
J. Dilley
3: Roles &
Development
The Ten Faces of Innovation
Group Role Types
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Leader
Initiator/Contributor
Information Gatherer /
Recorder / Scribe
Gatekeeper/Expediter
Follower / Listener
Initiator / Contributor
Information Seeker
Information Giver
Procedural Technician
Evaluator/Critic
Opinion Seeker
Opinion Giver
Elaborator
Coordinator
Orientor
Energizer
Encourager
Harmonizer
Compromiser
Observer/Commentator
Positive
Negative
Task
Based
Roles
Social
Based
Roles
Aggressor
Blocker
Recognition Seeker
Self-confessor
Disrupter/Playboy or
Playgirl
Dominator
Help Seeker
Special Interest Pleader
Team Development
Brainstorming
• Berkun’s Laws:
– Nothing matters if the room is filled with morons
or strangers (or both).
– Brainstorming is designed for idea volume, not
depth or quality.
– The person leading an idea generation session
matters.
– Debate during or after brainstorming…but debate!
Team Size: Optimal Size? (4-10)
4: "We're well-balanced in our team and good at achieving agreement."
5: One of us tends to be the odd one out."
6: "It takes longer to reach agreement, but we get there in the end."
7: “Too many random contributions seem to float about."
8: "People speak freely but no one listens."
9: “It would help if someone would take control."
10: "We now have a leader, but their ideas are the only ones with a chance
of acceptance."
Team Structures
Pick A Card…
All Cards Are ODD
All Cards Are BLACK
Team Situations
Structure
Best For…
Chain
Speed for complex problem
Wheel
Least Communication Needed
Y
Least # of Errors
Circle / All-Channel
Most Social Satisfaction
Wheel
Final product does not need
improvement
Y
Best for complex tasks
Wheel / Y
Most task satisfaction
TELL
DO
SHOW
SHOW
DO
TELL
REVIEW
REVIEW
ASK
ASK
4: Framing
Types of Work
Frameworks…
1. Think of the best, highest performing team you have ever been involved
with.
A. What was it?
B. What made it great?
2. Think of the worst, lowest performing team you have ever been involved
with.
A. What was it?
3. Think of a team you are currently in / managing.
A. Who is on the team?
B. Is the team successful? Why or why not?
4. 10 What + 7 How Parameters:
Characteristics of High Performance Teams
•Purpose:
•Proud of membership
•Invested in accomplishing goals
•Priorities:
•What
•Who
•When
•Roles:
•Know skills
•Know limitations
•Authority:
•Decision-making lines are understood
•Conflict:
•Dealt with openly
•Considered important
Conflict Management
Characteristics of High Performance Teams
•Personal traits:
•Members feel appreciated
•Members are well utilized
•Norms:
•Processes are set
•Processes are standard
•Effectiveness:
•Team meetings are efficient
•Team meetings are productive
•Team meetings are desired
Running An Effective Meeting
1. Define the purpose
2. Set expectations of all stakeholders
3. Set an agenda
4. Prepare appropriate stakeholders, speakers, etc.
ahead of time
5. Setup the room
6. Use visual aids
7. Start / End ON TIME
Characteristics of High Performance Teams
•Personal traits:
•Members feel appreciated
•Members are well utilized
•Norms:
•Processes are set
•Processes are standard
•Effectiveness:
•Team meetings are efficient
•Team meetings are productive
•Team meetings are desired
•Success:
•Members know outcomes
•Glory is shared equally
•Training:
•Members accept feedback
•Members readily update skills training
Guidelines for Effective Team Membership
•Contribute:
•Ideas, Problems, Solutions
•Recognize:
•Differences, Ideas, Contributions
•Listen:
•Actively
•Ask:
•Open Communication
•Participate:
•Honor commitments
•Flexibility:
•Strive for the "win-win"
•Enjoy:
•Empathize, Share, Care
5: Measurement
Social Interaction
Collaboration Graphs
MeTL
MeTL: Semantic Analysis
Project Management
Crowd Sourcing
•
•
•
•
•
www.edistorm.com
www.betterme.com
www.crocodoc.com
www.thinkfold.com
The Mixxer
History Pin (Creative Assessment)
Prove You Can Apply It…
e-vangelists vs C.A.V.E. People
Thank You!
jborden@jeffpresents.com
• @bordenj
• http://jeffpresents.com
• http://insights.wired.com/profile/DrJeffBorden#axzz2UZ4cxP1R
• http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/blog /
• http://pearsonlearningsolutions.com/blog/?s=jeff+borden&x=1066&y=-133 /
• To see the Short-Film “School of Thought” that Jeff wrote and
produced: http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/sot