How Do You Measure A Year?

The Broadway show “Rent” has a lyric,” Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes, how do you measure a year?

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: a list by Patrick Lencioni:

• Absence of Trust — unwilling to be vulnerable within the group
• Fear of Conflict — seeking artificial harmony over constructive passionate debate
• Lack of Commitment — feigning buy-in for group decisions creates ambiguity throughout the organization
• Avoidance of Accountability — ducking the responsibility to call peers on counterproductive behavior sets low standards
• Inattention to Results — focusing on personal success, status and ego before team success

These are The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team. No organization is perfect, each of us has flaws and failures that make us human. Some of these imperfections transcend individual traits or behaviors, they hurt the team. There is an individual responsibility to make the Team better. It’s part of everyone’s job. Email exchanges that express, ”I’m too busy” do not address or solve the problem. Lack of respect, impatience for Individual workers or leaders-are equally concerning.

Would you trade talent for teamwork?
Many times in business we use sport stories or analogies. Consider the question posed a number of NFL coaches, “Would you trade talent for teamwork?” The resounding answer is yes.  Team work begins and ends with first getting close to the mirror. Can I do more? Is there a better way to handle this situation? How would I react if I got this email? It all starts with me.

We all need to acknowledge that we are the Culture. We create it; we permit it and are responsible to each other for our Culture. Each of us needs to own a portion of this “Five hundred twenty-five thousand six-hundred minutes” and continue to make it great!

There are three essential elements to a successful culture: context, processes, and people. The context is crucial: Constant improvement must be part of everyone’s job description. We must have relationship of mutual trust and respect. An absence of trust or fear of conflict will not permit improvement. Trust – understanding it is OK to disagree – openly air concerns and issues make us improve. That energizes everyone!

Processes are required. Problem solving tools need to be employed and everyone needs to know that’s how we improve! Getting or opening an NCR for your Team is something to celebrate. An opportunity to improve! An opportunity to make us better, to make a customer say WOW! Those guys get it! People make up the culture. People, who understand it’s their job to improve, make the Team better.

People who know that doing the time is not enough; that part of their day, every day is to make this a better place to be. People who openly discuss their concerns or issues up not down. They engage and are vested in our collective success. Great cultures have great people. Being accountable for issues and setting higher standards- that’s part of the job description. Attention to results another key. Recently the HBR had an article on how Toyota continues to be a leader. Toyota has the three crucial elements in their culture. The authors suggest it is not easy to have a culture that understand context, process and people.

Will you dedicate a portion of the next Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes, working on your culture – starting at the mirror?