Getting the Team Right

​Intuitively, it seems that an effective team would be one with a good balance of different personality types, and there is quite a bit of evidence that shows this to be the case. Probably the best known of the research is a series of studies by DJ Wilde at Stanford University, which showed that design teams deliberately made up of a diverse range of personality types were three times more likely to win awards than self-select teams. Belbin also has published research which highlights the complement to that - the ineffectiveness of teams with a lack of psychological diversity.  

In the real world however, teams are frequently skewed, with the predominance of personalities actually reflecting the type of the hirer (we do so appreciate our own qualities!). Although a bit of weighting in one direction is to be expected in specialist industries, this is not in fact a formula for a successful or an effective team.

Further to this, in the case where a diverse team has been selected, the reality is that the individuals do not find communication inherently easy. They need time or intervention to establish communication and work cooperatively. 

Foundational to ensuring a diverse team is effective, is for all team members to learn to appreciate the contributions of the others. Knowing that someone else can do something you can't, is a great basis for respect and this respect paves the way for choosing to hear the other. What we may consider to be an irritating behaviour associated with a personality difference, is easier to accept when you value the contribution that is the outcome of that different perspective.

Without this underlying respect, the individuals who are 'different' do not feel accepted, and spend a lot of mental energy in self-protection. Anyone who feels they need to defend their every move will not only be less productive, but will be less able (and less willing) to adapt their approach for the sake of someone else. So all of the communication training in the world will be wasted if the people in your team do not feel firstly accepted for who they are. It is within an environment of acceptance and respect, that people have the confidence to choose to step a bit outside themselves and see a different perspective or try another way.

So a productive team is one that is deliberately chosen for its diverse personalities, respected for their differences and taught to value each other and communicate effectively. You can email me HERE if you would like to discuss team building.

The Last Supper — Leonardo Da Vinci