A635.7.3.RB - INSEAD Reflection

For this week’s reflection blog, I viewed the video INSEAD video on Self-Managed Work Teams and was asked to answer the following questions:
What do you see as some of the major benefits and drawbacks of self-managed teams?
Would you like to work within such a team?
What competencies would you need to develop to be an effective external manager of a self-managed work team?

Traditional companies are structured based on specialty (function) and hierarchy (rank). However, there has been an evolution from traditional hierarchical organizations to self-managed teams. Brown (2011) defined self-managing groups as “an autonomous group whose members decide to handle their task” (p. 349). In the self-managed teams, traditional management levels have been removed, flattening the organization’s hierarchy. Employees, at all levels, now have increased responsibility and greater control over how they perform their job. Self-managing teams require members that are highly skilled and knowledgeable (Brown, 2011). The external manager needs these competencies along with good interpersonal skills.

Self-managing teams can use internal motivation and competition to develop their skills. There is no hierarchy, titles or promotions; colleagues are recognized by competency. Self-managing teams are more effective and competent, they have greater satisfaction and sense of vision and there is a strong partnership between team members and management (Brown, 2011).

Along with the advantages of self-managed teams, there could also be drawbacks In the video (2013) they mention that in “some ways it's a bit of a paradox how do you lead teams to lead themselves”. Also, Brown (2011) suggests that some drawbacks associated with using these teams include: the task, people, and context may not require a self-managed work team, managers and leaders do not understand their roles, self-managed teams may lack proper training, and organizations lacking rewards for performance can create problems.

I would like to work in a self-managed team. As an aircraft Production Superintendent, I can see some similarities to this work-team. I am in an office with about 10 other Senior Non-Commissioned Officers who are all highly skilled and motivated. I would venture to guess that is why we were chosen for this position. Pro Supers have to make quick decisions about aircraft status and must manage, control and direct resources effectively to accomplish the mission (AFI 21-101, 2015). My job requires me to, as Obolensky states, get on and inform supervision in a routine way such as during turn-over and daily production meetings (2014). Production Superintendents manage the aircraft and personnel on a daily basis and figure out the best course of action in hazardous and sometimes emergency situations (i.e. an in-flight emergency landing). We know what needs to be done to accomplish the mission and we get it done effectively and safely. 

AFI 21-101. (2015, May 21). Washington, D.C.: Dept. of the Air Force. Retrieved March 18, 2018, from http://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a4/publication/afi21-101/afi21-101.pdfBrown, D. R. (2011). An Experimental Approach to Organizational Development (8 ed.). Upper Saddle River, Pearson Education, Inc.

INSEAD. (2008, September 22). Self-managing teams: debunking the leadership paradox. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=GBnR00qgGgM 
Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex adaptive leadership (2nd ed..). London, UK: Gower/Ashgate

A635.6.3.RB - EcoSeagate

For this week’s reflection blog, I viewed the video of EcoSeagate and after reviewing the application located in page 274 of the textbook was asked to answer the following questions:
Do you see value in the EcoSeagate team development process?
Why would something like this be necessary in a high-performing organization?

Could your organization benefit from a similar activity?

I do see value in the EcoSeagate team development process. It seems that they had a very volatile and unstable work environment. When the new CEO came in, he could either do nothing and things would continue to deteriorate or he could change the culture. He chose to implement EcoSeagate and change the culture.  I believe that team building, trust building, and overall department building activities are very important activities and necessary for high performance organizations. If individuals can learn to trust one another enough to pull each other up the sides of mountains or through river rapids then discussing the plans for next year's finances or developing the next product should be no problem.

I believe that any organization could benefit from something like this. Part of Air Force Basic training involves trust exercises and other activities involving communication, commitment and accountability. The Air Force also does a good job of holding training and resilience days, now incorporating different activities that encourage trust exercises, though nothing to the Eco Seagate level. Performing theses exercise helps build, teamwork, trust and can increase morale as well. In the military, especially in front-line career fields, trust is critical to survival and success. 

Even when I’m in a smaller team it always feels good to get away and have a team lunch off-site. You get to talk to your peers about something other than work which helps you know them on a deeper level. We go back to work, after just an hour, feeling closer and having made a couple new memories. A development process like EcoSeagate would be even more important because it encompasses several levels of employees away from their place of work, thrown into challenging situations where they have to learn to trust and rely on each other to complete tasks.

Brown, D. R. (2011). An Experimental Approach to Organizational Development (8 ed.). Upper Saddle River, Pearson Education, Inc.

Chao, M. (2008). Eco Seagate 2008 1/3. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCOfOFMiLtE

Chao, M. (2008). Eco Seagate 2008 2/3. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etwuap-_Azk

A635.5.3.RB - Video Debrief of Team MA

For this task, I was asked to watch the video of Steve Jobs brainstorming with his NeXT team. After watching the video and reviewing my Management Assessment results I believe I would fit well within the culture of the NeXT startup team. I am goal-oriented and have the desire to change the world much like Steve Jobs and the NeXT team members.

Steve Jobs and NeXT team were determined to get their new product launched within 18 months. They set their goal and were highly motivated by the challenge and desire to reach that goal. Throughout the video you can sense of passion and commitment throughout the team. In fact, the narrator mentions that some of the members had left Apple to follow Jobs in this new venture because they really care about higher educational process and making a difference in the way the learning experience happens (2012). Their goal was to transform the learning process. Similarly, my Management Analysis profile showed that I am highly motivated by challenges and have a strong desire to meet and exceed my goals. For example, throughout high school and college I set out to learn as much as I could and achieve good grades. I have many awards and accolades proving that I have very much exceeded that goal. Also, when coming into the Air Force I was told repeatedly that I 'was not good enough' and was even medically disqualified twice before joining. However, I did not let the stop me. I fought and overcame. This internal drive carried on throughout my career as my first duty station I was assigned as the first and only female in a aircraft maintenance section and male-dominated career field. I was told 'you can't do it', which just motivated even more to prove others wrong and overcome the challenges. Jobs was so passionate about his vision that he committed $7M of own money to overcome the limited budget and achieve his goal (2012).

While Steve Jobs was a builder and motivator, he was also focused (2012). I believe that was pivotal to his success. In fact, Jobs states that you must have a keeper and reiterator of the vision. He goes on to say he believes his team was concentrating on too much smaller battles – not focusing on war, the “big picture” called survival (Jobs, 2012). The video states that he would continuously focus the lens of his vision on his priorities (2012). This continued focus would keep the NeXT teams' feet on the ground and motivated while achieving their ambitious goals.

When people know they make a difference, they find it easier to be motivated and satisfied with their job" (Stark, 2018). Steve Jobs made a difference, he was a true leader. People confuse power, fame and wealth with leadership ability. Authentic leaders are looking to make a difference. Once we shift our thinking and understand what a true leader is, we will see that they are all around us making differences every day. I would like to think that I am making a difference. Although I am goal-oriented at work and home, I am also motivated to solve problems and create change. Steve Jobs and his NeXT team planted the seeds of a new corporate culture that was built from the heart and it all started with just an idea (2012). This video renewed my desire to make a difference while reminding me that it is possible to change the world. "That’s an incredible feeling; that you can plant something in the world and it will grow and change the world" (Jobs, 2012).

Brown, D. R. (2011). An Experimental Approach to Organizational Development (8 ed.). Upper Saddle River, Pearson Education, Inc.
Stark, P. B. (2018, June 14). 6 Reasons to Involve Employees in Decision Making. Retrieved from https://peterstark.com/key-to-engagement/#Steve Jobs Brainstorms with NeXT Team. (2012, January 19). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loQhufxiorM

A635.4.3.RB - Build a Tower, Build a Team

Tom Wujec presents some surprisingly deep research into the 'marshmallow problem' -- a simple team-building exercise. According to the video, this exercise forces people to collaborate very quickly in order to build the tallest structure.

Most people would assume that recent business school students would perform better than recent kindergarten students. However, that is incorrect. Surprisingly, kindergarteners builder taller towers and the most interesting towers. Rather than talking about "How" to complete the task, jostling for power or trying to find a single right plan, they start with the marshmallow and build prototype towers along the way (Wujec, 2010). This iterative process provides instant feedback to the young teams of what works and what doesn't.

I believe this children perform better at this team exercise because they solve problems creatively, creating their own solutions through trial and error whereas adults don't (or can't) think outside the box. Furthermore, children have a shared mindset with much less distractions and biases than adults. As we grow and age, we form perspectives and beliefs, based on prejudices, bias, and half-truths. These beliefs determine how we see the world, the assumptions we formulate, and the theories we use to figure things out (Elder & Paul, 2013). Kindergarteners, without the prejudices and biases, are able to quickly come together with the goal, and only the goal, in mind.

Wujec presents that CEOs with an executive assistant perform better than a group of CEOs alone. I believe this is, like Wujec (2010) states, because the executive assistants possess specialized facilitation skills which greatly improve success. While the CEOs are mainly focused on the end goal, executive assistants play a strategic management role. They use their intuition, judgment, business knowledge, motivational techniques, and personal leadership to make decisions and save time (Torres, 2014). Executive assistants adapt their technological skills and manage the process to ensure success.

If I were asked to facilitate a process intervention workshop, I could relate the video to prove that practitioners should ask questions, provide resources and focus on how the teams can work together, much like how executive assistants work with the CEOs.  Furthermore, the teams need to solve their own problems like the kindergarten students using the iterative feedback through prototypes. "The OD practitioner practicing process interventions observes individuals and teams in action and helps them learn to diagnose and solve their own problems" (Brown, p.199).  Practitioners, facilitators and executive assistants can also provide feedback so the group members learn about how they communicate with each other (Brown, 2011).  

This video and reflection demonstrate the need for impact of process intervention skills, feedback and communication. Wujec (2010) expresses the exercise uncovers very deep lessons about the nature of collaboration.  We need to remember to think outside the box like kindergarteners, keep the goal in mind like CEOs but use facilitative process intervention skills like executive assistants in order to work most effectively together.  Most importantly, we need to continue to use feedback.  

Brown, D. R. (2011). An Experimental Approach to Organizational Development (8 ed.). Upper Saddle River, Pearson Education, Inc.

Elder, L. & Paul, R. (2013).  30 Days to Better Thinking and Better Living Through Critical Thinking: A Guide for Improving Every Aspect of Your Life, Revised and Expanded.  FT Press.
Torres, N. (2014, December 13).  What Executive Assistants Know About Managing Up. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2014/12/what-executive-assistants-know-about-managing-up
Wujec, T. (2010). Build a tower, build a team. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_build_a_tower