High Performance Teams

Growing up in South Texas if you had a spec of athletic ability you played football, baseball, or some other team sport (usually football and baseball at least... and track to keep you in shape during the off season). As a kid growing up in this environment I played on a lot of teams, so many in fact that I can't remember most of them, the players I played with, or any outcomes of specific games... all except one. At the risk of sounding like Al Bundy reminiscing over the 'ol Polk High School football days I was part of something special in 1995. As we learn about High Performance Teams this week in our Leadership course I am taken back to my first experience on a team that overcame tough odds, exceeded our expectations, grew together as a cohesive group as well as individually, and built a lifetime of memories together. 

First, lets discuss what it means to be a "high performance team". Denning describes a team as a "grouping of people who are interdependent, share common goals, coordinate their activities to accomplish these goals, and share responsibilities for the performance of the collectivity" (Denning, pg. 152). Basically, a team is a group of people working together to achieve a common goal... together. There is usually someone who is the designated team leader or captain to keep the team focused an on track to meet the goal. There is a sense of cohesion, in some form, to the other team members, and a genuine care to see the objectivity accomplished. In other words, teams are a good thing to belong to. If teams are good, then high performance teams are great.

A high performance team takes the team concept to a whole new level. In Denning's book he talks about the four elements ways people work together. These are in work groups, teams, communities, and networks. All four have different characteristics that delineate them from each other. For example, a community in today's terms describes a "group of people who share common interests, practices, and values" (Denning, pg. 152). From my description of a team above you can see a clear difference between a community and a team, but a high performance team... blends the two into a force that transcends conventional definitions. When I think about high performance teams I think of Easy Company in WWII who 70 plus years later still consider themselves a Band of Brothers. I think of the SEAL teams who forge their bond through a gauntlet of sacrifice shedding blood, sweat, and tears together through  a common accomplishment in BUDS. I think of the 1985 Chicago Bears. These are examples of high powered teams who through extraordinary events forged an elite community. A "member's only" type of community. Denning says, "all high performance teams resemble communities" (Denning, pg.155). The members know each others' thoughts, strengths and weaknesses. They use these to balance the workload to move efficiently through any obstacle. There is a shared passion and mutual respect for each other. Ultimately, high performance teams share a bond that lasts a lifetime.

A large part of this bond rests in a collection of shared values. This is probably the biggest difference between teams and high performance teams. There is no me, only we. The espoused values of a high performance team ARE the organizational values. There is no difference between what is said and what is felt. Great things can happen when a group of like minded, value sharing, and extremely motivated people get together. Anything is possible.

In 1995 I was a linebacker for our high school football team. We were not the biggest, fastest, or most athletic team in Texas' big 5A school system. The one thing we did have among us was a fierce determination to win. We suffered through grueling Texas heat in the summer. We understood our shortcomings and turned them into our strengths. We set our goals high and never looked back. That year we, as a team, accomplished something never before accomplished in our school's history, and we did it together. Practice by practice, game by game, and week by week we worked together to defy the odds set before us. In a battle that is still on the Texas High School record books as the highest scoring game in our state's history we suffered our defeat ending our chances at a state championship. We fought like wild animals that night, and when that last whistle blew the score was 81-42. We shared a feeling that night that we will never forget. A feeling of complete and utter exhaustion. We left everything we had on that field, and were bested by a truly magnificent team (who won state that year). It was a match between David and Goliath, and we faced those odds... together. This was the most amazing team I had ever been a part of, and many of us still talk to this day. We don't usually hit the "remember when" button, but we have a bond that solidifies our commitment to each other. We were a high performance team, and we all gave a part of ourselves to each other that year. We won together and we lost together, but we were always a team.

Now, since those days I have continued to play a part of many teams. I wish I could say that in the Navy I belonged to another high powered team, but I can't... at least not on a divisional level. We have done some amazing things together on the Ike, but I don't think our individual values supported the ingredients of a high performance team like those of Easy company, SEAL teams, or the '85 Bears. It takes some special spark for a high performance team to assemble, but when they do the possibilities are endless. I feel fortunate enough to have been a part of one in my lifetime, and I hope that I can be again in the future. Understanding the differences between good and great is a key component to recognizing when the ingredients are present, and when this rare and unique opportunity exists you have to be ready to play your part. There is a special part of being human that comes out when you are surrounded by people who vehemently share your values, and when this happens truly amazing things are the result.

JP

Denning, S. (2011). The leader's guide to storytelling. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Aligning Values

Stephen Denning describes a genuinely ethical community as having three basic components: trust, loyalty, and solidarity (pg. 132). He also discusses the differences between espoused and organizational values within an community. Espoused values are those set of values an organization promotes, yet falls short of in action. Organizational values are established in action within an organization... good or bad. The biggest difference between the two is the belief that espoused values are organizational which can lead to some serious false advertising. Talking the talk, and walking the walk are two separate issues, and I believe actions speak louder than words. Denning feels, and I agree, that values "are something to be lived, to be embodied in action" (pg. 136).

For this week's blog I will align the lessons of values within my organization... the United States Navy. Now, this is a very large organization, and I can only speak from my experiences, but there is a lot of effort put into promoting our core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. These are imbedded in our memory from day one, and reinforced throughout our service. We know what they mean and how to apply them, but are they espoused or organizational? Do we really live out, in action, Honor, Courage, and Commitment? Let's look at the three basic components Denning offers to establish a genuinely ethical community to decide if these core values are actually organizational or espoused.

The first component is trust. Now, I just returned from a long and arduous deployment on board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a nuclear aircraft carrier and a true marvel of naval warfare. The amount of trust that transpires in one day of flight operations at sea is astounding. It is a well choreographed dance that leaves zero room for error. Pilots trust the controllers, the controllers trust the flight deck, the catapults trust the Air Boss, and so on. But does this mean organizationally we have a high sense of trust? Is there a culture of trust in the Navy? Operationally, without a doubt. Organizationally, no way.  Stephen covey describes the evidence of a low-trust environment as organizations "filled with hidden agendas, a lot of political games, interpersonal conflict, interdepartmental rivalries, people bad mouthing each other behind their backs and sweet talking them to their faces. With low trust, you get a lot of rules and regulations that take the place of human judgement and creativity, and people will not be on the same page about what is important" (Covey, 2008). Organizationally, this describes the Navy better than any description I could come up with. The Manual for Courts Martial is thicker than an old Yellow Pages book. The Articles of Non-Judicial Punishments are almost as deep. Then there are individual commands that have their own rules and regulations, as well as departments inside the commands. We are told what to wear, how to wear it, where to go, what time to get there, and what to do. It is amazing to me, with so many rules and regulations, we don't have a standing room only Captain's Mast (non-judicial punishment hearings by the commanding officer). We have random drug testing, which is the ultimate litmus test of a low-trust community. "Here, take the keys to a 70 million dollar jet, but first can you pee in this bottle?" So, trust in the Navy... not so much.

The second component is loyalty. When I think of loyalty in the Navy I can't help but think of the Special Operation War-fighters like the SEALs, SWIC, and EOD. These communities are built on loyalty. Their lives depend on the loyalty of their fellow comrades. Operationally, loyalty in the Navy is impressive. Organizationally, I think it would be fair to say that if the Navy did not make us sign a contract punishable by imprisonment (or worse) for breaching it a very large population of Sailors would bug out after a a few months of enlistment. Now, there are pluses to serving like health care, educational benefits, pay checks ever two weeks, sea pay, and basic allowance for housing, but nothing that I have seen that would keep me engaged under the stresses of deployment. I can tell you exactly how many days I have left to the end of my contract... to the hour. Ultimately, we take an oath to defend our nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic. But we can not leave of our own free will until we fulfill our contract. So, Navy and loyalty... not so much.

Finally, the third component of genuinely ethical communities is solidarity. Denning describes solidarity as "caring for other people's interests and being ready to take action on behalf of others, even if it conflicts with personal interests" (pg. 133). This component gives me pause because I have witnessed, experienced, and delivered personnel improvement services. There are ample opportunities for personal growth, education benefits, leadership training, team building, and mission accomplishment. I have seen as many Sailors defend each other as I have seen throw each other under the bus. So, I would say we do a pretty good job of this component. The old saying goes, "A complaining Sailor is a happy Sailor". We can stand solidified in that at least.

There is no argument that military service is a sacrifice for all involved. There are many adjectives to describe military service, but after considering Denning's definition I don't think a "genuinely ethical community" would be an accurate one. Honestly, I don't believe I can change the Navy's culture myself, but what I can do is live out my personal ethical code on a daily basis. I can be an example of how to treat your Shipmates, make tough decisions, care for my team mates, and promote personal growth. I can put others before self, and be a positive beacon to follow. I have no illusions that I can make a huge impact, but I sure can make a hundred little ones. Hopefully, that will be enough to keep the tides from shifting too far off course. In the end, I am accountable to my God, my family, and country. I draw my values from them in that specific order, and whatever obstacles I may encounter in my service I will always try to live my life with Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

JP

Denning, S. (2011). The leader's guide to storytelling. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Covey, S. R. (2008, February 5). The high cost of low trust [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.stephencovey.com/blog/?p=13

Subtleties of Communication and Hidden Messages

As I review the reading from this week in Leadership Communication I find myself analyzing all the different situations in which I am engaged in active communication. Basically, I live in three distinct areas in which I utilize communication skills to interact with others. These areas are my social, professional, and personal lives. I do fairly well to separate the three, and each offer unique situations to improve upon my communication skills with others. Of course some skills bleed over into the other areas. How I use my body language, paralanguage, and metamessages helps me communicate my wants, needs, and desires. In this week's blog I will discuss some scenarios where I have honed some skills and a few areas for improvement in communicating with others in my very busy life.

McKay, Davis, and Fanning discuss the important role of body language in their book Messages. They state over fifty percent of a message's impact comes from body movements (McKay, Davis, Fanning, p.59). Now, I am a pretty big guy standing 6'1" and around 225lbs. I am very aware of how my body language conveys messages to others. Sometimes what I am saying and how the message is received differs based on how others perceive my body language. In social circles I tend to soften my stature to convey openness. I don't want to be unapproachable. That could seriously impact my need to meet new and interesting folks, or gain an understanding of the true selves of those I already know. At work I often use my physical stature to convey my reliability, confidence, and authority as a leader. As an Air Traffic Controller I am obligated to be confident... it helps when communicating with pilots as well as my Shipmates. People need to hear that confidence when lives are on the line, and so I carry myself a tad more erect when wearing my uniform. In a culture established under pressure and leadership my body language assists my verbal communication. It helps me lead in a fair and firm manner, and people in my sphere of influence respond appropriately. At home, on the other hand, my size means nothing! My wife is 5'2" and 100lbs soaking wet, yet she has no problems keeping order in the house... which includes me! More on this later.

How I say what I want to say has been an ongoing quest for perfection in all three areas of my life. Many years as a sales guy taught me the value of "singing the song", or what Messages describes as paralanguage. I learned to be a chameleon of sorts when communicating with different types of people. I can speed up my tempo with New Yorkers, slow it down for the Southerners, and chop it up with everyone in between. I always try to articulate what I say because I feel that no matter what your education, cultural, or social status command of the English language is important. I also feel it is important to say what you mean and mean what you say, so whomever I am talking with I do make this distinction. However, a draw back in my communication tool box is my crafty use of metamessages. McKay, Davis, and Fanning describe metamessages as the part of the message that conveys the speakers attitude and feelings (p.75). Now, I have been accused of being witty in my three life circles. Socially, zingers are a valuable asset of mine that helps others to see my sarcastic side as well as my feelings and intentions towards someone or something. My use of verbal modifiers can be deployed at a moment's notice when the situation warrants. Professionally, I deal with a variety of situations where my attitude and emotions are tested, and in our "kinder, gentler Navy" you have to be very careful how you communicate under stressful situations. Using my metamessages and verbal modifiers has saved me more than once to convey my true feelings without getting into trouble. At home... I have met my match with metamessages. I live with a woman who has an uncanny ability to see right through my witty remarks and sarcastic use of verbal modifiers. She helps me to be grounded and speak from the heart. She also trumps my skills in the paralanguage/metamessage department.

In all my interpersonal communications I use my non-verbal communication skills as well as my words to gain some sort of ground. I think in every aspect of life there needs to be a balance with the two forms. Socially, professionally, and personally I see the importance of congruence between what is said and how it is said. Objectively, I feel like I have my social and professional lives on lock, however, I don't deal with these people every day. My personal life is a much different story. It is in this area I need to focus my attention in developing my communication skills. Only when we are faced with real, true communication on a daily basis do we really see our faults. Because I am totally defenseless in true communication with my wife am I able to see my discrepancies. When we reduce our defenses completely in communication can we truly make the changes necessary to be a good communicator. Luckily, I chose a partner that knows who I am to the fullest. She is my litmus test with personal communication. In this area of my life I will truly define my communication skills because it is an every-day test of my ability to communicate what I am thinking, feeling, and conveying. In order to communicate effectively it is paramount to know yourself and how you relay the messages you want delivered. Realizing how you use body language, paralanguage, and metamessages help me define my  communication skills.

JP

McKay, Davis, Flanning. 2009. Messages: the communication skills book. New Harbinger Publications. Oakland, CA.

Personal Reflection

This week I am reflecting on a few stories from my childhood that have had an impact on my outlook, decision making process, and moral compass as an adult. Using these scenarios as a storyline can identify who I am to others, establish my self-concept, and help people gain some insight to the guy I am today. I have chosen the following three stories from my youth because I still live their valuable lessons.

Customer Service

Before I was able to legally work and learn the value of an honest wage, I mowed lawns to make summer cash. In the late 80's we were coming out of a recession and my family was making enough to keeps us kids fed, clothed, and happy. However, there was not much left over for my own personal wants like a new skateboard or "fun money". Now, since I was able to push a lawn mower I had been promoted to the Powell House Lawn and Maintenance Department which paid little for the size of our huge corner lot yard. Dad bought a nice mower I dubbed the "Green Machine" and it did the job nicely. Because this was one of my household chores, and my allowance was meager, I realized that I could double my income if I picked up the elderly neighbors yard. So, on my own, I knocked on the door, made my pitch, and landed my first customer. I mowed my neighbors yard twice a month, sometimes more often if it needed it for twenty dollars a pop. I edged, weed-whacked, pulled weeds and tidied up after. This became my weekend routine. One day my "client" approached me after my job was done and suggested a friend who could use some TLC on her yard and that her age hindered her from doing it herself. I said, "If you help me land her yard I will take five bucks off our next week's pay". This worked like a charm and I felt good about this deal because now I had tripled my income. By the end of the summer my mother was shuttling me from neighborhood to neighborhood mowing 6-7 yards a weekend. I paid for the gas and maintenance of our equipment, always made sure our yard looked great, and managed to save a little cash along the way. My mother used to remind me at the end of a long Saturday in the hot Texas sun that my efforts were helping people out and my reward was earning an honest wage. I took pride in my lawns and worked hard at keeping them tip-top for my "clients". I offered to do any odd jobs that might need doing around their houses before I left for the next "appointment". I built value in my name and my work. I took care of my yards and my yards took care of me.

I learned some valuable lessons from these summers. Do what you promise, take care of your people, and take pride in your work. These lessons are instilled in me today, and I use these tools in my work, at home with my family, and in every endeavor I take on. Customer service extends well beyond doing the minimum for people. It is going above and beyond that really makes an impact. Looking back I wish I would have given more to my mom for spending her weekends chauffeuring me around town, but I think she felt satisfied that her son was learning some important life lessons. I still mow my mothers lawn when I get the chance, free of charge of course.

Stand Up for What is Right

I learned some pretty tough lessons growing up in suburbia San Antonio. In 1987 at the ripe age of ten I was faced with a child's most terrifying experience in school... a confrontation with a Bully. This kid was big, much bigger than the rest of us, and he seemed to enjoy reminding kids of this fact every chance he could. One day at recess this bully was picking on a very small and meek child who just so happened to live around the corner from me. His name was Andrew, and Andrew was facing the wrath. Just as any confrontation on a school yard would attract the attention of almost every student within ear shot, I took notice of this unjust act of dominance. Andrew was scared, and this seemed to fuel the bully's cause all the more.

Now, I could have done a few things in this situation to help out my friend. I could have ran to grab a teacher to stop the bully from victimizing poor Andrew. I could have made an attempt to grab Andrew and run away towards safety. Both would have been the preferred method of our principal, but instead I made a very conscious decision to save my friend from the inevitable by jumping in the middle and confronting Mr. Bully. I was definitely not as small and meek as Andrew, but not quite as big as this menace. However, after a few choice words and some shoving around two things happened; one of us left a hero, and one of us left with a diminished ego and a bloody nose. Andrew didn't get bullied by the menace again.

In no way do I advocate violence to fix a problem, and with the several choices I could have made at that time I am still surprised I chose to fight the biggest kid in 4th grade. But in my heart I could not stand by and watch somebody get pushed around. It was this moment that I realized an inner desire to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. I don't remember learning what was fair and what wasn't, but I do remember the sinking feeling of watching Andrew backed up against a wall with nowhere to run. The bully preyed on weakness, and I felt an overwhelming need to turn the tables. This same desire to protect and serve directed me to join the United States Navy. As I worked my way up the ranks I have encountered several examples of injustice. Of course I have acquired a more tactful method in leveling the playing field, and I do what I can to stand up for what is right. There may always be some form of injustice in our lives, and we can't fight all the proverbial bullies, but I can say that my desire to protect has helped shape me as a leader. I have my team mates' backs through thick and thin. I have built trust in my "firm, but fair" leadership style. And, I will always do what I think is right when the time comes to act.

 The Value of Education

After my fifth year in college, and looking at the amount of student loan debt that was accumulating quickly, I made a choice to leave school without my degree and enter the workforce. In 2001 I was 23 years old. An old buddy of mine from high school had ventured off and started his business selling beautiful redwood plays sets on the outskirts of San Antonio. This guy was unique, and a true entrepreneur in every sense of the word. He was self educated, motivated, and exercised a kind of self-discipline that inspired me. He just opened a new store and needed a sales person to run a location in an upscale area of the Texas hill country. I asked and he gave me my first shot at being a professional sales person.

I had always been a people person, and talking with strangers never bothered me. My friend, and now boss, would always be talking about stuff he read that helped him become successful in sales and business. He introduced me to authors like Zig Ziggler, Tony Robbins, and Stephen Covey. He told me selling was an art, and more importantly he showed me ways that I could improve myself and abilities. I remember meeting in his office one day and admiring his well-developed library of books behind his desk. I asked him if I could read some of his books on the top shelf, and he said a few words to me that I can still hear in my head. He said, "if you want to read the top-shelf books you need to stand on the books you have already read."

For some reason this simple lesson took a hold in me. From that day on I developed a hunger for knowledge. This desire was far greater than anything I felt during my time at college. I guess I just wasn't ready to build a foundation then, but now I couldn't get enough. I owe so much to my friend for opening my mind to the power of knowledge. Since that day, after all the twists and turns I have navigated to get where I am, I still seek with an un-quenching thirst sources of self-improvement. To me, life is a finite time to learn and grow. We can all do something each day to improve ourselves and the world around us. As a leader I have found that I can hand out the top-shelf knowledge I have amassed thus far, but it is far more rewarding to see people stand on their own stack of knowledge and reach for the top-shelf themselves. Sometimes it takes just a little encouragement to point someone in the right direction, and in the end there is nothing more valuable than educating yourself.

Danger of a Single Story

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an author from Nigeria, delivers a powerful and insightful address to the dangers of a single story. To illustrate the concept of a single story and its affects Adichie uses her example of reading mainly British books as a child. As a young and impressionable child growing up in a middle-class, well educated family in Nigeria Chimamanda saw the character's portrayed in those books as the only images in literature. She built an imaginary world of snow, apple trees, blond hair and pony tails within her. This imagery established barriers for her to see herself in these stories, or any Nigerians for that matter. Until she discovered African authors telling African stories with real African characters and realities Adichie's only perception of the literary was narrow and misguiding.

The power of the story can insight emotions, distort facts, create false assumptions, and shape the beliefs of its audience among other things. Adichie describes power as the ability to tell a definitive story of another person. This can be positive or negative, and with an abundance of power it can even change the perception of events in history. History is often written by the victorious, and while we may believe these stories to be true there are always other alternative endings, plots, and accounts of historical events. It all boils down to the author/storyteller's perception and power.

However, just as Adichie realized there are more narratives to the stories she had digested as a child we can all learn a valuable lesson when facing a single story. We must seek out the story from different perceptions to gain a better knowledge and understanding of our world. In the book Messages listening with openness is an important step in effective listening which lends to seeing differing views and formulating more rounded ideas or beliefs rather than judgements or assumptions. The authors describe the downfalls of judgements (or assumptions) to include the inability "to grow intellectually because you only listen to viewpoints you already hold" and "dismissal of otherwise worthwhile people (or stories) because you disagree with their ideas". I believe this is very closely related to believing a single story as the basis of your reality. Placing stock in the single story limits us in growing as individuals as well as societies.

Imagine how our ideas of the colonization of America might differ if the story were told from the Native Americans. I bet our concept of Thanksgiving and Pilgrims with cornucopias would be slightly different than they are now, or the manifest destiny of westward expansion might paint a much different picture if told from the plains people. To invest our imagination and beliefs in a single story "flattens our experiences" as Adichie describes. We need to seek a balance to gain a complete understanding of our stories. The single story tells only one perception which can establish a mental picture of reality that can limit our views of the world in which we live. Stories matter, and there is never a single story!

JP


http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html