Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Friday, October 28, 2011
Five Dysfunctions of a Team
THE MODEL
Patrick Lencioni illustrates his model with a pyramid. A dysfunctional team is built on an unstable foundation – lack of trust – and is ultimately exposed by its inattention to results.
An absence of trust undermines the team’s ability to engage in constructive conflict. Without healthy conflict, teams don’t make solid commitments to plans and decisions. Where there is ambiguous commitment, there will also be unclear accountability. No accountability leads to an inattention to results. Therefore a healthy team is built on a commitment to deliver results and each person on the team is ready to be part of a network of accountability for those results. Knowing that they will be held accountable, they will make sure they are committed to the decisions that are made by the team. That commitment is the by-product of healthy, vigorous debate and conflict. Conflict comes as a result of a carefully cultivated environment of trust.
Starfish Story
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley
1907 - 1977
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley
1907 - 1977
Strategic Planning and Visionary Leadership
“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.” Joel Barker
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”
Course: Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision their future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future. Strategic Planning has the potential of empowering individuals and teams to create their chosen futures. This is not a course on predicting future events. Instead, strategic planning creates the ideal future for individuals, organizations and/or communities. Historically, this type of planning has overcome the impossible, united people with common aspirations and accomplished modern marvels. The course offers instruction of a nine-step model that seeks to identify a process that transforms preferred outcomes into current reality.
In five days of training, members of your organization will receive instruction in the fundamentals of Strategic Planning. This training is based on the two-week Executive Planning course delivered at the National Emergency Training Center (FEMA).
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”
Course: Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision their future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future. Strategic Planning has the potential of empowering individuals and teams to create their chosen futures. This is not a course on predicting future events. Instead, strategic planning creates the ideal future for individuals, organizations and/or communities. Historically, this type of planning has overcome the impossible, united people with common aspirations and accomplished modern marvels. The course offers instruction of a nine-step model that seeks to identify a process that transforms preferred outcomes into current reality.
In five days of training, members of your organization will receive instruction in the fundamentals of Strategic Planning. This training is based on the two-week Executive Planning course delivered at the National Emergency Training Center (FEMA).
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