Faculty publications The Leadership of Teams by Mike Brent Fiona Elsa Dent Hult Blog

This month’s faculty  publication spotlight is on The Leadership of Teams:  How to develop and inspire high performance teamwork by Mike Brent Fiona Elsa Dent. A note from the authors Teams play a major role in many of our lives today but do we actually understand what a team is, how teams work and how you can get the best from your team? Based on our experience of working with managers all over the world we decided that it would be useful and interesting to explore the world of teams. In this book we offer a practical and comprehensive review of teams and teamwork, together with a range of ideas on tools and techniques for team success.   We offer new ideas and perspectives as well as revisiting some well-known theories and models. We also discuss how to deal with a broad range of issues that contemporary teams and their leaders face.   Topics include building trust, engaging the team, accountability, influencing, facilitating, coaching, conflict, and challenging behavior. We believe that our book is equally relevant for team leaders and team members and will both refresh your knowledge and introduce you to some new ideas and thinking about leading, managing, and taking part in teams. Book excerpt:   And Finally, The Future of Teams We believe that, looking ahead, effective teams will have an even more important role to play in the future of work. The hierarchical approach to organizational structure is fast becoming obsolete because it does not respond quickly enough to the changes in our VUCA world, where we now face so-called â€Å"wicked† problems on an ever more regular basis. Some of the influences that we see affecting the future are described below. Impact of the millennial generation in organizations It’s interesting to look at both what Generation Y (those people born in the 1980s and early 1990s) and Millennials (those born up to 2002) want in terms of their jobs, careers and the type of relationship they want with their bosses. Our research at Ashridge tells us that they want: Challenging /interesting work. A coaching and mentoring relationship with their boss. For their bosses to share their experience with them. A friendly relationship with their colleagues – in other  words, less hierarchical relationships. Flexible working patterns. Public acknowledgement of their success. Technology-driven communication.   All these things are important and relevant for team leaders to be aware of, and act upon, if they want to get the best out of their Generation Y colleagues. Unfortunately, it seems that  many bosses are resisting these needs, and are actually thinking more about what they want from their Gen Y team members. The critical question is, how do we help Gen Y and Millennials become the effective team leaders of the future? Multi-generational teams Teams will be composed of different cultures and different generations. The challenge for the team leader will be to assimilate these different cultures and generations into an effective team  with shared values and purpose. We know that many of the Baby Boom generation (those born between 1946 and 1961) and those who follow will have to work longer, possibly into their 70s and 80s. Professors Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott of London Business School have written a best-selling book about this subject called The 100 Year Life (published by Bloomsbury). The challenge for the Baby Boomers in these multigenerational teams will be to adapt to new ways of working, new technology, new roles – such as coaching and mentoring –  and the fact that they may report to people from a younger generation. The challenge for the younger generations tends to be more in relation to skill development – in particular the  interpersonal, relational and leadership skills. Holocracy The term ‘holocracy’ was coined by Brian Robertson, who is the founder of Ternary Software in the United States. He was experimenting with more democratic forms of governance and distilled their best practices into a system that became known as holocracy. He published his book Holocracy in 2016. The website http://www.holocracy.org/how-it-works/ gives the essentials of this concept. We can summarize these as follows: Roles are defined around work, not people. Authority is distributed rather than delegated. Decisions are made locally and authority is distributed to teams. Changes are made to the organizational structure on a regular basis, but they are done in small and rapid iterations, rather than large-scale change. Rules are visible and transparent and everyone in the organization is bound by them, including the CEO. Holocracy doesn’t work for every organization, but its principles are, in our opinion, more in tune with contemporary working practices than traditional organizational practices. We believe that this system will influence many organizations, though it will not be adopted by all. Team processes We believe that the way teams work together and are led will need to change radically in the future. Instead of teams having a single leader who is in charge, every single team member will have to have the ability to both lead and to follow. This will require team members to become skilled in processes like facilitation and change. The world is changing far too quickly for us to be able to ignore the collective intelligence of the team. The founder of Action Learning, Reg Revans, told us that learning had to be equal to or greater than the rate of change in the environment. The environment is certainly changing quickly so we need to focus on our ability to learn. Operating in different types and roles in teams In the future, we will each have a network of teams to which we belong. According to research, only 38 per cent of companies are organized by function, so there will be more and more crossfunctional, multi-cultural, virtual and multi-generational teams. Lesson from the military Former army officer and Olympic athlete Dominic Mahoney talks about the vital importance of training. No other teams train like the military. They spend 18–20 weeks a year in training, and the quality and intensity of training enable military teams to come together and perform very quickly. Training is seen as critical in the military, but how much training do we give our teams in organizations? In both sport and the military, 80–90 per cent of time  is spent training and preparing, so that when the time comes to perform, the performance is automatic. You don’t need to think and reflect or get stressed, you just do it. But you can’t ‘just do it’ without the appropriat e training and preparation. Unfortunately, this is a common error in teams in business. So although it is impossible to spend as much time in training as in sport and the military, perhaps there is a need to spend more time in order to achieve that higher level of performance. This will mean that we all have to develop our skills for working  in different team types, with a variety of different kinds of people. Team leaders and team members will have to be skilful in their ability to collaborate, flex their style and relate to a wide group of people. In addition to this, it is becoming more common for reward systems to be much more team-based rather than individually based. This is a highly emotional area that will demand a step change in attitude and approach and will demand real skill on the part of the leader and the organization. Engagement   Engaged teams work more effectively: research by Gallup shows us that engaged employees have 22 per cent higher productivity, 65 per cent lower turnover and 41 per cent fewer defects. The challenge for team leaders will be how to keep team members engaged. Some of the key behaviours for team leaders to demonstrate in this area are:   communication listening valuing supporting empathy being target focused having a strategic vision showing active interest in the team members. More teams There will be more teams but they will be forming and disbanding more rapidly, so the skills required to create the team, help it get up to speed, perform effectively and then end it well will be at a premium. General Stanley McChrystal used the term ‘a team of teams’ to describe the new way of working he brought to the US military in the Gulf War. Harvard professor Amy Edmondson uses the verb ‘teaming’, to describe the fact that to work in a team is an active process. She also stresses the need for psychological safety in the team in order to allow team members to openly speak their mind. We believe that since teams will be the way of working, the aspects such as psychological safety will be important for the team leader to take into account. Conclusion All in all, there are a number of challenges facing teams, team members and team leaders. Those with a learning orientation and the desire and skill to collaborate effectively will find that working in great teams is rewarding and satisfying. Excerpted from The Leadership of Teams,  by Mike Brent and Fiona Elsa Dent, published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.  Purchase a copy here. About the authors Mike Brent is a Professor of Practice and Adjunct Faculty at Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School.   He specializes in helping managers develop people leadership skills and in creating high performance teams. Mike has co-authored six books on leadership and works with managers from numerous countries. Mike teaches on several leadership programs at Hult as well as on custom programs. He holds dual French and British nationalities. Fiona Elsa Dent is a Professor of Practice and Adjunct at Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School.   Fiona has a portfolio career and works with a range of clients and organisations as an independent trainer, executive coach and consultant. She is also the author of   12 books and various research reports and articles.   She teaches and coaches on a variety of Ashridge programs on areas including influencing, leadership, interpersonal skills, team working and coaching. If you would like to find out more about our business programs,  download a brochure here. Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog How to make your business school application stand out, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .