Welcome to Partnerwerks TeamWisdom Tips!
December 11, 2000
Written by Christopher M. Avery, Ph.D.
Published by Partnerwerks (http://www.partnerwerks.com)
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To sign up others, invite them to send a blank email to
TeamWisdom-on@partnerwerks.com
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TeamWisdom(TM) Tips promotes individual mental skills and
behaviors that create highly responsible and productive
relationships at work.
In this issue:
1. 10-Second TeamWisdom
2. Welcome Notes
3. PRACTICE TIPS
4. 5-Minute TeamWisdom Stretch
5. Resources You Can Use
6. TeamWisdom Quotes
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1. 10-Second TeamWisdom
TeamWisdom is 10% knowledge and 90% practice.
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2. Welcome Notes
Welcome to new subscribers who read about TeamWisdom Tips in
Preston Smith's Quick Tip for product developers
(http://www.NewProductDynamics.com/quick_tip.htm). Thank you
Preston. We truly appreciate your vote of confidence.
Send this issue to everyone you know who understands TeamWisdom
theory and needs help putting it into action!
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3. PRACTICE TIPS
This week, someone reminded me that I tend to communicate
umbrella principles rather than specific action-steps. He asked
me to translate the most important TeamWisdom principles into
specific actions. This week, I'll offer you the actions that go
with the first three TeamWisdom principles. The final two will
come next week.
1. Assume personal responsibility for team productivity.
At your next opportunity, whether in individual informal
encounters or at a team meeting, announce to team members that
you will only do work that leads to the entire team's success.
Further, announce that you will not be able to meet your goals
unless the team meets it's goals, so it is in your best interest
for the team to be extremely productive and effective. In
addition, say that you have decided to do everything in your
power to help the team gel and operate at superior levels of
performance.
2. Define and then get in the same boat together.
At the next meeting, get on the agenda and ask team mates to put
aside individual roles and have a conversation about what you
will collectively accomplish. Think of the team as a unit,
indivisible into smaller roles, and answer the question: What
must this unit do? Insist on continuing that conversation until
everyone seems to share the same clarity about what you are a
team to do. When you have done that, then make that your
"super-objective" -- larger than any individual role objective
-- and give it more importance than any other objective or goal.
3. Determine WIIFM (What's In It For Me), then WIIFY (...You).
Once you know your super-objective, sit down at your keyboard or
with pen and paper and generate a series of answers to this
question: What is in it for me to pursue this task, assignment,
or super-objective? Keep asking the question and writing down
answers. Encourage yourself to probe deeper inside yourself and
generate more possibilities. When you have a complete list (five
to ten answers), then prioritize your responses until you truly
understand your motivation for serving on that team.
After you know what's in it for you, begin to ask your team
mates the same question. Say "what's in it for you to pursue this
task with this team?" Then wait patiently for the responses.
Encourage their answers and probe to discover which seem more
important or energizing than other answers. Watch for non-verbal
cues like sudden smiling, twinkling eyes, head rocking back, or
a gaze of recognition. That will tell you when they have accessed
an important desire. Test for the most important interests by
asking the question "is that important to you?" and listening
for a congruent and powerful "Yes!" You can also test for
commitment by asking them "If by serving on this team, we can
help you get (fill in their important interest), then would that
be worth your investment in this team?" If they answer "Yes!",
than you've tapped a source of team power.
Get started with this week's 5-Minute TeamWisdom Stretch.
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Christopher will be speaking...
- March 19, Association for Quality & Participation, Chicago, IL
- June 25, Project Team Genius Conference, Austin, TX
PARTNERWERKS 2001 Austin Seminar Calendar. Register today!
- Being Powerful in Any Team (http://www.beingpowerful.com),
1/24-26, 5/16-18, 9/19-21
- Negotiating with TeamWisdom (half-day AM), 2/23, 6/22, 10/19
- Team Tools For Wicked Problem (half-day PM), 2/23, 6/22, 10/19
- On Purpose, 3/23, 11/16
- Collaborative Leadership for Executives, 8/24
Mailto:info@partnerwerks.com for details or to inquire about
hosting a seminar in your location.
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4. 5-Minute TeamWisdom Stretch
Of the actions associated with the three TeamWisdom principles
above, which do you most want to learn to demonstrate
consistently?
When you have identified it, apply this strategy:
1. Catch yourself doing it and congratulate yourself.
2. Catch yourself not doing it, forgive yourself, correct, then
catch yourself sooner.
We wish you a world of productive relationships.
Faithfully,
Christopher and Erin
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Find what you need fast from the TeamWisdom Tips Archives. Enter
key search words at:
http://zip.mail-list.com/archives/teamwisdom
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5. Resources You Can Use
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom
by Miguel Ruiz, Don Miguel Ruiz
If you are on my Christmas list, chances are that you will get a
copy of this book this year -- unless you are one of the dozen
people who have told me about it! I started hearing about this
1997 book about six months ago for the first time. Since then,
"everybody" has asked me if I've read it. It's powerfully short
and direct TeamWisdom from the Toltec peoples. The four
agreements are these: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take
anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best.
It's on back order at Amazon so you might want to check out the
companion book listed below.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1878424319/partnerofficeont/
--
The Four Agreements Companion Book: Using The Four Agreements to
Master the Dream of your Life
by Miguel Ruiz, Don Miguel Ruiz, and Janet Mills
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1878424483/partnerofficeont/
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Exchange sage advice and other resources at the Team Advisor:
http://www.partnerwerks.com/What_s_Here_/Jump_In/Offices/Partnerwerks_Associates/_Christopher_Avery/team_advisor.html
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6. TeamWisdom Quotes
It is very important that you do only what you love to do. You
may be poor, you may go hungry, you may live in a shabby place,
but you will totally live. An at the end of your days, you will
bless your life because you have done what you have come here
to do.
~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, The Wheel of Life
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Copyright 1998-2000, all rights reserved. TeamWisdom, TeamWisdom
Tips and Partnerwerks are trademarks of Partnerwerks Inc.
You may republish Partnerwerks TeamWisdom Tips. Please include
complete contact information about the author, Christopher M.
Avery, Ph.D., President, Partnerwerks Inc., and send us a
courtesy copy of the publication in which it appears. To
schedule a presentation or consultation with Christopher,
contact mailto:info@partnerwerks.com. Presentation topics at:
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