Do self organizing teams really exist? 5 working principles to implement
Are self organizing teams just a myth or do they really exist? With the rise of agile methodologies and the push towards more autonomous workforces, it’s no surprise that many businesses are looking to implement self organizing teams. But how can you ensure success with this approach? In this blog post, we’ll explore five working principles that can help turn your team into a truly self organizing machine, delivering great results while maintaining high morale and productivity. So fasten your seatbelts and embark on an exciting journey toward understanding how to implement these principles for optimal outcomes! It’s time to dispel the doubts and uncover what makes these teams truly thrive!
Collaboration
When it comes to work, we often hear people talking about the importance of collaboration. But what does collaboration actually mean?
Collaboration is a way of working together in which each person contributes their own skills and ideas to achieve a common goal. It can be used in many different situations, such as when developing a new product or service, solving a problem, or even just brainstorming ideas.
There are many benefits to collaboration, such as:
- More diverse perspectives: By working with others, we can get different viewpoints and ideas that we may not have thought of on our own.
- Increased creativity: Collaborating with others can help to stimulate our own creativity and come up with more innovative solutions.
- Improved communication and team building: Working together can help us to communicate better and build strong relationships with those we collaborate with.
Continuous Improvement
The second principle of self organizing teams is continuous improvement. This means that the team is always looking for ways to improve their performance and deliver better results. They do this by constantly reviewing their work, identifying areas for improvement, and then implementing changes to address these areas.
This principle is important because it ensures that the team is never satisfied with their current level of performance and is always striving to improve. It also helps to create a culture of learning within the team, where everyone is continually looking for ways to improve their skills and knowledge.
Ownership
There are a few schools of thought when it comes to team ownership. The first is that teams should be self organized and own their work. This means the team decides how they want to work together and who will do what tasks. The second school of thought is that teams should be highly structured and have specific roles and responsibilities. This can help to ensure that everyone on the team knows what their job is and that tasks are completed efficiently. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to team ownership, but it is important to consider what will work best for your team. If you are not sure, you can always try out different methods and see what works best for your team.
Trust and Respect
Self organizing teams can only exist if there is trust and respect amongst the team members. Trust allows team members to feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions, while respect ensures that those ideas are valued and considered. Both trust and respect must be earned – they cannot be demanded or expected.
Trust is built slowly over time, through shared experiences and successful interactions. It’s important to remember that trust is not a static entity – it can be lost as easily as it is gained. To earn trust, team members need to:
- Be honest with each other
- Be reliable and follow through on commitments
- Be respectful of each other’s time, ideas, and opinions
- Have each other’s backs, even when it’s difficult
Respect must also be earned – it’s not something that can be demanded or expected. To gain respect, team members need to:
- Show humility
- Be open-minded
- Be coachable
- Exhibit transparency
Respectful communication is essential to maintaining a healthy level of trust within a team. If team members feel like they are being heard and respected, they are much more likely to reciprocate those behaviors.
Faster problem-solving
Faster problem-solving is one of the benefits of self organizing teams. When team members are empowered to make decisions and solve problems themselves, they can do so more quickly than when those decisions must be made by a manager or another authority figure. This improved decision-making speed can lead to better results for the team and the organization as a whole.
Other benefits of self-organizing teams
A self organizing team is an integral part of Agile project management. According to McKinsey, smaller teams with self organization and Agile methodologies in their operating models can manage their tasks seamlessly. Also, self organizing teams have many other benefits, including increased creativity and productivity, better decision-making, and improved morale.
Self organizing teams are often more creative and productive than traditional teams. This is because they are allowed to make decisions on their own, without having to go through a hierarchy of managers. This freedom allows team members to be more innovative and come up with better solutions.
Another benefit of self organizing teams is that they tend to make better decisions. This is because team members are more likely to take into account the opinions of others when making decisions. This leads to improved decision-making overall.
Self organizing teams often have higher morale than traditional teams. This is because team members feel like they are part of a community and can work together towards common goals.
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If you want to see a new world of self organizing teams, try out Alvanda today!
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