Presentation on establishing a constructive team climate in an organization

1. Michael C. Gura
Master in Engineering Management
Bataan Peninsula State University
Establishing a
Constructive Climate
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2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand the concept of constructive
climate.
Examine the criteria used to establish a
constructive climate.
Explain the process for providing constructive
feedback to employees.
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3. CONSTRUCTIVE CLIMATE
Climate refers to the atmosphere of a team
or an organization. It is defined as people’s
shared perceptions of the way things are in
an organization.
Related to climate are the rituals, values,
procedures, and underlying assumptions of
a group. It is the shared perception
individuals have about the activities,
procedures, and assumptions of a group.
A constructive climate provides an
atmosphere that promotes group member’s
satisfaction and achieving their personal
best.
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4. In establishing a constructive climate,
leaders need to:
1) Provide Structure
2) Clarify Norms
3) Build Cohesiveness
4) Promote Standards of Excellence
CONSTRUCTIVE CLIMATE
COMPONENTS
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5. PROVIDE STRUCTURE
Providing structure gives people a sense of
security, direction and stability.
• They know where they “fit in”.
• They have an “architectural drawing” that
gives form and meaning to their activities.
Group work without structure is more difficult for
everyone involved.
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6. How can leaders provide structure?
Telling people the goals of the group
• Gives a clear picture of assignments and responsibilities
• Gives group members a sense of direction
Identify the unique ways that each member can contribute
to the group
• Synergy
• Challenge: to find how each individual group member
can contribute to the group’s mission
synergy : the combined power of a group of things when they are working
together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working
separately
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7. CLARIFY NORMS
Norms are the rules of behavior that are
established and shared by group members.
• What is appropriate / inappropriate,
right / wrong, and allowed / not
allowed in groups.
• Develop early in a group and are
difficult to change.
Leaders need to try to shape norms that
will maximize group effectiveness.
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8. BUILD COHESIVENESS
Cohesiveness is the sense of “we-ness”, or the esprit
de corps, that exist within a group.
Allows members to:
• Express their personal viewpoints, give and receive
feedback, accept differing opinions, and feel free to
do meaningful work (Corey & Corey, 2006)
• Appreciate the group and to be appreciated by the
group
esprit de corps : the common spirit existing in the members of a
group and inspiring enthusiasm, devotion, and
strong regard for the honor of the group
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9. Positive outcomes of cohesiveness
• Increased participation and better interaction
among members
• Group membership is more consistent
• Group exerts strong influence on members
• Members satisfaction is high
• Members are more productive
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10. How can leaders build cohesiveness?
To build cohesiveness:
• Create a climate of trust.
• Invite members to be active participants.
• Encourage passive members to be
involved.
• Listen and accept group members for
who they are.
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11. How can leaders build cohesiveness?
To build cohesiveness, cont’d:
• Help group members achieve their goals.
• Promote the free expression of divergent
viewpoints.
• Share leadership responsibilities.
• Foster and promote member-to-member
interaction.
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12. PROMOTE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Standards of Excellence are the expressed and
implied expectations for performance that exist
within a group or organization.
Standards of Excellence indicate:
• What group members need to know
• What skills group members need to acquire
• How much initiative and effort they need
• How group members are expected to treat
one another
• The extent to which deadlines are significant
• What goals they need to achieve
• What the consequences are if they fail to
achieve goals
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13. PROMOTE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
LaFasto and Larson (2001) identified several
ways that leaders can influence performance
and promote standards of excellence.
1. Require Results
2. Review Results
3. Reward Results
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14. Requiring Results
Leaders need to articulate their concrete
expectations clearly for team members.
• Groups must establish mutual goals and
identify specific objectives for achieving
results.
• This is the first critical step in managing
performance.
Without expectations, members are uncertain
about what is required of them and flounder.
flounder: to behave awkwardly; make mistakes; to experience great
difficulties or be completely unable to decide what to do or say
next
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15. Reviewing Results
Leaders must give constructive feedback and
resolve performance issues.
Constructive feedback is honest, direct
communication about member performance.
• Not mean-spirited, nor is it overly nice or
patronizing
• Lets group members know how to
maintain or improve
Resolving performance issues is critical for
effective leadership.
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16. Rewarding Results
Effective leaders reward group members for
achieving results.
Rewarding results is a practical process that
every leader can do.
• Includes paying attention to members,
offering encouragement, and giving
personalized appreciation
• Can be dramatic or simple actions
Members feel valued and there is a greater
sense of group identity and community spirit.
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17. Tips for Giving Constructive Feedback
Address behaviors. Use facts to describe the behavior that is problematic, rather
than focusing on personal traits.
Describe specifically
what you have
observed.
Observations are what you have seen occur; an
interpretation is your analysis or opinion of what has
occurred. By telling the person what you have seen and not
what you think of what you have seen, you provide
observations that are more factual and less judgmental.
Use “I” language. Employing “I” statements rather than “you” statements will
help reduce the defensiveness of the person you are
addressing.
Give the feedback in
calm, unemotional
language.
Avoid “need to” phrases (e.g., “You need to improve this . . .”)
or using a tone that implies anger, frustration, or
disappointment.
Check to ensure clear
communication has
occurred.
Solicit feed back from the other person to ensure he or she
understands what you have been trying to communicate to
him or her.
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18. Leadership Snapshot, Meg Whitman
• 4th CEO of HP, Whitman took over a company in HP that was
described as a mess.
• Graduate of Princeton and Harvard universities.
• Took eBay from $86 Million in sales to $7.7 Billion a decade later.
• She is described as blunt, folksy, and persistent.
• Intent on reviving the integrity, innovation, and loyalty in HP.
• Removed barbed wire that separates parking between employees
and executives and moved all VPs including herself to cubicles
from large offices.
• Described as a being “ decisive without being abrasive, persuasive
without being slick,” Whitman is a team builder who is aiming to
fix the hundreds of small problems that riddle the company rather
than looking for one miracle acquisition or cure. “
• Inside her organization, she preaches frugality and humility.
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19. SUMMARY and CONCLUSION
 Setting the tone for a constructive climate
is a complex process that involves a great
deal of work on the leader’s part.
 Leaders who set the tone in positive ways
will find payoffs in remarkable group
performance.
 CONSTRUCTIVE CLIMATE is essential for
building strong teams, promoting a
positive work environment, and
achieving success in any organization.
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