Teams and teamwork are the heart and soul of every project. This is especially true for agile teams. It is not the individual performance or accomplishment that counts but that of the team. Just like in team sports the team succeeds and fails together. Interestingly Agilists propose self-organizing teams. But what does “self-organizing” mean? If teams are self-organizing why do so many teams and projects fail? This lecture sheds light on self-organizing teams. It explains what distinguishes them from manager-led and self-governing teams. It then outlines the ingredients that self-organizing teams need in order to develop and prosper. Self-organizing teams have an immense potential for achieving powerful results on a project. However, there is no guarantee that self-organizing teams will form and be able to sustain themselves. This is particularly the case in non-agile organizations. Under those circumstances it is important to know common pitfalls of self-organizing teams and learn to overcome them. The lecture will discuss difficulties in developing and nurturing self-organizing teams. And it will show what it takes to master these challenges. This is not an easy task. The returns, however, are multifold and worth the investment. Self-organizing teams can thus become a cornerstone of project success.

1. The Illusion and Promise of
Self-Organizing Teams
Webinar for PMI-IS-COP
Wednesday March 6, 2013
Dr. Thomas Juli, PMP , CSM ® ®
i-Sparks & Thomas Juli Empowerment Partners
Picture © Stephanie Hofschläger | Pixelio.de

2. November 9, 1989
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 2

3. © 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 3

4. © 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 4

5. Variations of team’s scope and authority
Self- Self-
Manager-
organized governing
led teams
teams teams
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 5

6. The Promise & The Illusion
of Self-Organizing Teams
© 2012 by 2012 by Thomasrightsall rights reserved
© Thomas Juli; all Juli; reserved 6

7. 7 factors that make self-organizing teams
an illusion
1 - No management support
2 - Avoiding responsibility
3 - Traditional management
4 - Distrust
5 - Disrespect
6 - Impatience
7 - Lack of purpose and vision
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© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved

8. 1 - No management support
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9. Official View
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10. Actual View
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11. 2- Avoiding team responsibility
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12. 3 - Traditional management or
the death of empowerment
I am the boss!
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13. 4 - Distrust
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14. 5 - Disrespect
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15. 5 - Disrespect
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16. 5 - Disrespect
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17. 5 - Disrespect
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18. 5 - Disrespect
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19. Nurture Collaboration
“Players win games,
teams win championships.”
Bill Taylor
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20. 6 - Impatience with continuous improvement
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The Good and Evil of 20
Collaboration Tools

21. “Learning is not compulsory...
neither is survival.”
W. Edwards Deming (1900 - 1993)
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22. FEEDBACK
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23. Cultivate Learning
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 23

24. Fail Early to Learn Quickly
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25. Fail Early to Learn Quickly
Learn from your mistakes
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26. Fail Early to Learn Quickly
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 26

27. Fail Early to Learn Quickly
and learn from your successes
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28. Actively create the conditions for a culture of learning*
* Note: Farmers don‘t grow crops.
They create the conditions for crops to grow.
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29. 7 - Lack of purpose and vision
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30. The Promise & The Illusion
of Self-Organizing Teams
© 2012 by 2012 by Thomasrightsall rights reserved
© Thomas Juli; all Juli; reserved 30

31. 7 Preconditions for Unleashing the
Power of Self-Organizing Teams
1 - Purpose and vision
2 - Passion
3 - Cross-functional teams
4 - Empowerment
5 - Responsibility and accountability
6 - Acknowledgement
7 - Let it happen!
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reservedThomas Juli; all rights reserved
Picture © Petra Bork | Pixelio.de 31
© 2012 by 31

32. 1 - Develop a compelling purpose and vision
of and for your project and team
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33. Do you know your MVP?
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 33

34. 2 - Nourish passion
in your purpose and vision
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35. Do you know your MVP?
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 35

36. Do you know your MVP? – Part II
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 36

37. 3 - Develop cross-functional teams
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38. 4 – Empower your team
© 2012 by Thomas Juli;by Thomas Juli 38
© 2011 all rights reserved
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39. Take ... one at a time
Small
steps
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40. 5 - Team responsibility and accountability
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41. 6 - Acknowledge
performance, contributions and results
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42. Promote Performance
and have FUN
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43. 7 – Let it happen!
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 43

44. The Promise of Self-
Organizing Teams
7 Success Factors
1 - Purpose and vision
2 - Passion
3 - Cross-functional teams
4 - Empowerment
5 - Responsibility and
accountability
6 - Acknowledgement
7 - Let it happen!
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved Picture © Stephanie Hofschlaeger / Pixelio.de 44

45. The Promise of Self- The Illusion of Self-
Organizing Teams Organizing Teams
7 Success Factors
1 - Purpose and vision
2 - Passion
3 - Cross-functional teams
4 - Empowerment
5 - Responsibility and
accountability
6 - Acknowledgement
7 - Let it happen!
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved © 2012 by Thomas Juli Hofschlaeger / Pixelio.de
Picture © Stephanie 45

46. The Promise & The Illusion
of Self-Organizing Teams
© 2012 by 2012 by Thomasrightsall rights reserved
© Thomas Juli; all Juli; reserved 46

47. The Promise & The Illusion
of Self-Organizing Teams
7 Success Factors 7 Failure Factors
1 - Purpose and vision 1 - No management support
2 - Passion 2 - Avoiding responsibility
3 - Cross-functional teams 3 - Traditional management
4 - Empowerment 4 - Distrust
5 - Responsibility and 5 - Disrespect
accountability 6 - Impatience with continuous
6 - Acknowledgement improvement
7 - Let it happen! 7 - Lack of purpose and vision
© 2012 by Thomas Juli; all rights reserved 47

48. Your Experience
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49. Play!
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50. i-Sparks is an online playground for social
change helping individuals and organizations
grow their ideas into projects for success.
Dr. Thomas Juli
Founder and President, i-Sparks
Managing Director, Thomas Juli Empowerment Partners
Email:
tjuli@i-sparks.com
tj@thomasjuli.com
Web:
www.i-Sparks.net
www.ThomasJuli.com
www.TheProjectLeadershipPyramid.net
Twitter: i_sparks, thomasjuli
Whitepapers
and
presenta-ons
available
at
h2p://mo-vate2b.com/knowledge-­‐base
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