The Cranky Middle Manager #153 Measuring Teamwork with Kathleen Caldwell
Today Wayne Turmel talks to Kathleen Caldwell, one of the authors of Blueprint for Success about teams, why it’s so hard to get them all on the same page and how do you measure success? We also give some love to John Paul Jones… the one that helped start the American Navy, not the one from Led Zeppelin. This show would be wayyyy cooler than it is if we profiled HIM.
Don’t forget you can get a free copy of my new book, “125 Quotes for Whacking Weasels- Centuries of Wisdom, Motivation and Snappy Comebacks From The Cranky Middle Manager Show” (due date is September 1). All you have to do is post to the blog page or drop me an email and say why you listen to the show and why you like the quote of the week. The winning quote will appear on the back cover of the book and you’ll get a free copy. Thanks to Adam, Bob, Lucy and the folks who’ve already sent in suggestions…..
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to Episode 153. Since we’re talking teamwork I thought we’d salute (literally) Captain John Paul Jones, one of the reasons the American Navy got off to such a good start. Yup be loyal to your team, set high expectations and when all else fails, quit and go work for a startup in Russia.
3:32 The quote of the week is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of my all time favorites. Execution is the key, and sometimes realllly tempting.
4:15 Welcome Kathleen Caldwell author of Blueprint for Success, 14 Powerhouse Professionals and all around good egg. Why is managing teams such a challenge?
7:34 Why do smart teams do stupid things? What the heck is Team Intelligence? An effective team has to talk about why they’re all together. Explicity, out loud. There are 5 components:
- Communication
- Trust and Spirited Conflict
- Inspiring Goals
- Effectiveness and Accountability
- Mastery
11:47 Explicit communication is vital. Are all the goals stated or just assumed? We also talk about assessment tools that help you understand yourself and other people. (Marcus, i told you we’d get to this topic).
18:34 How does “Spirited Conflict” match up with all this bonding and communication? it’s not rocket science, I think rocket science is easier.
23:09 How do you actually measure team cohesion and accountability?
26:39 How does an outside consultant establish credibility with a team? How do you avoid malicious compliance?
29:00 Kathleen’s Resources
Beyond Booked Solid by Michael Port
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey
Don’t let the weasels get you down!