If you are serious about moving your organization from a traditional, hierarchical organization into flexible, nimble teams, think through the benefits and costs—as well as the many cultural changes that you, your employees, and your customers will have to face. For some, the changes are just too great, and teams may not be the best solution. For many, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.
Any organization interested in moving toward a team-based environment should have the following things in place.
A client of mine was frustrated that nothing was happening after a team meeting. He said, “It’s a great conversation, but then everyone goes back to ‘work,’ and nothing happens!”
It’s a common complaint as most teams identify potential tasks throughout the course of their meetings and then walk away thinking that everyone knows what they need to do.
Au contraire! Unless you have a process to ensure all know what needs to be done, who is responsible for doing it, and by when, it’s no surprise nothing happens.