Team Culture....where do you get it?

[JR8]

EEEK! So what you are saying is we have sheep, and then you get some big bulls, and then, and we should be very clear here, you suggest we put them in with the sheep?

I think there are laws against what happens next.

Throw in a couple of New Zealanders & some nasty stuff is gonna go down!!

 

[rockstar_tiger]

Phantom, what was that 4-word quote of yours, I always found it uplifting... it included the phrase Positive Confidence.

 

[BBC]

Leadership: Board, Management and especially the playing group's team leaders.

I tell you something Cousins is a phenomenal on field leader. Newman is decent too. After that we are looking at Cotchin and Foley.

There needs to be 10 or so.

 

[Bill James]

Outcomes of Tranformational Team Culture:

Shared Purpose

1. Set high standards.
2. Envision exciting new possibilities.
3. Talk optimistically about the future.
4. Talk enthusiastically about yourselves as a team.

Increased Commitment

1. To the group and each member of it.
2. To the groups agreed mission & purpose.

Increased Trust

1. Greater honesty within the group.
2. More direct communication about important matters.
3. A positive acceptance of difference.

More Drive

1. Positive energy freed up.
2. Clearer focus.
3. Fewer interpersonal obstacles.

Extra Effort

1. Get others to perform in excess of expectations.
2. Heighten others' desire to succeed.
3. Increase others' willingness to try harder.

Effectiveness

1. Backing each other up.
2. Meeting team needs.
3. Playing to team rules.

Satisfaction

1. Using positive reinforcing influences.
2. Playing together in harmony.

(My goodness, we at PRE could post using the above behaviours and set the example for the Tigers to follow.)

3 key questions on how to influence the Future?

1. What do we want our future group look like?

2. How is it going to evolve?

3. How will the group respond to these evolutionary changes?

The Tim Watson approach to coaching.

 

[pahoffm]

The Tim Watson approach to coaching.

Your comment just about sums you up.

What i posted is globally recognised as the fundamentals of good team culture & leadership.

They're not mine, they belong to established professional practice.

Your comments clearly indicate that your knowledge of good team culture is as remote as the furthest galxy to our Sun.

Your comments show how there is a fundamental lack of understanding re good team culture.

They also show that you have absolutely NOTHING to offer the RFC.

 

[Ghost of Punt Road]

I think there is something to the process Phantom brought forward, I just wonder at HOW such a thing will be implemented.

I fear in the past we thought getting the chaps to carry bags of rocks up and down sand dunes would do the trick.

In this case it will take a real kick start. A group therapy session for about a month, and a lot of planning meetings for continuing the process after that.

One thing missing in the Transformational team culture programme is a plan to deal with disappointments in the early days. What tools do you give the players to react with when they are getting hammered?

 

[IanG]

One thing missing in the Transformational team culture programme is a plan to deal with disappointments in the early days. What tools do you give the players to react with when they are getting hammered?

Leading teams seem to be the leading company in this sort of thing I wonder how they deal with it?

 

[Tigerhart04]

Leading teams seem to be the leading company in this sort of thing I wonder how they deal with it?

I was under the impression we've had Leading Teams at the club previously. Not 100% sure though.

From what I've heard there are some definite issues between some of the playing group and the sooner the new coach and his crew tidy that up, our "culture" will improve instantly.

If what I've heard is accurate, why the existing coaching staff have let it go on I have no idea. Unless everyone at the club is just waiting to get over the next 10 days and then POW!

 

[pahoffm]

Phantom, what was that 4-word quote of yours, I always found it uplifting... it included the phrase Positive Confidence.

A yes.

"Focus On Positive Confidence."

I like to think that these few words helped a group of U14 boys, in some small way, win a premiership.

Quite a few years ago there was a group of U12 Mackie boys. They didn't know each other, they didn't have much in common. It was hard for them even to get along with each other.

That first year they won only one game for the season, the last.

Over the next couple of years, as they developed, they got better.
But even in their U14 year, even though they were the best side in the comp, their internal problems and blow ups put a likely premiership at threat.

The critical point was about 5 weeks before the finals, the boys were 2nd or 3rd placed on the ladder.
The President of the Association had come down to their training session to tell them that their on field behaviour had better improve or the Association was about to kick their arse big time.

That evening at training the boys took a vow together.
They put their hands together and said that for the remainder of the season they'd work together to go after a premiership.

It was then that I put together "Focus On Positive Confidence" as a simple message that the U14 boys could relate to.

The boys won the last H&A game of the season, against the top team by a handful of runs, to secure 2nd place.

They played the top team again in the Semi-final.
The Semi Final was enormous.
It was down to the last over, the top team was 9 wickets down, needing 2 runs to win.
The captain chose his "leggy" to bowl the last over.
First ball, the batsman swung & missed but was still in his crease.
Second ball, the batsman swung again, missed, keepers took off the bails, out, stumped.
It was enormous.

During the preliminary, all the boys went down to watch the game to analyze both teams strengths & weaknesses.
The boys were going to face the top team again.

The GF was played in +35 degree heat.
On the first day, they restricted the the opposition to 150.
On the second, they got off to a slow start but had their wickets in hand.
A greater than 100 run partnership for the 4th wicket in 15 overs put the game within reach. The lower middle order got them there by about 3 or 4 wickets. The biggest margin of the 3 games, played by the same two teams.
Our boys won all 3.
But it was damn close.

I remember taking the whole team to the Oakleigh Swimming Pool where they spent the rest of the day in the water.

Yep, Focus On Positive Confidence.

 

[IanG]

I was under the impression we've had Leading Teams at the club previously. Not 100% sure though.

We have but not on a sustained basis.

From what I've heard there are some definite issues between some of the playing group and the sooner the new coach and his crew tidy that up, our "culture" will improve instantly.

If what I've heard is accurate, why the existing coaching staff have let it go on I have no idea. Unless everyone at the club is just waiting to get over the next 10 days and then POW!

Some players have problems with the effort others put in?

 

[Tigerhart04]

We have but not on a sustained basis.

Some players have problems with the effort others put in?

The exact "issues" weren't made clear, except the attitude of a few (mainly the new young guys) left a lot to be desired.

That's the whispers anyway, but it could be just huff and puff only.

 

[pahoffm]

I was under the impression we've had Leading Teams at the club previously. Not 100% sure though.

I don't believe we have Leading Teams.

I know Kim Stephens, the Org Psych, that works with Jeff Bond belongs to the Hay Group.

I don't know alot about the Hay Group. But they are an International group that is recognised.

http://www.haygroup.com/au/index.aspx

 

[Rosy]

This LINK is to an article by Browny in regard to Leadership and RFC using Leader Teams and also Stealth Development.

 

[IanG]

The exact "issues" weren't made clear, except the attitude of a few (mainly the new young guys) left a lot to be desired.

That's the whispers anyway, but it could be just huff and puff only.

There's an interesting thread on bigfooty about what I think you're talking about. Its the one about Posts comments about Wallace not speaking to him.

 

[pahoffm]

I think there is something to the process Phantom brought forward, I just wonder at HOW such a thing will be implemented.

It is delivered as follows:

1. Identify, is there a need for change?

2. Who will be the Leader at the RFC to take responsibility for change?

3. Are the team members of the RFC ready for change?

4. If ready for change, are the RFC team members capable of changing?

5. What plan are we going to create to move from awareness to adoption of new ways of doing things?

6. What rules will we set down to reinforcebehaviours that reflect the new culture?

7. What incentives or rewards shall we set down for ourselves by following the new behaviours?

8. What incentives & rewards can we set down to refresh our efforts in continuing these new behaviours?

This is where an Organisation Development Questionnaire (ODQ) comes in.
The ODQ will identify the the prevailing culture and areas of the prevailing culture that need change.

One would select maybe 3 important areas for development identified by the ODQ as areas needing change.
Frm there you need to create what is called,

The Change Intervention

I'll outline the Change Intervention this evening, after I've done a day's work.

 

[Bill James]

Your comment just about sums you up.

What i posted is globally recognised as the fundamentals of good team culture & leadership.

They're not mine, they belong to established professional practice.

Your comments clearly indicate that your knowledge of good team culture is as remote as the furthest galxy to our Sun.

Your comments show how there is a fundamental lack of understanding re good team culture.

They also show that you have absolutely NOTHING to offer the RFC.

On the contrary thats exactly the lecturing approach Watson applied at St Kilda and players eyes glazed over by the time they got to the word "transformational". What you posted is the attributes of good team culture not the fundamental cause. When this level of analysis is applied in an organisational behaviour context its usually because the leadership group has completely lost any idea of the organisations core objective and is trying to legitimise their continued presence with motherhood statements such as commitment, trust, drive, effectiveness which are impossible to deny as desirable attributes.

However these attributes are not the goal of an effective organisation they are an outworking of an organisation that effectively achieves its goal. If anything with respect to these attributes, leadership needs to be ruthless in eradicating the opposite behaviours, eg lack of commitment, lack of trust, laziness etc, but the main focus must be the goal not the attributes. The world is littered with discarded leaders that focused on organisational attributes and not orgnasiational goals.

Football is a pretty simple game. Get the ball to the other end and score more than the other guys. If you have the ball give it to someone, if you don't, present an option for your teammate or protect him. If the opposition has the ball, close down the ball carrier or stop your own opponent becoming an option and then help out a teammate who is having trouble with his opponent. If the team focussed on simple actions with a view to scoring more than the opposition you would be amazed how much trust, commitment, drive etc they would show. People like to have a task where simple goals are set and success can be measured. Making attributes the goal of the football club will kill it.

You are quite right, I probably don't have anything to offer the club but at least I know it.

 

[IanG]

On the contrary thats exactly the lecturing approach Watson applied at St Kilda and players eyes glazed over by the time they got to the word "transformational". What you posted is the attributes of good team culture not the fundamental cause. When this level of analysis is applied in an organisational behaviour context its usually because the leadership group has completely lost any idea of the organisations core objective and is trying to legitimise their continued presence with motherhood statements such as commitment, trust, drive, effectiveness which are impossible to deny as desirable attributes.

However these attributes are not the goal of an effective organisation they are an outworking of an organisation that effectively achieves its goal. If anything with respect to these attributes, leadership needs to be ruthless in eradicating the opposite behaviours, eg lack of commitment, lack of trust, laziness etc, but the main focus must be the goal not the attributes. The world is littered with discarded leaders that focused on organisational attributes and not orgnasiational goals.

Explain the success of Leading Teams then.

On your first point about Watson surely thats just a matter of how you present to the players.

 

[Bill James]

I note their clients include Geelong and Melbourne and half the teams in between. But it doesn't include Richmond and St Kilda and half the teams in between.

Sweet business model. They have a 50% chance of working with the premier each year but the clients.......

Are you confusing their success with their clients success?

 

[IanG]

I note their clients include Geelong and Melbourne and half the teams in between. But it doesn't include Richmond and St Kilda and half the teams in between.

Sweet business model. They have a 50% chance of working with the premier each year but the clients.......

Are you confusing their success with their clients success?

Richmond have only ever flirted with them not gone the whole hog from what I've read, and its obviously not the only way to change player culture. From what I've read about Geelong's change in culture it was largely brought about the sort of processes that Leading Teams advocates. As I said the way you present such processes to the players is surely also vital, if Watson presented it in managementspeak of course it wasn't going to work.

 

[pahoffm]

On the contrary thats exactly the lecturing approach Watson applied at St Kilda and players eyes glazed over by the time they got to the word "transformational".   What you posted is the attributes of  good team culture not the fundamental cause.  When this level of analysis is applied in an organisational  behaviour context  its usually because the leadership group has completely lost any idea of the organisations core objective and is trying to legitimise their continued presence with motherhood statements such as commitment, trust, drive, effectiveness which are impossible to deny as desirable attributes.  

However these attributes are not the goal of an effective organisation they are an outworking of an organisation that effectively achieves its goal.  If anything with respect to these attributes, leadership needs to be ruthless in eradicating the opposite behaviours, eg lack of commitment, lack of trust, laziness etc, but the main focus must be the goal not the attributes.  The world is littered with discarded leaders that focused on organisational attributes and not orgnasiational goals.  

Football is a pretty simple game. Get the ball to the other end and score more than the other guys. If you have the ball give it to someone, if you don't, present an option for your teammate or protect him.  If the opposition has the ball, close down the ball carrier or stop your own opponent becoming an option and then help out a teammate who is having trouble with his opponent. If the team focussed on simple actions with a view to scoring more than the opposition you would be amazed how much trust, commitment, drive etc they would show.  People like to have a task where simple goals are set and success can be measured.  Making attributes the goal of the football club will kill it.

You are quite right, I probably don't have anything to offer the club but at least I know it.

Again, I read your comments and see that it is filled with negative culture. You understand alot about culture but you position yourself on the negative side.

True, team members respond to uncomplicated messages.

That person charged with changing the culture needs to use uncomplicated messages.

But that person needs to understand the skills/technique of change.
Just like a footballer needing good football skills.
Just like a cricketer needing good cricket skills.
And so on.

Again, I know what has been done at Geelong, Sydney & Hawthorn.

At Collingwood it has done it a little differently in the past, possibly on the negative side.
Hopefully this has changed since Eugene Arocca left the Lexus Centre.

I'm not an Org Psych.
I am fortunate enough to be in a position where I help Org Psychs & Coaching Professionals successfully transform teams.
I have witnessed the successful transformation of a number of teams in and outside of Australia, over a varied range of sectors including sport.