Behaviors that Promote and Destroy Teamwork Module 6, Lesson 2

1
Behaviors that Promote and Destroy
TeamworkModule 6, Lesson 2
Productive Team Behavior

• Supporting Behavior
• Asserting
• Initiating
• Refereeing
• Focusing

2
Supporting
Asserting

• Encouraging team members to express their ideas
• Making sure everyone gets a chance to be heard
• Be supportive of the persons right to speak by
  listening and responding, even if you disagree

• Blowing the whistle when members are behaving
  inappropriately - Gatekeeper
• Avoid being aggressive, but dont allow put-downs
  or monopolizing of the discussion

3
Initiating
Refereeing

• Speak up! Share ideas, even if you dont think
  they amount to much.
• Teams build on triggers or ideas that start
  from one contribution.

• A third person can often help two people resolve
  a conflict.
• Sometimes a simple question will clarify the
  controversial issues.
• Sometimes called negotiation or mediation

4
Focusing

• Occasionally summarizing whats been said to help
  the team stay on track.
• Pointing out how far the team has come can help
  the members see whats left to do.

5
Unproductive Behavior

• Squelching or Shutting Off
• Labeling
• Dominating

• Yes-Butting
• Naysaying
• Ignoring

6
Squelching
Labeling

• Interrupts, usually with an unrelated comment or
  sarcastic remark
• Member makes a suggestion and team ignores it as
  though nothing had been said

• Tries to psychoanalyze the speaker
• Questions the speakers motive
• Example Youre just being paranoid or Youre
  just trying to protect your job.

7
Dominating
Yes-Butting

• Does all the talking
• May think he/she is a leader, but actually is
  just shutting off communication.
• Makes members compete for a chance to speak.

• Really just a hypocrite
• Sends a double message
• Confusing and offensive
• Example Thats an excellent idea, but I dont
  think we can use it.

8
Ignoring
Naysaying

• Express disinterest say nothing, doodle in their
  notebooks, whisper to others while speaker is
  speaking.
• Just a warm body at the meeting
• Discourage team members by showing a lack of
  interest.

• Disagrees, no matter what is said
• Pessimist
• Discourages ideas
• Gives members an excuse to do nothing.

9
How to Battle Unproductive Behavior
Squelching the Squelcher

• Move the discussion back quickly to what the
  person was saying before the squelching
• If Squelcher tries another attack, its time to
  be assertive.

10
No Labeling Allowed
Dominating the Dominators

• Dominators may need to feel important or get
  attention which may give them strong leadership
  qualities.
• Teach them to share limelight
• Pull other team members into discussion

• Stay professional, not personal
• Tell labeler that the team is examining what is
  being said, not who is saying it.
• Establish ground rules to prevent labelers from
  having a chance.

11
No Buts about It
Just Say No to Naysaying

• Point out that the idea might not work or might
  be a long shot (agree with the Naysayer briefly),
  but that youll never know until you try
• Suggest ways to improve the odds of success
• Get more information
• Anticipate problems

• Afraid of disagreements, conflict avoidant.
• Assure team that they are free to offer any ideas
  they wish
• Encourage trust and open communication.

12
Heat up the Warm Bodies

• Make them feel valuable to the team.
• Draw them out with whatever special talents of
  skills they have.
• Find a way to make them take an interest in what
  the team is doing.