Self-Sabotage A team of four to seven members often represents a practical balance.

Self-managing Team #

What is an optimal size for a team that can efficiently self-manage, i.e. not need a formal leadership? #

The optimal size for a self-managing team that can effectively operate without formal leadership depends on several factors, including the nature of the task, the complexity of the work, the skills of the individuals involved, and the team’s communication practices. Research and theory in both organizational behavior and social psychology offer valuable insights into how teams can function optimally.

From a psychological perspective, the size of a group significantly impacts its members’ ability to communicate, collaborate, and maintain mutual awareness of each other’s roles, responsibilities, and contributions. George Miller’s classic cognitive psychology theory suggests that the average human can maintain about seven (plus or minus two) active relationships in working memory. This suggests that small teams are more manageable cognitively for their members.

Team Dynamics Theories #

Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development — Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. As teams grow larger, navigating these stages can become more complex and time-consuming, potentially requiring formal leadership to guide the process.
Hackman’s Team Effectiveness Model — This model highlights that while larger teams can draw from a broader range of resources, they also face increased challenges in coordination and motivation, which can impede effectiveness without formal leadership.
Ringelmann Effect — This social psychology effect observes that individual productivity tends to decrease as group size increases, due to coordination and motivation losses.

Empirical Research #

Research in organizational settings suggests various optimal sizes:

Amazon’s two-pizza rule posits that teams should be small enough to be fed with two pizzas — roughly six to ten people. This size is believed to optimize collaboration and efficiency while minimizing the complexity of communication and decision-making.
Scrum and Agile methodologies in software development advocate for small, cross-functional teams of around seven members, based on the principle that this size balances diversity of skills with nimbleness and minimal hierarchical structure.

Practical Considerations #

In practice, the exact number can vary, but here are some considerations for determining an ideal team size:

Task complexity: Simple tasks may require fewer people, while complex tasks that benefit from diverse input may justify slightly larger teams.
Skill diversity: Teams that require a wide range of skills may need to be larger, but this also increases the risk of coordination difficulties.
Communication quality: Smaller teams typically have higher-quality communication, which is crucial for self-management.
Team maturity: More experienced and cohesive teams can often handle larger sizes more effectively than new teams.

A team of four to seven members often represents a practical balance, enabling efficient communication and sufficient diversity of thought while minimizing the coordination overhead that can necessitate formal leadership. This size is small enough to maintain self-management yet large enough to leverage collective intelligence effectively. Each team, based on its unique context, might find a slightly different optimal size within this range.

What would be an ideal short set of rules, or instructions offered to a team tasked with a single goal in order to maximize their efficiency? #

Establishing a concise and clear set of rules or guidelines can greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of a self-managing team focused on a singular goal. These rules should promote autonomy, clarity, accountability, and collaboration. Here’s an ideal set of instructions that could be employed to guide such a team:

Define Clear Objectives and Roles

Objective Clarity: Ensure that the team’s overall goal is clearly defined and understood by all members. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) objectives are essential.
Role Specification: Assign roles based on individual strengths and skills. Each member should understand their responsibilities and how they contribute to the overall goal.

Establish Open and Continuous Communication

Regular Check-ins: Schedule regular meetings (daily or weekly) to discuss progress, address challenges, and adjust plans as necessary.
Transparency: Encourage open communication about successes, failures, and feedback without fear of reprisal. This includes maintaining a shared document or digital workspace where all members can see updates and changes.

Set Decision-Making Protocols

Consensus-Based Decisions: Foster a culture where decisions are made based on consensus rather than majority rule. This approach encourages buy-in and active participation from all team members.
Conflict Resolution: Pre-establish a method for resolving disagreements that focuses on the best interest of the team’s objectives, using impartial data and reasoning.

Encourage Autonomy and Ownership

Empowerment: Allow team members to take initiative and make decisions within their areas of responsibility. Empower them to seek solutions and innovate without constantly seeking approval.
Accountability: Each team member should be accountable for their contributions. Implement a system where peers can gently hold each other accountable, perhaps through peer reviews or regular reflections on personal and team performance.

Promote Continuous Improvement

Feedback Loops: Create mechanisms for regular, constructive feedback. This can include retrospective meetings focused on what went well and what can be improved.
Skill Development: Encourage ongoing learning and adaptation, allowing team members to attend trainings, workshops, or dedicate time to learn new skills that benefit the team.

Recognize and Celebrate Achievements

Acknowledgment: Regularly recognize and reward contributions and achievements that align with the team’s goals. This could be as simple as verbal recognition in meetings or more formal rewards systems.

Maintain Flexibility

Adaptability: Stay flexible in processes and be willing to adapt strategies as new information and circumstances arise. Encourage team members to bring forward new ideas that can improve efficiency or effectiveness.

Implementation

These guidelines should be presented in an accessible format, perhaps in a kickoff meeting or in a documented charter that all members agree upon and sign. It’s crucial that these rules are revisited and potentially revised throughout the project to ensure they remain relevant and effective as the team progresses towards its goal.

What about soft issues? What advice would we give to team members? #

Addressing the “soft issues” in team dynamics is crucial for the long-term success and cohesion of any group, especially in self-managing teams where interpersonal relationships can significantly influence productivity and job satisfaction. Here are some key advice and guidelines that could be shared with team members to foster a positive and supportive work environment:

Cultivate Respect and Empathy

Understanding Diversity: Encourage team members to respect and embrace differences in backgrounds, perspectives, and work styles. This includes recognizing and valuing the unique contributions each person brings to the table.
Empathy: Promote an environment where empathy is practiced. Team members should strive to understand and share the feelings of their colleagues, especially during stressful times or when conflicts arise.

Communicate Effectively

Active Listening: Encourage team members to practice active listening, which involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and then remembering what is being said.
Clarity and Honesty: Communication should be clear, honest, and constructive. Avoid jargon and ensure that messages are straightforward and considerate.

Build Trust

Reliability: Trust is built when team members consistently meet their deadlines and keep their promises. Encourage reliability in all team interactions and commitments.
Confidentiality: Foster a sense of safety where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and vulnerabilities, knowing that their privacy will be respected.

Support and Collaboration

Offer Help: Promote a culture where team members proactively offer help to each other, especially when noticing a colleague may be overwhelmed or struggling.
Seek Assistance: Encourage team members to feel comfortable seeking help and advice without fear of judgment. This fosters a learning environment and prevents issues from escalating.

Conflict Resolution

Address Issues Early: Encourage team members to address disagreements and conflicts early and openly, rather than allowing resentment to build. Focus on Issues, Not Personalities: When conflicts do occur, focus on resolving issues based on facts and objectives, not personal attacks.

Promote Psychological Safety

Non-punitive Environment: Create an environment where making mistakes is seen as a part of learning and growth, not a cause for punishment or shame.
Voice Opinions Safely: Ensure all team members feel safe to express their thoughts and opinions without fear of negative consequences.

Encourage Personal Development and Team Bonding

Team Activities: Organize regular team-building activities that are not just work-related. This could include virtual coffee meets, team lunches, or interest-based clubs.
Personal Growth: Support and recognize individual efforts towards personal and professional growth that contribute to the team’s objectives. Implementation

These principles should be integrated into regular team interactions and reflected in the team’s culture from day one. Leaders within the team, even in a self-managing group, should model these behaviors consistently. Additionally, periodic workshops or training sessions on communication, empathy, and conflict resolution can reinforce these values.

By maintaining a focus on positive interpersonal relations and effective communication, teams can create a more productive and harmonious work environment. This not only enhances efficiency but also contributes to the overall well-being and satisfaction of each team member.

What personality types function well within self-managed teams? Think big five. #

In the context of self-managed teams, certain personality traits from the Big Five model—namely Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—can significantly influence how well individuals function within such teams. Here’s a breakdown of how each trait may impact an individual’s performance and integration in a self-managed team setting:

Openness to Experience

Adaptability and Innovation: High openness is characterized by a strong curiosity, imagination, and a willingness to explore new ideas. In self-managed teams, these individuals often thrive by contributing innovative solutions and adapting quickly to new methods or changing environments.
Communication: Open individuals tend to be more receptive to others’ ideas and perspectives, making them effective collaborators.

Conscientiousness

Reliability and Discipline: Highly conscientious individuals are organized, dependable, and diligent. In a self-managed team, these traits are invaluable as they help to maintain a high standard of work and ensure that tasks are completed on time and to a high standard.
Leadership: While not in formal leadership roles, conscientious individuals often naturally take on the responsibility for ensuring that the team stays on track towards its goals.

Extraversion

Communication and Energy: Extraverts tend to be energetic and assertive, and they often take initiative in social situations. This can be beneficial in a self-managed team as they can help to stimulate discussion, foster a positive team atmosphere, and ensure active participation from all team members.
Network Building: Their propensity for building wide networks can be advantageous for the team in terms of external collaborations and resource gathering.

Agreeableness

Cooperation and Conflict Resolution: Highly agreeable people are typically cooperative, kind, and compassionate. They are adept at resolving conflicts amicably and fostering a cooperative team environment, which is crucial in self-managed teams where hierarchical structures are minimal.
Supportive Nature: These individuals often prioritize group harmony and are more likely to support fellow team members, contributing to a positive team morale.

Neuroticism

Emotional Stability: Lower levels of neuroticism (or higher emotional stability) are generally preferable in self-managed teams. Individuals with lower neuroticism are less likely to experience emotional swings in response to stress, which helps in maintaining a calm and stable team environment.
Resilience: These individuals can handle stress and setbacks more effectively, providing a solid foundation for the team during challenging periods.

Ideal Profile for Self-Managed Teams

An ideal team member in a self-managed setting would likely score high on Openness, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness, have a moderate to high level of Extraversion, and a low level of Neuroticism. This combination facilitates innovative thinking, reliable work ethics, strong interpersonal skills, effective communication, and emotional resilience.

Practical Application

When assembling or developing self-managed teams, it can be beneficial to assess these personality traits either through formal assessments or more informal observations and interactions. This understanding can help in strategically composing teams with a balanced mix of personalities that complement each other, enhancing team cohesion and overall effectiveness.

Isn’t the usefulness of conscientiousness debatable in this context? #

The role and impact of conscientiousness in self-managed teams are indeed subject to some debate, and this merits a nuanced exploration. While conscientiousness is generally seen as a positive trait in most work settings due to its association with reliability, goal-directed behavior, and attention to detail, its implications can vary in self-managed or flat organizational structures.

Potential Benefits of Conscientiousness in Self-Managed Teams

Task Completion and Reliability: Conscientious individuals are known for their persistence and dedication to completing tasks thoroughly, which can be crucial in ensuring that projects meet their deadlines and standards without the oversight of formal management.
Self-Discipline: These individuals often have strong self-discipline, enabling them to manage their time and responsibilities effectively, a vital skill in environments lacking traditional supervisory roles.
Quality Assurance: Their attention to detail can significantly contribute to the quality of the team’s output, as they tend to strive for excellence and thoroughness in their work.

Potential Drawbacks of High Conscientiousness

Resistance to Change: High conscientiousness can sometimes correlate with a lower flexibility and a preference for established routines and structures. In self-managed teams, which often require adaptability and openness to iterative processes and innovative approaches, this could potentially stifle creativity and slow down the adaptation process.
Overemphasis on Perfectionism: Excessive conscientiousness may lead to perfectionism, which can be counterproductive in fast-paced or highly innovative environments where speed and adaptability are more crucial than meticulous precision.
Interpersonal Challenges: In cases where conscientious individuals become overly focused on task completion and rules, it could lead to friction in a team setting that values consensus and collaborative decision-making. This might manifest as impatience or frustration when others do not meet their high standards or adhere strictly to processes.

Contextual Suitability

The effectiveness and desirability of conscientiousness may also depend on the specific context and nature of the team’s goals:

Innovation-driven tasks: Teams needing high levels of creativity and quick pivoting might find highly conscientious traits slightly less beneficial, as they could inhibit risk-taking and rapid experimentation.
Quality-critical tasks: For teams working in areas where precision and reliability are paramount (e.g., safety-critical systems in software development), high conscientiousness is undoubtedly a valuable asset.

Balancing Team Composition

Given these nuances, the key is not to eschew conscientiousness but to balance it within the team. A mix of personalities can harness the strengths of each trait:

Integrate Flexibility: Pairing conscientious individuals with those high in openness can balance the need for both detailed precision and adaptability.
Moderate Traits: Encouraging individuals with very high conscientiousness to embrace some level of flexibility and to prioritize completion over perfection can help mitigate some of the drawbacks.

In conclusion, while conscientiousness brings undeniable benefits to team settings, including self-managed teams, it is important to recognize and manage its potential downsides, especially in dynamic and rapidly changing environments. The optimal approach often involves a balanced team composition where various traits complement each other, facilitating both stability and innovation.