-Organize your team around specific goals.

You should organize your teams to achieve specific goals. Dont just throw a team together without a clear purpose for the team. For instance, you might want to have a cross-functional team at your site if your organization is large enough. A hospital site could well use a team of nurses from different departments, as pediatrics and oncology, along with pharmacists and any employees who are involved in communications between nurses and pharmacists. Such a team could help eliminate the many problems that often arise between them. If your site is not large enough for such specialized teams, you might want to have a team made up of representatives from various groups at your site.

For instance, a doctors office might want a team made up of a representative from front office staff, back office staff, doctors, and the office manager. Such a team could address issues such as staff morale or eliminating waste in various office processes. You might even want to have a short term team just to solve billing errors, for instance.

-Pick a good leader.

Once you have organized a team at your site, you next need to pick a team leader. This is not necessarily a site leaderoffice or department manager, CEO, etc.but it should be someone who has the respect of the staff and who has a good insight into the problem to be solved. This person should also be able to keep the team on task and be able keep the morale of the team up. Ideally, you want someone who can develop synergy, the sixth habit of Steve Coveys The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

-Stages of team development.

Be aware too that teams go through stages of development. A newly organized team will probably not be as effective as one that has already achieved numerous successes. The team leader can help move a new group into a positive, supportive team. Some texts describe the steps in team development as Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. The first stage we have already discussed. The second stage-norming-is when the individuals test the leadership and test to see if the goals can be changed to meet their own needs. The third is when individuals start to shift from their own personal agenda to the teams agenda. Finally, the last stage is when the synergy of the group appears.

-Positive, unintended consequences.

The power of teams can have many beneficial, unintended consequences. Recently, I heard a speech by a lawyer who specialized in helping Human Resource Departments with problem employees. In one part of his speech he described one defense used by disruptive employees. He stated that such an employee claims that he was never told what his specific tasks were. This actually does happen. Thus such an employee has justification for his poor performance.

With good functioning groups, though, such excuses often can be eliminated. Often teams reinforce the responsibilities of individual team members and develop efficient processes in achieving tasks. Everyone should know what they are expected to contribute to the success of the organization. Writing a team mission statement can strengthen the delivery of individual performance. Positive employee performance is just one consequence of good team organization.

If you have not used teams in your setting, I hope that you form one soon. I know it will have many good outcomes. If you regularly use teams, I hope that you continue and that my tips will help you achieve a state of synergy.

Donald Bryant helps healthcare providers meet their challenges and writes Making Good Healthcare Better a free monthly ezine for healthcare providers who want to dramatically improve patient health, improve the bottom line, and make work more rewarding, guaranteed. Go now to http://www.bryantsstatisticalconsulting.com to get a free article with tips you can use to start making improvements immediately and to learn more about Lean Healthcare.

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