The presentation by Dr. Archer covered the type of people, the benefits of team work and how to repair broken teams. The key to innovation is working with people with who, in the past, you may have had difficulty only if you turn conflict into confluence, confluence into collaboration, collaboration into innovation, and innovation into disciplined execution.
The 1st rule of greatness is to confront the brutal reality. Dr Archers asked if fish school, birds flock, zebras heard, what do people do? Separate. Know the types of people with whom you work to better understand the team and deal with the conflicts. The types of people: Climbers, campers, and complainers. Climbers have a clear sense of purpose and passion, prepared and positioned to climb. They transform pain into power, wounds into wisdom, failure into fortune, scars into starts, and stumbling blocks into to stepping stones. Most importantly, they encourage others to climb. Campers fear the future and the pain of the past keeps them stuck in the present. Campers look like climbers, talk like climbers, and dress like climbers, but never climb. They simply set up camp at the bottom of the mountain and sing climbing songs. Complainers say "It's not my job" "... my problem." "... my fault.
Determine the type of person you want to be and ask yourself if you are a:
Leader or Lid? Do you develop those around you or isolate them?
Diamond or Pipe? Under pressure and over time a diamond shines and a pipe bursts.
Are you a tea bag? A tea bag when added to water changes color, smell and taste. What is inside you worth tasting?
What makes a team successful? Power teams have incremental sharing, value and respect input, provide resources and measures, and reward accountability and results.
Another activity we did with Dr. Archer was to determine who we would leave behind if we were stranded on an island with one row boat that seats 9 people, but there were 10. The descriptions of the 10 included age, sex, profession and one other descriptor based on skill, ability, possession, or belief. After a short discussion groups were asked to explain who stayed behind and why. Dr Archer then mentioned the answer given by Marines. No one was left behind. Marines’ credo is, "No Marine is left behind." They created a reclamation team and a way several could be tethered behind the boat. The message Dr Archer put forth via this activity was, "Don't make decisions based on circumstances, but on core values."
Dr Archer's solution to restoring a broken team is to learn the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the most power gift we can give. It was suggested that we use the Four D Cycle and ask ourselves: Discovery - What gives life? Dream - What might be? Design - What is the world asking for? Destiny - What is my role? We were directed to confront the person with whom we have conflict and focus communication on issue/problem, not on the person. Be assertive and focus feedback on the issue/problem. Be honest with feedback and care enough to follow-up.
Four foundation questions to rebuild relationships: Tell me when you felt most alive, engage and passionate about your work. What do you value most about yourself? ...the organization? What 3 wishes do you have to heighten your health and vitalization? ....that of the organization? What 3 things would you change about yourself? ....the organization? In closing we were encouraged to celebrate successes with Appreciative Inquiry: Appreciate, value, recognize the best in everyone and everything. Inquire, explore and discover...don't be afraid to ask questions.
Probe with appreciative questions to gain understanding of potential value.
Align to validate. Raise the level of trust to a new place of discovery.
Identify positive core.
Dr Archer’s message has expanded by understanding of teams and inspired me to be a better team player both in my profession and my volunteer work
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