Creating a Corporate “Family”

How do we create the conditions in which a team will flourish?

The cultures, management, organisational structures, leadership, power bases and the very raison d’être, differ for each team and are right when they work for particular teams.

Some organisations try to change their culture by claiming to “empower” their employees.

This can appear a vacuous claim for those who do not feel part of a family.

There have to be active, tangible, visible signs of change otherwise this leadership claim founders in the experience of staff in the front line.

So what is a team or a family?

• A family is more than a group of people
• Many working groups exist in organisations but they are not teams
• A family is not about structure or size
• A committee is not a team
• Members of real families define their belonging in descriptive terms rather than duties, functions or actions

Four Distinct Characteristics of Teams

• real teams have a synergy which shows that each member can achieve more by working together with others, than by working as an individual. Every team is unique and is affected by changing membership - the Red Arrows change every year but their performance remains supreme (many groups today are ignorant of the talent and skill of their members).
• real teams share a common purpose which is clear to each member (many groups have members who know nothing of the common goal and pursue different aims).
• real teams have leadership which is able to make the common objective more important and exciting than personal interests and produce enjoyment, to maintain consistent hard work.
• real teams have a “buzz” about them and thrive in a climate of mutual respect which allows open and direct communication without fear of censure, creating a sense of pride, a sense of belonging and a sense of fulfilment.

We implement the Selfridge Communications procedure to:

• Creat an action plan to deliver the climate in which the family or team can develop is our goal.
• Invest in internal communications
• Creat pride in belonging
• Create incentives  
• Create visible signs that a new culture is emerging