v

UK: +44 742 896 0708 | US: +1 917 909 5726 | IN: +91 97390 22490

Agile Coaching

Train your teams on agile methodology with insight and tips from Leadership Tribe where we specialize in online courses that can guide your team through the process.  From Kanban training to Scrum Training, Agile software development and more, make your teams agile with the latest advice, news and blogs here.

What Should New Team Leaders Do First? Best practices.

Taking on a leadership position, whether for an existing team or starting in a new one, can be daunting, with no prior experience to draw on. In addition, as a post-COVID effect, more teams are embracing remote working or a hybrid model, adding complexity and uncertainty to new leaders’ challenges.

Your performance in the first few months can significantly impact your success as a team leader and, ultimately, whether your team can deliver optimal results. How are you going to strategize your move? What steps would you take to set your team up for success? We’ve provided some strategies and tips for new leaders and included information on leading remote teams. This article will help you establish and maintain a productive, collaborative team while developing your leadership skills.

The best strategy for a new team leader

Get to know your coworkers

New team leaders should start by getting to know their team in person and understanding their coworkers’ skills, talents, personalities, and goals. They should also encourage team members to learn from each other better, create an environment where people can be honest, open, and vulnerable, and build trust and a team collaboration culture.

It may include facilitating a well-organized introduction session or initiating meetings with team-building exercises. It can entail holding social gatherings for virtual teams or beginning calls by asking how each team member is doing. Some practical team activities can have each person sharing their best and worst experiences working in groups or naming the top 3 items they enjoy or would like to change being part of a team. These discussions will help team members to come together to understand perspectives, feelings, and needs and identify further actions to promote collaboration.

Set expectations and lead by example

To ensure everyone is on the same page and can collaborate successfully and respectfully, new team leaders must lay out their expectations and establish ground rules for the group. Make no assumptions and explain how you expect the team to work. It may include a few things, such as how the organization defines roles and responsibilities, makes collective decisions, delegates work, uses metrics to measure performance, and works together.

It is an opportunity for new leaders to communicate their values and priorities, lead by example and motivate and inspire their teams. Great leaders are committed to the team’s success; they are willing to put in the effort required, listen to the ideas and opinions of their team and act on them as appropriate. It will, in turn, foster an environment of trust and collaboration, which can lead to more successful outcomes.

Start with “why” and clarify goals

Influential leaders start by helping their teams to understand the “why.” Ensure you thoroughly explain why this team exists, its purpose, and how each individual’s contribution is essential to achieving success. Encourage everyone to recognize their roles as part of something larger, creating a sense of purpose for them all.

Another essential task as a team leader is to work with your team and set ambitious but achievable goals with everyone’s input. With a clear understanding of the organization’s vision and the team goal early on, the team members will have a common purpose, team working and decision-making will be more efficient. Team members will hold each other accountable. In practice, it’s advisable to regularly review team goals and re-strategize, realign and reorganize resources to best achieve them.

Communicate openly and frequently

Communication is key to the success of any good leader. When you start your journey, it is crucial to identify your key stakeholders, understand their needs, and structure and cater your communications accordingly. Answer questions such as: Who are the key stakeholders you need to address? What would be the best approach to communicate with them – conference calls, one-on-one meetings, emails, or progress reports? How frequently do you need to check in with them?

As a general rule of thumb, it is better to over-communicate than to under-communicate at early stages. You can adjust your communication as you mature and establish your leadership role. Use your initiative, emotional intelligence, and communication skills, and work with your stakeholders to ensure everyone is up to speed and potential problems are addressed effectively and on time.

Recognize success and celebrate “early win”

Acknowledging the achievement of a team’s work can make all the difference, and achieving “early wins” accelerates the team’s momentum. People are more willing to go above and beyond in their professions and commit to future successes when they believe their efforts are appreciated and rewarded. Set milestones and encourage the team to achieve them; when they do, celebrate their accomplishment, no matter how small. It will motivate teams to constantly strive for excellence, improving team performance and creating a company culture of appreciation over time.

In practice, recognition can take the simplest form of taking a few minutes in your team meeting to recognize people’s contributions or to appreciate their help. Reflecting and celebrating the team’s accomplishment and showing appreciation for contributions can dramatically affect the team’s morale and retention and helps to bind the group together – something every couple needs for success!

Foster continuous learning

Let’s not forget that we operate in a rapidly changing and constantly evolving environment. Good team leaders should foster a learning environment by pursuing their leadership development and providing opportunities for team members to grow and develop their skills. This can be done by enabling regular training, mentoring, and coaching programs, creating a safe working environment, and encouraging teams to experiment with new ideas. Leaders can also become active contributors to the team’s learning journey by providing helpful guidance and constructive feedback.

By investing in the competency and capacity of the team, new leaders will create a more energetic and productive team in the long run.

What should a new team leader do?

Being a new team leader can be an exciting yet challenging experience. It is essential to think about how to lead your team; the following tips can help you transition to your new role successfully.

Do:

  • Connect with team members and encourage them to connect;
  • Establish expectations and be clear about how to evaluate team performance;
  • Clarify team goals and align team members to achieve them;
  • Communicate and check in with key stakeholders frequently;
  • Foster an open and collaborative working culture and promote diversity and inclusivity;
  • Lead with empathy and respect;
  • Continuously learn and develop own leadership and management skills, and related skill-set and strive for the best work;
  • Encourage team development and provide guidance and feedback;
  • Identify and celebrate “early wins,” spot and fix roadblocks or grievances;
  • Strategize and plan for the first 90 days as a new team leader;

Don’t:

  • Dive into accomplishing the work without building relationships with the team;
  • Assume new team members are familiar with how you and others function;
  • Be afraid to communicate often at the beginning;
  • Set team goals without discussing them with the team members;
  • Ignore feedback from the team;
  • Be a new manager (you are a leader!)

Conclusion

Becoming a good team leader can be an overwhelming but rewarding journey.

Team leadership involves communicating and collaborating with your team members to create an environment of trust, respect, and collaboration. It is a continuous journey of empowering the team to achieve milestones, celebrate successes, and strive for the better. Setting clear objectives and expectations helps team members stay focused and take the initiative to work towards a common goal.

Empathy, emotional intelligence, leadership and management skills, dedication, and hard work are required. If you’re up for the challenge and passionate about creating a team that’s successful, motivated, and makes a difference, start acquiring the skills and practicing!

Contact us and find out how we can support you! Check out our latest courses at Agile Coach Bootcamp or read more about agile topics on our blog.

Workplace Mediation Guide – How To Resolve Disputes

At some point in our careers, we will all face conflicts with a coworker. Workplace mediation can help resolve the issue before it becomes a bigger problem, whether it’s a minor disagreement or a full-blown argument. Workplace mediation services is a process where an impartial third party (the mediator) helps employees involved in a conflict to communicate and find a resolution. The professional mediator does not take sides or decide for the employees; instead, they facilitate communication and help the employees reach their agreement.

If not addressed, workplace conflicts can flare up and worsen, leading to grievances, disciplinary procedures, or employment tribunals. Mediation services avoid these more formal and expensive paths by guiding participants to mutually acceptable solutions. If you’re facing a conflict at work or workplace issues, read on to learn more about this process and how it can help. We’ll cover what mediation is, how to prepare, and what to do during and after the joint meeting.

What is mediation?

Workplace disputes are inevitable. But, with the help of mediation, one can resolve quickly and efficiently.

Mediation is when two or more parties meet to resolve their differences. The mediator’s role is a neutral third party who facilitates communication and helps the parties reach an agreement.

The goal of mediation is to reach a resolution that is mutually acceptable to all parties. It is a voluntary process, meaning all parties must agree to participate.

Mediation is used to resolve a variety of workplace disputes, such as disagreements about job duties, salary, or benefits. It can also be used for conflict management between coworkers.

The mediation process usually begins with an opening statement from the mediator. The mediator will then ask each party to state their case. After both sides have been heard, the mediator will facilitate discussion and help the parties find common ground. The mediator may also make suggestions for resolution.

Once an agreement is reached, the mediator will prepare a written contract that all parties must sign. This agreement will outline the terms of the resolution and how it will be implemented.

Workplace conflict

Workplace conflict is an inevitable part of any organization. Conflict can negatively impact productivity and morale, whether a personality clash between two employees or a dispute over a work process.

While it’s not possible to eliminate all workplace conflicts, mediation can be an effective way to resolve disputes before they escalate.

Workplace mediation can be used to resolve a wide variety of issues, including but not limited to the following:

  • Personality conflicts
  • Communication problems
  • Workload disagreements
  • Conflict over work processes or formal procedures

People often struggle with workplace mediation because they don’t know what to expect or how to prepare. It can be intimidating, especially if you are inexperienced in conflict resolution.

For some, it is hard to speak up for themselves and express their needs during mediation. It can make it challenging to reach a satisfactory agreement for both parties.

If you’re facing workplace conflict, consider enlisting the help of a mediator. A mediator can help you and the other party to identify the conflict’s source and brainstorm potential solutions. With the help of a mediator, you can find a resolution to which everyone can agree.

What emerges during mediation?

During mediation, the parties can share their perspectives on the dispute and understand the other party’s perspective. The mediator helps the parties identify their common interests and goals and brainstorm possible solutions. The mediator does not make decisions for the parties but helps them reach their agreement.

If the parties can reach an agreement, they will sign a mediation agreement that sets forth the terms of the resolution. If they cannot reach an agreement, they may continue to try to resolve the dispute on their own or through another process, such as arbitration or litigation.

The advantages of an workplace mediation

An informal approach to workplace mediation can have several advantages over a formal process, including the following:

  • It can be quicker and more cost-effective than going through the formal grievance or disciplinary process.
  • It can help to improve communication and reduce relationship breakdown between employees whilst keeping the matter confidential
  • It can help to resolve disputes before they escalate into more significant problems.
  • It can help reduce management times
  • It can also increase employee satisfaction and reduce absenteeism
  • Avoid potential negative publicity associated with litigation.

How can workplace mediation help?

Workplace mediation can help resolve disputes between employees or employees and their line managers. By facilitating communication and providing a structured process for discussion, mediation can help parties to identify the root causes of their disagreement and find a way forward.

Use mediation as an effective tool for addressing conflict in the workplace because it:

  • Encourages open communication:

By creating a safe and neutral space for discussion, mediators can help parties feel more comfortable communicating. It can lead to a better understanding each other’s perspectives and needs.

  • Facilitates problem-solving:

Mediators will work with parties to help them identify the root causes of their conflict and explore potential solutions. It can prevent disagreements from escalating into more significant problems.

  • Confidential process:

Mediation is confidential, meaning any information disclosed during mediation cannot be used in future legal proceedings. It can improve employee relations and encourage employees to be more open and honest about their concerns.

  • Is voluntary:

Mediation is voluntary, unlike other dispute resolution processes, such as arbitration or litigation. It means that both parties must agree to participate in mediation.

When can mediation be used?

Mediation can be used at any stage in the dispute resolution process. It is used early on to resolve disputes before they escalate into more serious conflicts. Mediation can also be used after more formal methods, such as arbitration or litigation, have failed to resolve the dispute.

When mediation may not be an ideal solution

Mediation may not be an ideal solution in the following situations:

  • There is a history of violence or threats of violence between the parties.
  • The parties are not willing to communicate with each other directly.
  • One of the parties is clearly in a position of power over the other party.
  • The dispute is about something that is not negotiable.

Utilizing mediation at various stages of a disagreement

Mediation is used at various stages of a disagreement to resolve the issue. Very early in a conflict to prevent the problem from becoming a formal grievance. Once tempers have cooled down, they can also be used later in a dispute to try and reach a resolution.

In the early stages of a disagreement, mediation can help to prevent the issue from escalating. It allows both parties to air grievances in a safe and controlled environment by following grievance procedures. It also allows them to devise a mutually agreed-upon solution that satisfies both parties.

In the later stages of a disagreement, mediation can still help to resolve the issue. It allows both parties to discuss their feelings and needs in an unbiased setting. It also allows them to reach an acceptable resolution for both parties.

Facilitation skills

There are several essential skills that you will need to develop to facilitate difficult conversations:

  1. You will need to be an excellent communicator, both verbally and non-verbally. It means being able to clearly express your thoughts and feelings, as well as being a good listener.
  2. You will need to build rapport quickly with those involved in the dispute. It consists in establishing trust and understanding between parties.
  3. You will need to be able to manage difficult emotions such as anger and frustration.

A step-by-step guide to mediation

The first step in mediation is to meet with the mediator. This process is done in person, over the phone, or online. During this meeting, you’ll discuss your issues and what you hope to achieve through mediation. The mediator will then explain how the process works and answer any questions you have.

Next, you’ll meet with the other side of the dispute (the other employee, your boss, etc.). The mediator will facilitate this meeting, helping both sides air their grievances and propose possible solutions. It’s important to remember that mediation is voluntary, so both sides must agree to participate and be open to compromise.

Once there is conciliation, the mediator will prepare a written document detailing the terms of the contract. This document is signed by both parties and becomes binding.

Resource planning for internal mediators or external mediators

When two employees have a dispute, it can be helpful to bring in an external mediator to help resolve the issue. However, before you can do that, you need to plan for the mediation. It includes identifying the goals of the mediation, scheduling a time and place, and preparing any materials required.

If you bring in an external mediator, you will also need to decide how to pay for their services. Many organizations have a budget for workplace mediation, but you may require approval from upper management if yours does not.

Once you have all the necessary approvals and funding, you can reach out to potential mediators. When choosing a mediator, it is essential to find someone who is impartial and has experience mediating similar disputes. Once you have selected a mediator, they will work with both parties to help them resolve.

Management training for resolving disputes

Management training is a process through which managers (including human resources) learn how to resolve disputes between employees effectively. This type of training can be essential in preventing and resolving conflict within the workplace. By learning to mediate disputes, managers can create a more productive and positive work environment for all employees.

Various management training programs are available, tailored to any organization’s needs. These programs can teach managers the skills and techniques necessary to resolve disputes. In addition, management training can also provide managers with the knowledge and tools required to prevent conflict from occurring in the first place.

By investing in management training, organizations can ensure that their managers have the skills and knowledge necessary to resolve disputes and effectively create a positive work environment.

Implementing mediation within the workplace

  • If you decide that mediation is suitable for your workplace, there are a few things you need to do to implement it:
  • Choose a qualified mediator: The mediator should be impartial and have experience dealing with workplace disputes.
  • Train managers and supervisors: Managers and supervisors need to be trained in identifying potential disputes, referring team members to mediation, and how the mediation process works.
  • Communicate the policy: Employees need to be aware of the mediation policy, how it works, and their rights. This can be done through posters, employee handbooks, or training sessions.
  • Set up procedures: Procedures should be established for referring disputes to mediation, conducting the mediation, and following up after mediation.

Key points on workplace mediation

  1. Workplace mediation is a process that can help resolve disputes between employees.
  2. The mediation process begins with each person telling their story separately. The parties involved are then brought together to meet face-to-face. Mediation gives everyone an equal opportunity to speak and explain their point of view. Brainstorm mutually beneficial solutions, and then summarise the agreement once both parties have agreed on one.
  3. Mediation can help improve communication and understanding between employees and can prevent disputes from escalating.
  4. If you are experiencing a disagreement at work, consider asking your employer if they offer workplace mediation.
  5. Mediation is confidential and can be conducted by an impartial third party.
  6. Mediation can help you reach an acceptable resolution for both parties involved in the dispute.

Employers’ reference and guidelines

If you are an employer, you may find yourself in a situation where you must mediate a dispute between two employees. While this can be a challenging task, there are some things you can do to make the process go more smoothly.

First, it is crucial to understand the different types of disputes that can occur in the workplace. These include personal conflicts, disagreements about work tasks or procedures, and power struggles. Once you have identified the type of dispute, you can begin to develop a mediation plan.

A few key elements should be included in any mediation plan:

  1. All parties must be given a chance to air their grievances. It means that each person can speak without interruption from the other party or you.
  2. All parties must be willing to compromise, making some concessions to reach an acceptable agreement with everyone involved.
  3. It is essential to have realistic expectations for the outcome of the mediation.

It means understanding that not every conflict can be resolved and that sometimes the best result is simply reaching a mutual understanding.

If you follow these guidelines, you will be well on your way to successfully mediating a workplace dispute.

Conclusion

If you find yourself in a dispute at work, don’t despair. With the help of a workplace mediator, you can resolve the issue and get back to business. By following our guide, you’ll be able to increase the success rate and reach a fair resolution for both sides. With mediation, there’s no need to let disputes ruin your working relationships. Contact us if you would like further support.

Characteristics of an Agile Team

In every organisation, when we consider good teams they have employees who have exceptional self-organizing and personal skills. However, when we consider forming Agile teams, expectations are exponential (often those expectations come from stakeholders). An Agile team is expected to deliver quality work efficiently. That’s a key concept for Agile practices and Agile projects.

In this article, we will discuss the key characteristics that make an Agile team truly ‘Agile’. We’ll explore Agile practices and the concepts behind successful agile teams.

 

What makes a team Agile?


The following themes feed into Agile principles and, when adopted by Agile team members, will transform and drive the development process. It underpins Agile project management and resource management.

Purpose

The first and essential characteristic required for an Agile team is a clear sense of purpose. Nobody can perform to his/her best unless they know what they’re doing and what would be the likely consequences of their actions. Having a purpose motivates team members to work tirelessly in achieving assigned goals and reaching key metrics. Without a meaningful purpose an Agile team is no better than any other team. However, instilling this sense of purpose gets covered by the Agile coach. Usually, the product owner or team lead may articulate the purpose, by stating the commercial utility and business value of the software development.

Effective Communication

Efficient Agile teams exhibit effective communication without behavioural barriers. Teams possessing robust communication skill sets can resolve issues quickly and outperform other teams. An Agile team is supposed to communicate effectively and present challenges before they become a problem. Moreover, Agile teams are designed for iterative product formation and problem solving. Communication, therefore, becomes an integral feature of its very existence.

Transparency

Since an Agile team is a cross-functional team with members from different departments working together to achieve the same goal, transparency in sharing information and ideas become indispensable. For an Agile team, sharing of ideas and collaborating to generate solutions and continuous improvement is decidedly constitutive. This openness is one of the key characteristics of high performing teams and part of the agile manifesto. Adopting an agile mindset, encourages development teams in particular to work in increments and to collaborate and communicate constantly.

Trust

Since transparency is essential for building a high-performing Agile team, trust is another facet that brings cohesion and dependency within a team. Without trust, a team will disintegrate into elements of doubt and despair. Trust enables team members to come up with issues that are bothering them and to seek help without any second thoughts regardless of possible humiliation and disgrace. It aids teamwork and boosts team performance.

Continuous Improvement

Agile teams work on a continual solution finding workflow to arrive at a fully deliverable product. However, perfection cannot be achieved until the team is willing to identify and accept inherent deficiencies and improve upon them. A successful Agile team expects its members to come up with the best possible solutions. Even though it has everyone on board, the team continually need room for improvement. They’re expected to explore user stories, to respond to testers’ feedback, to prioritise a product backlog and more elements constantly. The scrum framework, with a scrum master leading a scrum team, facilitates this workflow and iterative process of raising questions and problem solving. This agile methodology is an efficient and effective form of product development and project management.

If you’d like to learn more about Agile coaching and creating high performing agile teams, Leadership Tribe is here to help. We can provide accredited training in agile practices, agile software development, agile frameworks, scrum frameworks and more. Contact our knowledgeable team to find out more.

 

Organizational Barriers to Change

How to overcome organizational impediments

Understanding the different types of barriers existing within an organization is crucial to overcoming organizational impediments. It will allow you to develop a strategy to overcome any employee resistance to the corporate change process that may occur within the organization. Once the design is in place, it is crucial to implement it and evaluate the results. One should know how to make necessary adjustments to achieve the desired outcome. Whatever approach you take, it’s important to be relentless in your efforts as a change catalyst against the status quo.

You have been working as a change agent (Scrum Master, Agile Coach, Enterprise Coach, Leader, or fill your role here) at your company for a few years now, and you’ve seen how things have been done for as long as you can remember. You know that some organizational impediments prevent organizational change, but you’re not sure what they are or how to overcome them. You also don’t know whom to turn to for help. It can be challenging to create a change initiative within an organization, especially if you don’t know where to start. This article will discuss the different types of organizational impediments to change and how to overcome them. We’ll also provide tips on how to be a successful change catalyst within an organization. So, if you’re ready to make some changes, keep reading.

To successfully overcome organizational impediments, you must learn how to identify the suitable approaches and takeaways for your situation. It would be best if you also learned how to communicate effectively with leaders about the change management process. It involves developing a strategy for overcoming resistance to organizational change and implementing it successfully.

You can do several things to develop a successful strategy for overcoming resistance to change initiatives. One of the most important things is understanding how to overcome organizational barriers. It will allow you to develop a tailored approach that will be more likely to succeed.

You also need to identify the sources of resistance to change. It will help you target your efforts and ensure that you’re addressing the biggest obstacles head-on. It’s also essential to build a coalition of supporters who will help you implement planned change initiatives and evaluate them retrospectively.

Finally, it would be best if you are prepared for setbacks and willing to make necessary adjustments along the way. The key is to be relentless in your efforts and never give up on your goal of making organizational changes.

Understand the types of organizational impediments

The first step in overcoming organizational impediments to change is gaining an in-depth understanding of the most common barriers. Several different types of barriers may exist within an organization, and it’s essential to be aware of them. Some of the most common types of organizational impediments include:

Structural Barriers:

These are barriers created by the organizational structure, policies, and procedures. They can create silos and make it difficult or impossible to managing change within the organization.

Behavioral Barriers:

These common barriers are created by the way people behave within the organization. They can include resistance to the change process, groupthink, and risk aversion.

Political Barriers:

The politics of the organization create these barriers. They can include things like power struggles, favoritism, and turf wars.

Organizational Culture:

A company’s culture can cause barriers to organizational change, including norms, values, and beliefs.

Technological Barriers:

These barriers to organizational change are created by technology. They can include proprietary software or systems that are difficult to change or upgrade.

Environmental Barriers:

The external environment can also cause barriers to organizational change. They can include things like regulations, competition, and economic conditions.

Once you understand the different organizational impediments that may exist within your company, you can begin to develop a strategy for overcoming them. It involves identifying the sources of resistance to change initiatives and building a coalition of supporters who will help you implement and evaluate your changes successfully.

Identify the sources of resistance to organizational change.

The sources of resistance to organizational change are necessary to identify because they can be the biggest obstacles to achieving your goal of implementing change initiatives within the organization. There are several different sources of resistance, and each one can be a challenge to overcome.

Some of the most common sources of resistance to the strategic change process include:

Reluctant to Change:

It is one of the most common sources of resistance, and it can be challenging to overcome. People may resist changing how they do things, even if it’s for the sake of the organization.

Groupthink:

It occurs when people are reluctant to question the decisions or actions of the group. This approach to decision-making progress can lead to stagnation and prevent changes from being made.

Risk Aversion:

It occurs when people are afraid to take risks, even if they could lead to improvements or innovations. It can hinder progress and prevent transformational change.

Power Struggles:

These occur when people attempt to gain control or influence over others to further their agenda. They can create team conflict and prevent change efforts from being made.

Favoritism:

It occurs when people are given preferential treatment based on personal relationships instead of merit. It can lead to unfairness and dissatisfaction among employees.

Turf Wars:

These occur when people try to protect their areas of responsibility or power by preventing others from encroaching on them. They can hinder progress and prevent changes from being made.

Poor Change Management:

It is building a coalition of supporters to overcome the resistance to change. It is frequently cited as one of the main reasons for organizational change resistance. Poor change management can lead to confusion, frustration, and a lack of understanding among employees. It can make it difficult to implement successful change initiatives successfully.

Develop a strategy to overcome resistance to change

Once you understand the sources of resistance to change, you can develop a strategy to overcome barriers. It involves identifying the strategies that will most effectively overcome each type of resistance.

Some of the most common strategies for overcoming resistance to change:

Persuasion:

This strategy involves convincing people that the changes are necessary and will benefit the organization. It can be effective in overcoming reluctance to organizational change and groupthink.

Incentives:

This strategy involves offering incentives to employees for accepting and implementing the changes. It can effectively overcome reluctance to a change process, risk aversion, and power struggles.

Education:

This strategy involves educating employees about the necessary changes and how they will benefit the organization. It can effectively overcome groupthink, risk aversion, and power struggles.

Communication:

Lack of communication can be detrimental to any change initiative. This involves creating an effective communication strategy that regularly communicates with employees about the change’s progress and solicits feedback. As well as being in the frontline and collaborating with them to ensure that the changes are made in a way that is most beneficial to them and the organization. Making the timelines visible This can be an effective way to overcome resistance to change, especially in cases where employees feel that they have a say in the process.

Collaboration:

This strategy involves working with different levels of the organization’s employees to develop and implement the changes. It consists in soliciting their input and feedback and collaborating with them to ensure that the changes are made in a way that is most beneficial to the organization. This can be an effective way to overcome resistance to change, especially in cases where employees feel that they have a say in the process.

Using ADKAR Change Model as a tool to implement change

ADKAR can help you overcome these obstacles and ensure your change management initiative is successful. ADKAR is a five-step change management framework that Prosci developed. It stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement and outlines the steps to implement change projects successfully. Let’s take a closer look at each stage.

Awareness:

This step involves raising awareness about the need for change and getting people to buy into the idea of change management. It’s essential to communicate the reasons for the transition to senior management and mid-level managers about how it will benefit the organization.

Desire:

This step involves motivating people to want to make changes. It would be best if you showed them how the changes would improve their lives or the lives of others within the organization.

Knowledge:

This step involves enabling employee productivity by providing information about the changes so that they understand what is required. Employees need to know what to expect of them and how they can complete the tasks associated with the change.

Ability:

This step involves helping employees develop the skills and knowledge necessary to implement the changes successfully. Identify the training and development programs to support employees learn new skills.

Reinforcement:

This step involves ensuring employees have the support they need to sustain the changes over time. It may include providing feedback, coaching, and rewards for successful change implementation.

By following the steps of the ADKAR model, you can overcome barriers to change management and successfully implement new processes in your organization.

Implement the strategy and overcome resistance

Once the strategy is in place, it is crucial to implement it and evaluate the results. Change agents need buy-in from top management to make necessary adjustments to achieve the desired outcome. Whatever approach you take, it’s important to be relentless in your efforts as a change catalyst against the status quo.

The best way to ensure the strategy is successful is to get buy-in from as many people as possible. One can be done by regularly communicating with employees about the changes progress and soliciting their feedback. It’s also essential to provide incentives for accepting and implementing the changes.

If you can overcome the sources of resistance to change and successfully implement your change management strategy, the organization will be much more likely to achieve its goals.

Evaluate results and make necessary adjustments

Evaluating the results of a change initiative is essential for determining whether the changes have been successful. It will involve assessing the changes’ impact on employees, customers, and all the stakeholders’ buy-in. It also includes assessing the financial and operational effects of the changes.

If the evaluation results indicate that the changes have not been successful, it may be necessary to adjust your strategy. It could involve modifying or abandoning the changes altogether. It’s essential to be flexible and willing to make adjustments as needed to achieve success.

Conclusion

No matter how well you plan for or communicate your change management strategy, there will be some adversity. It happens when emotions become involved. People can sometimes react and push back when workplace changes occur.

The key to successful change management is anticipation:

You can consider System Thinking and taking the entire organization in perspective, wearing different hats, using bespoke coaching models to address the change, and putting appropriate strategies and processes in place before introducing the change. Even seasoned executives struggle to get buy-in when that change is complex in scope, long-term, or encounters strong resistance. If you are new to leadership or not, consider engaging a change management consultant at Leadership Tribe to help you. By ensuring that the anticipated return on investment (ROI) for the change is triumphant, that investment could yield enormous rewards for your company.

Developing Effective Conflict Management Skills for Improved Team Performance

What is team conflict?

Conflict within a team can be defined as any disagreement or disagreement between team members that have the potential to affect performance negatively. Team conflicts typically arise when team members have different goals, values, or ideas about how they should do something. While some level of conflict is inevitable in any team, resolving conflict effectively minimizes its negative impact on high performance.

I am sure we have all faced workplace conflict and what’s important is – how we manage them. Clashes take place in all environments, be they personal or professional. Here we will investigate how we can resolve conflicts professionally when working in teams.

Conflicts are not always threats

Many of us tend to perceive conflicts as threats. The most crucial fact that we must understand is that disputes will occur, and we need to normalize them. It is OK to have conflicts. Some level of effort is required to address conflicts in the best way possible without worsening the situation.

Another big question is, “Who resolves the team conflict?” Is a specific team member who serves as a mediator and assists in its resolution? The answer is that no single person is solely responsible for resolving team conflict. The entire team should collaboratively come together to help manage conflict.

The scrum master, however, plays a crucial role in an agile team by coaching and mentoring the teams and employing simple conflict resolution skills & techniques. They are the scrum processes’ guardians and ensure the team adheres to them. If the teams can identify the conflict’s origin, they usually try to resolve it amongst themselves; however, if they fail to settle under the supervision of the Scrum Master if the conflict intensifies and becomes an impediment for the team.

The impact of team conflict on team performance

Team conflicts can negatively impact team performance, including decreased productivity, decreased team morale, and increased team turnover. Additionally, team conflict can lead to communication problems and a lack of interpersonal conflict resolution within the team. While some level of conflict is inevitable in any team, managing conflict effectively to minimize its negative impact is essential.

There are several things that team members can do to improve performance. One of the most important things is to develop effective conflict management strategies. These can help team members resolve conflict more effectively, which can, in turn, help improve team collaboration. Additionally, developing practical conflict management skills can also help team members to avoid some of the negative impacts of team conflict, such as decreased productivity and decreased team morale.

Developing practical conflict management skills

Team members can use several effective conflict management strategies to reduce the negative impact of team conflict on performance.

Some effective conflict management strategies include:

Encouraging open communication

Effective communication is essential for managing team conflict effectively. Team members should feel comfortable communicating with each other about their differences and should be encouraged to do so respectfully and constructively.

Establishing team ground rules

Ground rules can help team members in resolving team conflict by providing guidelines for how to disagree with each other and work through differences respectfully. Ground rules should be established at the beginning of a team project and revisited as needed to manage future conflict.

Practicing active listening

Without interrupting or passing judgment, active listening entails paying attention to what the other person is saying. It also means trying to understand their perspective and their own feelings and responding in a way that shows you have heard and empathized with them. Active listening takes practice which comes often with experience such as taking nonverbal cues, but listening skills can be a helpful tool for managing conflict within a team.

  • Mutual respect: Showing a positive attitude and respect for each other’s opinions and ideas, even if you disagree.
  • Flexibility: Being willing to compromise and find solutions that work for everyone involved.

Emotional intelligence is a crucial skill

When it comes to managing conflict within a team, emotional intelligence is a crucial skill. Individuals with high emotional intelligence can effectively manage their own emotions, as well as understand and respond to the feelings of others. This can be extremely helpful in diffusing tense situations and resolving conflict.

There are a few specific strategies that those with high emotional intelligence typically use when managing conflict. First, they can see both sides of the issue and understand all points of view. They are also good at active listening, which involves hearing what the other person is saying and trying to understand their perspective. Finally, they can compromise and find solutions that satisfy everyone involved.

Identifying areas of agreement

When team members focus on areas where they agree, they are more likely to find creative solutions to their differences and avoid workplace and relationship conflicts within the team.

One of the necessities for effective conflict management is problem-solving. Problem-solving involves finding a way to address the underlying issues causing the conflict. It may require creative thinking and outside-the-box solutions. Once the root cause of the conflict is identified, it can be much easier to find a resolution that everyone can agree on.

Brainstorming solutions

Brainstorming can be a helpful way for team members to generate creative solutions to their differences. When team members brainstorm together, they can build on each other’s ideas and come up with solutions they may not have thought of on their own.

Using these effective conflict management strategies, team members can reduce the negative impact of team conflict on performance and improve overall team functioning.

Agile training

Body language for effective communication

Body language and facial expressions are the nonverbal communication cues to convey feelings and emotions and resolve conflict. When team members conflict, body language can defuse the situation and help the team come to a resolution.

Some of the best solutions for using body language to manage conflict include:

  • Make eye contact: Eye contact is a powerful way to show that you are engaged in the conversation and interested in what the other person says.
  • Avoid crossing your arms: Crossing your arms can be seen as a defensive gesture and may make the other person feel like you are not open to hearing their perspective.
  • Lean in: Leaning in shows that you are invested in the conversation and want to hear what the other person says.

– Use open body language: Open body language, such as keeping your arms uncrossed and facing the other person, conveys that you are approachable and receptive to hearing their viewpoints.

Using body language effectively can help team members pick up to resolve conflict and improve team performance. Attention to body language cues can help you better understand the other person’s perspective and find common ground. When conflict arises, take a step back and assess the situation before responding. By using body language to manage conflict, you can improve communication and constructively resolve disagreements.

Conflict management templates

Conflict management templates can be a valuable tool for team leaders and members in resolving disagreements. By having a set structure in place, team members can more effectively communicate with each other and come to a resolution. Templates can also help prevent conflict by establishing ground rules for how team members should interact with each other. While conflict is inevitable, using templates can help reduce its negative impact on team performance.

Ability to make decisions

When there is conflict within a team, decisions need to be made to resolve the issue. Individuals need to be able to make decisions quickly and efficiently to avoid further conflict.

Ability to create a positive work environment

A positive work environment is essential for team performance. Individuals need to create an environment where team members feel valued and respected.

Ability to integrate different perspectives

When there is conflict within a team, it is often due to different perspectives. Individuals need to be able to see both sides of the issue and integrate diverse perspectives to find a resolution.

Personal coaching for conflict management in the team setting

Let’s look at how team conflict can be resolved.

Personal coaching is one of the best ways to resolve team conflicts. The Scrum Master plays a vital role as a relationship conflict resolution agent. They pay attention to the root cause and listen carefully to the challenge. The Scrum Master needs to have a good relationship with the team members to guide them through any impediments. The teams should also get along well with one another at the same time.

One-on-one coaching discussions with the team members aid in understanding their issues and difficulties. The teams should be given time to try to tackle the problem on their own and come up with a solution. But the Scrum master intervenes when a team quarrel becomes unresolvable and negatively affects the team’s production.. But when there is a situation where the team conflict is not going anywhere and impacting the team’s productivity, the Scrum master steps in.

Here are four steps to help manage conflict and mentor the teams.

Scene Setting

Before taking any action, one must first comprehend the conflict’s underlying causes. Acting on the disagreement without knowing its underlying causes can make things worse and make the issue worse. The Scrum Master assembles the team to identify the core cause in an assertive manner.

Gathering information

When acquiring information in this situation, listening is crucial. Don’t pass judgement on the people or circumstances at hand. Recognize the difficulties from everyone’s point of view. Always respect others’ opinions and foster a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels heard and valued. The scrum master must assist the team in realising that a conflict affects more than just the parties directly involved and the rest of the team.

Brainstorming to find the solution

In certain instances, the scrum master might not be able to resolve the issue.

You can assist the group in brainstorming other alternatives. It can happen by directing the conversation using various facilitation tools and techniques. Strong inquiries, constructive dialogues, and hands-on brainstorming exercises can all help you hear the teammates’ quieter voices.

Deciding on the solution

After the team has contributed their many thoughts and suggestions, please compile a list of them that is accessible to all.

Ask the group which one they would like to implement after discussing those. Encourage the teams to communicate and establish trust so they may freely share and express themselves so that everyone feels involved in the decision making process.

Tips for managing team conflict effectively

Some tips for developing effective conflict management include:

  • Learning to identify the early signs of team conflict
  • Developing good communication skills
  • Learning how to compromise
  • Learning how to mediate disagreements
  • Being willing to seek outside help when necessary

By following these tips, team members can learn how to manage conflict effectively and improve performance.

When a team or task conflict arises, it is essential to take action immediately to prevent the situation from escalating. Using the tips and strategies described above, team members can learn how to manage team conflict and improve performance effectively.

Conclusion

A deeper understanding between the team members is one of the advantages of resolving any conflict situation. As they proceed, they gain new knowledge and develop their ability to adapt and cooperate more effectively. Team members become more trustworthy of one another, which enhances coordination. Teams develop self-awareness, respect for each person’s functioning, and an ability to adapt to more modern working practices. In the end, it boosts team happiness and productivity.

If you would like to learn more about managing conflict within your team, contact Leadership Tribe and we are happy to get on call with you and discuss the best way to join our high performing Coaching Practice & Team Building sessions.

The Dilemma of Hobbesian Trap – Coaching or Consulting

What is the Hobbesian Trap?

The Hobbesian Trap is a theory named after Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), a British Philosopher specialising in political science. This trap is also known as Schelling’s Dilemma (after Thomas Schelling). It explains that pre-emptive strikes occur between two groups, out of bilateral fear of an imminent attack and self-preservation. Escalation of this fear can spiral and lead to an arms race.

Thomas Hobbes elaborated on a theory initially described by Thucydides. Hobbes felt that it was human nature to quarrel. There are three main causes – competition, diffidence and glory. Game theory focuses on the third motive – glory- or why a reputation is worth fighting for.

This theory has been applied to conflicts including the First World War, the Cold War or the Cuban Missile Crisis. The latter conflict over nuclear weapons was based on mutual distrust and pre-emptive strikes between the US and USSR.

The analogy of Hobbesian Trap 

Business leaders often have the urge to hire experts when they feel something is keeping the company from reaching its full potential. They want to leverage some extra help, especially when the company is going through significant changes or experiencing substantial challenges. The leaders enrol experts such as business coaches and consultants to help them steer the ship through the rolling waves.

It can be the exact solution the company desires, but it is surprising that some of the leaders know little about the differences between a coach and a consultant. That’s in terms of the role, work scope, level of engagement, how they can help the company to achieve success, and so on.

The role of a coach 

In the work context, coaches are like highly experienced business partners working alongside executives and teams. They can offer invaluable benefits to the business. Depending on the different specialism of coaching, coaches may focus on working with particular groups of clients, such as LeadershipTeam, and Cohort, and their practice of coaching may involve different approaches and tactics.

In general, coaches provide customized and experiential development process that empowers business leaders and teams to fully realize their potentials, enhance capability and maximize performance. The coach has great insight into and awareness of the nature of man.  They enable staff to work together collaboratively and creatively to achieve sustainable outstanding results and organizational goals.

A coach’s superpower is to use active listening and powerful questioning to help clients understand their ‘as is’ and ‘to be’ state of nature; to devise strategy and plan; support and challenge them along the journey. They help clients to think outside the box and see new perspectives and hold them accountable to keep on shifting towards the goal while maintaining clear focus and alignment to the business objectives.

It is important to note that the coaching relationship is based on mutual trust and respect, and the organization, leader, team, and coach needs to work in partnership together to achieve maximum effectiveness and impact. 

Make sure you also check my other article on coaching here.

The role of a consultant

Business consultants are subject matter experts, who are most likely to have achieved success in their professional life and can advise their clients on how to acquire the same knowledge and skills and achieve similar successful results.

Consultants share their extensive knowledge and experience in a customized and targeted manner, providing exactly what the clients need. They have the required expertise to help organizations analyzing issues, compiling findings, advising solutions, and implementing a customized plan of action. Besides, they can also assist to track and assess the effectiveness of the plan, keep challenging the project delivery, feedback and course-correct as appropriate to optimize the results delivered.

Generally speaking, consultants can bring in their expertise, fresh opinion, and a more objective perspective to the business in need. The consulting process is more linear in the sense of transferring the knowledge and skills, and may often involve some level of training.

Deploy the coach or the consultant?

Knowing the key differences between a business coach and consultant can help one to prevent the Hobbesian Trap, avoid disappointments and optimize resource usage. Coaching empowers teams to maximize their performance and consulting provides expertise and assistance to tackle the challenges head-on.

Often the lines between coaching and consulting get blurred, leading to ineffectiveness in addressing the organization’s needs. We have summarised some of the key differences between coaching and consulting below:

  • Building Capacity vs. Solving Problem
  • Facilitating Self-learning and Self-organisation vs. Outsourcing Existing Problem
  • Internally-drive Growth vs. External Expertise
  • Exploring Possibilities vs. Providing Recommendation
  • Asking Questions vs. Providing Solution
  • Empowerment vs. Following Instruction
  • Focus on People vs. Focus on the Problem
  •  “Left-brained” Growth and Evolution vs. “Right-brained” Linear Steps to Achieve Goals.

Understanding your organizational requirements and when to employ the services of a coach or a consultant is crucial for the engagement’s success. It is recommended that one needs to introspect on the critical key areas of the organization before the engagement, such as:

  • The Requirement of the business
  • Quality of the inherent knowledge in the business
  • Robustness of the support structure and culture in the organization
  • Time sensitivity required for the intended results

If you want to explore The Hobbesian Trap further, look at the citations of Steven Pinker or Sandeep Baliga or this simple overview on wikipedia. Thomas Hobbes most famous work is Leviathan.

Download Our ICP-APO Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our ICP-LEA Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our ICP-ATF Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our ICP-ACC Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our Kanban System Design Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our Agile Coach Bootcamp Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our ICP-ENT Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our ICP-CAT Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our Enterprise Coach Bootcamp Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our ICP Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)

Download Our ICP-BAF Brochure

psst.... look out for the discount code at the bottom of the email!

Your Document Is On its Way (Check your Junk Mail Folder, just in case)