The team size.
Regardless of project content and goals, there are group dynamics that define the size of a team. Teams that are too large are difficult to organize, simply in terms of scheduling appointments. They also tend to fragment into subteams with informal sub-project managers.
Teams that are too small, on the other hand, not only have insufficient capacity, they also lack the diversity of opinions to generate creative solutions. A team should therefore consist of at least five and a maximum of ten people.
Everyone knows – no boss in the team.
Please let that melt in your mouth: an answer like a shot from a pistol, accompanied by cheerful laughter, especially from the bosses present. I claim that everyone around the world knows that a boss in the team prevents a team from taking full responsibility.
If the project is not going well, who does management turn to first? What role are you trying to increase in order to save a project? Who will be replaced when it is recognized that a radical measure is needed to correct the project?
And what makes a particularly good project manager? That he takes responsibility for his project. That he identifies 100% with his project. That he is passionate about the project goal with commitment and complete commitment. And what happens in terms of group dynamics when someone with this ideal description takes responsibility for their project in a group of people?
Meetings with bosses are different.
You know the situation: The team is sitting in the meeting room, there is no boss there. Everyone discusses with concentration and commitment to find a solution. Everyone takes part, people talk with their hands and feet. Solutions are drawn on flipcharts, everyone is eager to improve on their colleague’s idea. A highly dynamic river.
Suddenly the door opens and the boss comes in. It’s a good boss, he doesn’t want to disturb you – just listen, show attention. That’s why he approaches the table very politely, almost quietly, and sits down on an empty chair next to one of the team members. He smiles and nods encouragingly, feeling that the discussion is going well.
What happens to the highly dynamic, extremely creative and constructive solution-finding discussion? “Uh, maybe we should give the boss a quick summary?” Or: “Yeah, we were just about to take a break anyway.” Or the discussion continues in a somewhat mock manner while the real energy level has slipped below 50%. Why? Because someone came into the room with responsibility invisibly tattooed on their forehead. And that is the phenomenon of responsibility.
The delicate balance of responsibility.
As soon as someone in a group has a little more of it, they fall away from the others. Responsibility is highly sensitive, invisible, it can build up and break down at the speed of light. In certain constellations it will not exceed a certain height.
AGILE aims to raise the responsibility of each team member to a higher level. This is exactly the fundamentally new approach, the reason for the sensational successes that we have achieved with this method in many industrial companies.
More responsibility for each individual team member.
The team must be freed from any kind of leadership, including informal leaders. But you know this: If a project manager leaves the team, there is often room for an informal team leader. He is happy to take on the new role because he sees career opportunities and is more committed to them. This is welcomed by management.
The team members are also often quite open to this. Teams that have been used to being led for many years initially fall into a kind of helplessness and ask for a decision. Sometimes a junior, informal team leader is pushed into this role by the team.
The AGILECOACH should prevent both. His goal is to increase the acceptance of responsibility by each individual team member.
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