August 2009 Jazzthink E-Zine

Core Chart for Great Teamwork - J. Richard Hackman

J. Richard Hackman teaches social and organizational psychology at Harvard. In his book, Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performance (2002), he draws together the results of over two decades of research and sets out five core conditions for creating and sustaining effective teams. What I like about his core chart for great teamwork is the realism he brings to his thinking about the human dynamics in teams and how bad the results can be. Further, he hones in on the key role of the leader in getting agreement on a compelling purpose and direction. Among the leaders of jazz groups that I have been interviewing for Finding Your Leadership Groove, this insight has come up often. They see themselves responsible for finding the opportunities to play, deciding on who will play together, and choosing the repertoire that will be played. Only within that context can talented and highly-individualistic musicians work together in harmony and rhythm.

Here's Hackman's core chart for great teams:

Teams must be real. It is the leader's job to be clear about who is on the team and who is not. This may seem ruthless in an age of inclusivity, but Hackman argues that it is essential to team success.
Teams must have a compelling direction. Members need to know and agree upon what they are supposed to be doing. Otherwise, different assumptions will create conflicts, diffuse focus, and drain energy.
Teams must have enabling structures. These structures include clearly designed tasks, the right mix of members, and enforced norms of conduct. Any laxness in providing and applying these kinds of structures reduces the trust that is essential to effective teamwork.
Teams must have a supportive organization. Creating the organizational conditions of team success is essential and involves the rewards system, the HR system, and the communications system. If teams do not enjoy a favorable environment for mutual accountability and achievement, they will flounder and often fail.
Teams must have expert coaching. The coaching is not for the individuals, though that can help as well. The coaching Hackman talks about deals with the whole team as it interacts in its group processes, especially at the beginning, middle, and end of the project. The coach can help the team catch early signs of dysfunction and make the corrections necessary to sustain and complete successful teamwork.

Great teams, as Hackman observes below in our quote of the month, need leaders who are more like jazz musicians that symphony section players or conductors. It is the flexibility and trust that arises under the conditions outlined above that provides the inner dynamics for sustainable success in teamwork.

And I find it particularly encouraging that yet another expert, writing from years of research and reflection, finds in jazz a powerful metaphor for the brilliant leadership and teamwork we aspire to in our organizations in this challenging and constantly changing context.