Welcome Team Voyager!

“That’s been one of my mantras—focus and simplicity.
Simple can be harder than complex.
You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.”
— Steve Jobs
 
 

Welcome Team Voyager!

You've taken a significant step – seeking a GPS for your team journeys!

Teams, though complex, multifaceted, and dynamic, are an integral part of our lives.

We understand what makes a team successful, the key milestones, and the traits of innovative teams.

By combining these insights, we've made navigating team voyages surprisingly simple.

Bon voyage, Team Voyager!

Secrets of Highly Effective Teams

“Great things in business are never done by one person;
they’re done by a team of people.”
— Steve Jobs
 
 

Have you ever watched a highly effective team? A team that appears as an effortless occurrence, with each team member works seamlessly with other team members, almost as if they can anticipate each other’s every move.

What makes a team so highly effective at accomplishing its goals and objectives? What enables a team to become a high performing team, outpacing other teams?

Here we begin exploring some of the secrets behind exceptionally effective teams. Within this post, we'll reveal three crucial elements for team success:

  • Define Team Roles

  • Assign Directly Responsible Individuals (DRIs), and

  • Understand Typical Team Milestones


These secrets are part of the GPS for navigating the team voyage with confidence and extraordinary outcomes [remarkable results].

 
 

Team Roles

One of the secrets of effective teams is to define team roles. A group without team roles is a group. A team has defined roles. See the gallery below for more information about team roles, their importance, and team activities.

 
 

Directly Responsible Individual (DRI)

One common team challenge is that every team member may know a specific task, deliverable, or target date is important, but no one may takes primary responsibility for it.

This is where DRIs can enhance team effectiveness. A DRI, or Directly Responsible Individual, is the team mate assigned direct responsibility for ensuring the completion of a specific task or deliverable. While the entire team may be involved, having a designated DRI eliminates the risk of team members assuming someone else will hand the task, only later to discover that it was left unaddressed.

DRIs can operate within a team and may coincide with team roles. For instance, a team might find it efficient to assign direct responsibilities to specific team roles. In this way, the team member fulfilling a role also knows the corresponding DRIs.

In unique situations, the DRI may need to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Overall, using DRIs can prove to be another secret of effective teams.

 
 

Team Milestones

Teams pass several milestones on the way to becoming a highly effective, productive team.

Teams understanding these milestones often are more adept at navigating the team journey.

The four milestones are:

  1. Forming

  2. Storming

  3. Norming

  4. Performing

If the team, after accomplishing its purpose, will be disbanded, there is a fifth milestone:

5. Adjourning

 
 

To delve deeper into each of these milestones and the GPS tools for a successful team voyage, continue to the next post: Milestone 1 Forming.

 
 

Team Milestone 1 Forming

“Design is not just what it looks and feels like.
Design is how it works.”
— Steve Jobs
 
 

During the forming stage, team members tend to identify their commonalities and shared interests. This initial phase can create the illusion of a smooth and harmonious start for the team. Team members are often more inclined to be agreeable as they get to know one another.

During the Forming stage, it is crucial that all team members connect with other team mates and know each other’s names. The team activity of have each team member answer the question: If you really knew me, you would know <insert unique characteristic or trait>.

The forming stage provides the perfect opportunity to start using secrets of effective teams. For example, it is important to identify and agree upon team roles for each team member. If a team member has no assigned role, then the team must arrive at a new role by consensus. Each team member must have a defined role.

Also, if the team is going to use DRIs (Directly Responsible Individuals), then it is key to determine by consensus which team mates will be DRIs for which tasks and deliverables.

Given that team members are more likely to be agreeable in the Forming stage, if there are prickly issues, while there may be a tendency to put off those prickly issues until later, in fact, if these prickly issues need to be addressed before a team reaches the last milestone of high performance, then the Forming stage is the next best choice.

Furthermore, while in the forming stage, there should be discussion of the four milestones of team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. This is crucial because during the Forming stage, team members are often more likely to be agreeable, but this will likely not last. So the Forming stage provides an opportunity to set realistic expectations for the team journey.

 
 

Team Milestone 2 Storming

“If two men on the same job agree all the time, then one is useless.
If they disagree all the time, both are useless.”
— Darryl F. Zanuck, Film Producer
 
 

While in the Forming stage, team members tend to notice what they have in common and be agreeable, in the next stage, the Storming stage, team members begin to notice differences and express differences of opinion.

Frequently, a common comment made by team members in the Storming stage is:

I don’t know what happened. We were all getting along so well.

Three fallacies that create unnecessary team friction during the Storming phase are:

  1. Differences are negative. Why can’t we all agree? It would be so much better if we all agreed.

  2. Assuming everyone thinks and perceives the same way that you do. If only the team members thought the same way, then the team would be harmonious again.

  3. Assuming when someone is speaking that you are receiving the exact message they are sending. Actually, sometimes we are so busy thinking about what we plan to say next, we don’t really hear what our teammate is saying. Or we assume the teammate thinks like we do, so we may hear the words the teammate is saying, but we assume we know exactly what they mean.

The secret of an effective team is to realize that the Storming stage provides the greatest opportunity for team growth. How is this possible?

Differences are a team’s greatest strength. Difference permits a 360-degree perspective of a team project or issue. If everyone sees the same perspective, then the team may fail because they are not seeing all perspectives or not debating all views.

The secret of an effective team is to value, appreciate, and celebrate differences. View differences as learning opportunities. Instead of bemoaning why a team mate doesn’t agree about a product design, ask questions about why a team mate believes a product should be redesigned.

“We cannot safely assume
that other people’s minds work on the same principles as our own.
All too often, others with whom we come in contact do not reason as we reason, or do not value the things we value, or are not interested in what interests us.”
— Isabel Briggs Myers
 
 

Instead of bemoaning differences, celebrate the gifts differing of team mates.

Instead of assuming everyone thinks and perceives the same way that we do, ask key questions to better understand how team mates are processing and thinking. One of the avenues for exploring gifts differing is learning more about personality types and how personality types can affect the way we process information and make decisions. To learn more about personality types and teams, see the post: Gifts Differing: Teams and Type.

 
 
“To be one, to be united is a great thing.
But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater.”
— Bono
 
 

Finally, instead of assuming when someone is speaking that you are receiving the exact message they are sending, use active listening to verify that the message you think you received is the message actually sent. With active listening, paraphrase what the team mate said and repeat it back to them to confirm your understanding.

An example of Active Listening would be:

When a team mate expresses a difference of opinion, you might ask:

What I heard you say was that you don’t like anything the team has completed so far and we should start over on the product design, correct?

This provides the team mate an opportunity to hear what they said and confirm or clarify further. The team mate’s response might be:

That may be what I said, but it’s not what I meant.

This provides an opportunity for the team mate to be more specific and obtain greater clarity in their own mind regarding their thoughts.

Active listening is a tremendous tool for facilitating a team moving through the Storming stage at a faster pace.

 
 

Regrettably, teams may be unable to navigate passage can become stalled in the Storming stage. In the worst case, some teams may lose hope and prefer to disband and dissolve the team than remain stuck in the Storming stage.

Some teams are relieved when they learn there are team stages and how to traverse the team stages relatively painlessly. They are relieved that the Storming stage is not a permanent state for their team, but a temporary transition.

This is where an understanding of the team voyage is critical. Teams that realize it is just a stage on the journey are better equipped to navigate through the Storming stage and continue on to the next team milestones: Norming.

 
 

Team Milestone 3 Norming

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”
— Ryunosuke Satoro
 
 

During the Norming stage, team members work on developing strategies to overcome the challenges they faced during the storming phase. At this point, team members may shift their focus towards building better relationships and fostering cooperation, as opposed to solely concentrating on achieving team objectives.

While some team members might perceive this as time-consuming and superfluous, it's an essential step for the team to establish normal operating processes.

For example, one process might be to use Active Listening during all team discussions.

It will be the establishment of processes that will form a crucial foundation for achieving high performance.

If a team makes it to the Norming team milestone but is unable to establish team processes, they may become stalled in the Norming stage. If, however, the team is able to develop and consistently use team processes, then the team may reach the final team milestone: Performing.

 
 

Team Milestone 4 Performing

“Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things
they never thought they could.”
— Steve Jobs
 
 

The performing stage marks the culmination of the team's development, where the team reaches a high-performance level, efficiently delivering team outcomes and deliverables.

Differing viewpoints are addressed constructively and proactively, fostering creativity and effectiveness within the team.

In this stage, team members fully comprehend their roles, working together seamlessly, and providing mutual support when required, creating a cohesive and harmonious team environment.

Team interdependence is an important feature of a high performing team. Neither dependent nor independent, the team members work together interdependently. This is where one team member cannot be completely successful unless the entire team and all team members are successful.

COOP Squares Team Interdependence Activity

Although quite simple and basic, the COOP Squares Activity presents an opportunity for a team to see if they are really able to be function interdependently. Click here to access a PDF of instructions for the COOP Squares team activity.

 
 

Keep in Mind

When your team reaching the fourth milestone, you can be rightfully pleased. However, there are a few caveats to keep in mind.

First, if a team member must leave your team, such as for a reassignment or job change, your team must start at Milestone 1 Forming again. The pace of moving through the milestones may be much swifter, but the team must progress through the four milestones again.

Second, if a team member is replaced, such as a team member retires and is replaced with a new team member, you guessed it: the newly constituted team must restart at Milestone 1 (Forming). Once again, the pace of the remixed team may be swift as it moves through Milestone 2 (Storming) and 3 (Norming), finally reaching Milestone 4 (Performing) again. But there are no shortcuts or bypasses if the team wants to once again be a high-performing team.

Third, if a new team member(s) is added instead of replacing a prior team member, the team must restart at Milestone 1 Forming, and progress through the remaining milestones to reach Milestone 4 Performing.

Sometimes you will hear high performing teams bemoan that the team was never the same after Joe retired, for example. Sometimes the team will think Joe was the key to the high performing team, giving him complete credit for the team’s past accomplishments. It can be quite baffling to teams unless they understand that losing even one member without a replacement, adding a new team member, or replacing a team member, results in a different team. A team that without exception must revisit each of the milestones, even quickly, in order to perform as a highly effective team.

 
 

Secrets of Innovative Teams

“Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity — not as a threat.”
— Steve Jobs
 
 

Secrets of Innovative Teams are quite simple and can be summarized in one word: Positivity.

Positivity is seeing change as an opportunity—not a threat.

Positivity is throwing out ideas for innovation without team mates immediately shooting the idea down.

On the other hand, negativity is kryptonite to innovation and creativity. If you want to squelch creativity, make negative comments about any idea that is proposed.

It takes courage to throw out ideas. Some ideas may be not perfect, but they can be a building block to an outstanding innovation. Why risk throwing out an idea only to be critiqued for it?

So the greatest secret of innovative teams is to eliminate negativity and use only positivity to nurture creativity. All ideas should be written down so all team mates can see them, such as on a whiteboard and large monitor. Only positive comments are used. The ideas may not be perfect, instead of critiquing it, think of a way to build on the idea and make it better. No negativity for creativity and innovation. Instead, build upon the other’s ideas to address any negatives you see.

To try a Team Activity using Secrets of Innovative Teams use the following slide show.

 
 

To learn more about how personality types can enhance team creativity and innovation, go to Gifts Differing: Teams and Type.

 
 

Gifts Differing: Teams and Type

“I am not what happened to me,
I am what I choose to become.”
— Carl Jung
 
 

Carl Jung and Types

Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist based in Zurich, observed 4 dimensions of preferences resulting in 16 different psychological types.

The four dimensions of preferences are:

  • Where do you draw your Energy? Extrovert or Introvert

  • How do you process Information? Sensing or iNtuition

  • How do you make Decisions? Thinking or Feeling

  • What is your preferred Lifestyle? Judging or Perceiving

Note that these are preferences. Your preference may be introversion and solitude, but you can still be able to participate in events with people and enjoy it.

A quick summary of the four preferences follows. To learn more, view the slide show below: Teams & Type.

Where Do You Draw Your Energy?

  • Extroverts are energized through contact with other people and by engaging in activities (the outer world).

  • Introverts are energized through ideas or solitude (the inner world).


How Do You Process Information?

  • Sensing types prefer paying attention to what is perceived through the five senses: seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting.

  • Intuition types prefer to pay attention to what is sometimes described as the sixth sense—the unseen world of hunches and insights.


How Do You Make Decisions?

  • Thinking types prefer to make decisions based on cause and effect reasoning and logic.

  • Feeling types prefer to make decisions based on values and person-centered criteria, seeking harmony.


How Do You Approach Life?

  • Judging types prefer to live an ordered life with goals and structures. Judging types are energized by checklists and checking items completed on the list. Js revel in the joy of closure.

  • Perceiving types prefer to live a spontaneous life with flexibility, staying open to new possibilities. Perceiving types may not start a project until the deadline date because they want to keep their options open. Ps revel in the the joy of processing.

Jung’s Observations About Type Preferences

Jung observed some of these preference characteristics in children as young as three years old, leading him to question whether some of these characteristics are biological in nature. This has been born out now that we have more advanced imaging technology. For example, scans of cerebral activity in extroverts and introverts show a marked difference.

Introverts with no external stimuli show a higher level of cerebral activity as compared to extroverts.

Extroverts, showing a lower level of cerebral activity without external stimuli, show a higher level of cerebral activity when exposed to external stimuli. Interestingly, the introvert when exposed to external stimuli shows an even higher level than the extrovert.

So an introvert may be overwhelmed by cerebral activity when exposed to external stimuli and need to withdraw to more calming surroundings, limiting exposure to external stimuli.

An introvert may be more productive alone on a mountaintop or tranquilly relaxing on a quiet beach.

An extrovert on the other hand may need the external stimuli to generate or fire up cerebral activity. For example, one college student found he had to be in a loud busy pub surrounded by people in order to write his college term papers. Sitting quietly in a corner by himself to study was nonproductive.

Jung contended that we start out with a given preference for each of the four dimensions, but as we age, we can develop the other dimensions that are less preferred. For example, a T (Thinking Type) who prefers making decisions using logic and reason, as time passes may begin to develop the F (Feeling) dimension and begin to make decisions considering how people are affected by the decision.

 

4 Preferences = 16 Types

Combining the 4 preferences yields 16 types, identified by the following 4-letter codes:

  • ISTJ

  • ISFJ

  • INFJ

  • INTJ

  • ISTP

  • ISFP

  • INFP

  • INTP

  • ESTP

  • ESFP

  • ENFP

  • ENTP

  • ESTJ

  • ESFJ

  • ENFJ

  • ENTJ

What’s Your Type?

What’s your 4-letter Type? Two ways to find your four-letter Type results:

  • Go to https://www.humanmetrics.com/personality/test and complete a free Jung Typology survey. You will be provided with a 4-letter Type, one of the 16 possible types identified by Carl Jung.

  • Your other option is to locate and take a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) survey or an Expanded MBTI survey. There is usually a fee to obtain the MBTI and typically the results are similar to the free human metrics survey.

After you have obtained your 4-letter Type, proceed to the slide show below to learn more about Type.

 
 
 
 
 
“Many destructive conflicts arise simply because two people are using
opposite kinds of perception and judgment.
When the origin of such a conflict is recognized,
it becomes less annoying and easier to handle.”
— Isabel Briggs Myers
 
 

Using Type to Navigate the Storming Milestone

One of the most useful tools a team can use when navigating the Storming stage is using Type to understand better team interactions.

We often start with the assumption that everyone perceives and processes information the same way that we do. Understanding Type sheds light on how others perceive and process information so we can build upon gifts differing within a team.

For example, Ts (Thinking) have a preference for seeing the negative. Ts may describe it as the one item that is wrong on a page of 100 items jumps out to them. A T may not mention the 99 other items that are correct. Instead, focusing on the 1 item that is wrong. This can be a good news/challenge news situation for a team.

The Good news: The gift of having Ts on your team is that they will ferret out any errors or mistakes before anyone outside the team sees them. This is great if you are working with a team of tax accountants, for example.

On the other hand, the person who spent hours preparing the page of 100 items may feel discouraged when the T only wants to talk about the 1 item that was wrong and fails to acknowledge the other 99 items that are correct.

Sometimes Ts need to be gently reminded to start with the positive. Mention the 99 items that are correct. And then move on to the 1 item that needs to be corrected.

Another example is that Fs (Feeling) tend to see the positive. On the page of 100 items, the F may only see the 99 correct items, not even aware that there is 1 incorrect item on the page. Their excitement over the 99 correct items will be their focus. Again, for a team, this is a good news/challenge news situation.

The Good news: The gift of having Fs on your team is that they will often be cheerleaders for the team, focusing on the positive outcomes and benefits. On the other hand, this can be a weakness for the team if the F is unable to focus on the negative or wrong items that need to be addressed.

Sometimes Fs can be guided to have a T review their work product. This makes the T feel valued for a trait that is sometimes underappreciated in a team environment.

The difference between the negative focus of Ts and the positive focus of Fs demonstrates why type preferences with gifts differing make a team strong. Having both Ts and Fs on a team is the best of both worlds, especially if they are aware of their gifts and are able to understand and respond to the gifts and sensitivities of other preferences.

 
 

ISTJs and Teams

First, every one of the 16 types has the ability to perform well in an effective team. An understanding of type can greatly enhance the high performance of an effective team.

ISTJs and teams require a special mention. There is one type that is typically most resistant to working in teams: ISTJ. The natural preference of the ISTJ is to not work in a team. Actually, an ISTJ can be adept at finding reasons not to work as a team, preferring to fly solo instead.

Some research has shown a higher incidence of teams becoming stalled in Storming with ISTJs. An ISTJ’s actions may be viewed as sabotage by other team members. While other team members may view an ISTJ as “controlling”, the ISTJ may see it as “keeping the team on track.”

Teams with ISTJs have the ability to go from Storming straight to Adjourning at lightning speed. This often suits the ISTJs because they prefer not to work in a team and an adjourned team solves that issue for an ISTJ.

Interestingly, while ISTJs typically prefer not to work in teams in general, ISTJs appear to especially prefer not to work in a team with other ISTJs. Research has also shown that ISTJs who are in a team environment with Fs, who try to understand them and have patience with their team struggle, can actually reach the point where the ISTJ may decide teams are not so bad after all.

An understanding of the team struggle of ISTJs and sensitivity to this situation can provide the opportunity for the team to still reach the state of an effective, high performing team. ISTJs can be highly productive team members if they feel understood and accepted by the team.

 
 

Innovative Teams and Type

Do you recall one of the greatest Secrets of Innovative Teams? The importance of not critiquing when creating innovative ideas?

Now that you know something about Types, which Type do you think will have the greatest challenge at not being critical of new ideas? Which Type will prefer to find the negative for any idea that is shared with the team?

If you picked Ts, you are absolutely on target. As mentioned, Ts have a preference for finding the negative—that can be their greatest talent and contribution to a team. However, for an innovative team, it can be the greatest obstacle to creating innovative ideas.

What to do if you have Ts on your Team? When they see a negative, before they say what is negative, they must find a way to improve the idea to address the negative they see. And then share. This continues the environment that nurtures creativity without shutting down the valuable contributions that Ts can make to continual improvement.

 
 
“Extraverts... cannot understand life until they have lived it.
Introverts... cannot live life until they understand it.”
— Isabel Briggs Myers
 
 

Who’s in Your Tent?

Your General or Your Aide?

 

Who’s in Your Tent?

Which Type Dimensions Are in Your Tent?

 
 

Who’s In Your Tent?

What Are Your Type Preferences For Effective Analysis and Decisions?

 

Teams & Type Effective Analysis and Decision Model

For your convenience, below is the Team and Type Decision Model to streamline your team analysis and decision making process. Using this model provides the opportunity for a process that permits all team members to feel they are being heard, that their viewpoints have value to the team, that they are making a contribution to the analysis and decision making process.

 
 

If you found Teams & Type fascinating and

would like to learn more or would like to request assistance with Teams & Type,

Contact Us for a Team Consult.

 
 

Bonus: Team Triangulation

Ever heard the advice, "Never use a team of 3"? It’s not just a random rule—there's a solid reason behind it. The issue is something called: Triangulation.

As the name suggests, Tri-angulation happens when 3 people are involved.

So a team of 3 is fertile grounds for triangulation to happen. But Triangulation can also happen in a team of 2.

Triangulation can erode team trust and effectiveness with the team wondering:

  • Why is there so much chaos?

  • Why is nothing ever simple?

Understanding triangulation helps you identify and address it, minimizing its corrosive effects on your team..

To better understand Triangulation, let’s look at some specific examples of Triangulation in both teams of 2 and 3.

 
 

Example: Triangulation in a Team of 2

Imagine of team with 2 team mates:

  • Bravo

  • Charlie

Bravo and Charlie often do not agree on the best course of action for their two person team. Sometimes this results in a stalemate. To gain more control over the team, Charlie turns to triangulation. To shift the power dynamic, Charlie tries to pull in a third party: Alpha—who is not on the team.

Charlie might jokingly ask, “Alpha, what do you think? I’m right, aren’t I?”

Now, it Bravo versus Charlie (+ Alpha), shifting the power dynamic.

Team of 2 Triangulation

When one team member unnecessarily inserts a third member into the interactions of a team of 2, this is a red flag. Beware.

On the other hand, if Alpha is not aware of triangulation, they may try to be a peace keeper and mediate between Bravo and Charlie. However, Charlie and Bravo then might turn against Alpha.

Triangulation can result in unexpected chaos with team members wondering what has happened to the team.

 
 

Example: Team of 3 Healthy Communication

To understand triangulation in a team of 3, let’s first see what healthy communication in a team of 3 looks like.

Imagine a team with 3 team mates:

  • Alpha

  • Bravo

  • Charlie

Alpha knows both Bravo and Charlie, who don’t know each other well. So Alpha tries to foster connection between Bravo and Charlie by highlighting their common interests or needs. The goal of Alpha is to build team connections and healthy communication between team members.

Healthy Team of 3 Communication

Notice in the diagram for healthy team communication that all three team mates are communicating openly.

 
 

Example: Triangulation in a Team of 3

Now, let's dive into triangulation in a team of 3.

Again, imagine a team with 3 team mates:

  • Alpha

  • Bravo

  • Charlie

In order to shift the power dynamics of the team of 3, Charlie turns to triangulation.

First, in a good natured manner, Charlie deftly makes a subtle negative comment about Bravo to Alpha:

"Bravo's only been doing this for two years. Can we really expect more from Bravo?"

Notice the artfulness of Charlie’s comment. His comment still gives Charlie the opportunity to say he is not being negative toward Bravo, but the comment still has the effect of “poisoning the well” for Bravo. This is a red flag.

Triangulation Red Flag

Next Charlie makes a similar move with Bravo:

"Alpha's always trying to connect people—or control everything, right?" Then Charlie chuckles in a good natured manner.

Once again, Charlie can argue that his comment is not negative. Yet the comment can still have the effect of “poisoning the well” but this time for Alpha. Once again, a red flag.

Triangulation Red Flag

Notice how Charlie tries to use subtle negativity to create friction between Alpha and Bravo, triangulating the team. Also notice that these subtle, but negative, comments often begin positively but end on a subtle negative note. Furthermore, those adapt at triangulation, such as Charlie, if called out, will often dismiss it as a joke, asking “Where’s your sense of humor?”

 
 

Why Would a Team Member, such as Charlie, Use Triangulation in a Team of 3?

Clearly, Charlie is using triangulation to shift the power dynamics of the team in his favor.

If Charlie has a dispute with Alpha, Charlie will pull Bravo into the dispute on his side against Alpha. Charlie has already tried to poison the well against Alpha. “Bravo and I both see Alpha’s controlling side.” This makes it 2 (Charlie and Bravo) against 1 (Alpha).

If Charlie has a dispute with Bravo, then he can pull Alpha into the dispute against Bravo. Again, Charlie has already tried to poison the well against Bravo. “Alpha and I both know Bravo’s not that capable.” Once again, this makes it 2 (Charlie and Alpha) against 1 (Bravo).

Pivoting between his allies, Charlies always wins with 2 team mates against 1.

As you can see, triangulation provides the triangulator with a temporary advantage. Bravo doesn’t know what Charlie has said to Alpha about him. Alpha doesn’t know what Charlie has said to Bravo about him. Often team mates are reluctant to share negatives being said about someone else so the team mates remain in the dark. And Charlie gains a temporary advantage. This keeps teammates in the dark about the true team dynamics.

Triangulators must work diligently to ensure that others do not start seeing through the triangulation. Sometimes the negativity is so subtle that team members may not realize until years later that they were the victims of triangulation.

 
 

How To Detect Triangulation?

The key to unraveling triangulation is to:

1. Be alert for subtle negative comments about teammates. If Charlie is making subtly negative comments about Bravo to Alpha, he’s likely doing the same to Bravo about Alpha. Masters of triangulation are adept at subtle negative comments so your radar has to be finely tuned for this or you can completely overlook it.

2. Be aware of communication patterns that exclude 1 of the 3 team mates. Triangulation rarely works if all three team members are involved in open communication at the same time. Triangulation thrives on excluding one of the three team members. If one person is always left out of conversations, it's a red flag.

 
 

What To Do When Faced with A Triangulated Team?

Actions to consider when faced with a triangulated team include:.

1. Inclusive Communication. Ensure all members are included in team communications. No one should be left out.

2. Call It Out. If a team member continues to use triangulation, address it openly in front of all 3 team members. For example, “Hey Charlie, remember when you said we shouldn’t expect much from Bravo? Turns out, he has more experience than you!”

3. Disband the Team If Necessary. If a team member continues to use triangulation, consider disbanding the team. It might sound harsh, but it’s better to focus energy on productive teamwork than monitoring underhanded behavior. When reforming the team, opt for groups of 2 or 4 to avoid this issue.

 
 

Triangulation Effects on Team Trust and Effectiveness

Triangulation can quietly erode team trust and effectiveness. By staying vigilant and fostering open communication, you can keep your team strong and cohesive.

 
 

Got any stories or tips about dealing with triangulation? Share them below!

 
 

Your Marvelous Team Voyage

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward;
you can only connect them looking backwards.
So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.
You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.
This approach has never let me down, and
it has made all the difference in my life.”
— Steve Jobs
 
 

As you reflect upon your team voyages—as you look backwards—can you connect the dots?

Looking backwards (reflection) can be powerful. Research shows more and deeper learning occurs in the process of reflection (looking backwards) than the activity itself.

That is why reflecting upon your team voyages can be so beneficial and productive. As you look backwards, are you able to connect the dots on your team voyage?

Sometimes as we look forward during the team journey, we can’t connect the dots. But the team GPS provided here, we hope, has enabled you to look backwards during the process to see how the dots are connected, and then proceed more confidently on your team journey. This better enables you to ensure your team stays on track on your team journey. For example, you can avoid going off track or thinking you will be forever stuck as a team at the Storming milestone. Keep in mind, there’s always a way forward.

 
 
“If you hear a voice within you say,
‘You cannot paint,’
then by all means paint, and
that voice will be silenced. ”
— Vincent Van Gogh
 
 

If you can envision your team accomplishing things never before accomplished, but have self doubts, then by all means go ahead and accomplish what you envision.

Vincent Van Gogh’s story is a lesson for all of us. During his lifetime, he was unable to sell enough paintings to even feed himself. He had to ask his brother for money to buy food. Van Gogh saw other artist’s paintings selling well, yet no one wanted to buy his paintings.

Today, if you have had the opportunity to see an authentic Van Gogh, you realize the beauty of what Van Gogh was creating, that was unappreciated during his time.

Lesson learned: if you envision what your team can accomplish, by all means go ahead and accomplish what you envision. If others doubt you or do not appreciate your efforts, persevere and be patient. Maybe they are just catching up to what you can see.

Wishing you, a team voyager, continued success in all your team voyages!

 
 
“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”
— Steve Jobs
 
 

Bonus: AI & Teams

“Teachers call it copying ...
we call it teamwork!”
— Anonymous

Is AI On Your Team?

AI (Artificial Intelligence) can be an important member of your team.

Including AI as part of your team is the same as adding a new team member. What is the name for this new AI team member? Is it ChatGPT? Does the team assign a name to team member AI?

How can AI Increase Team Productivity?

AI can definitely be used to increase team productivity. How the team incorporates AI can determine if AI will increase or decrease team effectiveness and productive. Here are few thoughts for you in that regard.

  1. An effective, high-performing team will define the role of the new team member, AI, just as they would for any new team member. See Secrets of Highly Effective Teams for more information about the importance of having defined roles in teams.

  2. One of the first steps to integrating AI into teams is to use the Secret of Innovative Teams to generate ideas on the best way to integrate AI into team activities. Go to Secrets of Innovative Teams and follow the guidelines for creative teams to generate a list of ideas for integrating AI into your team. Then reach a consensus on the specific ideas that merit implementation for the team. Using this as one of the first steps is critical to avoid the team reverting to the Storming stage at a later time.

  3. After the team has reach a consensus on the role that AI will play in the team, the next step is to work on creating team prompts. The AI prompt written by proompters determines how useful the AI results are. Having well-engineered prompts will facilitate the addition of the new AI team member. Here’s an example of a ChatGPT prompt for generating effective team building activities where you fill in the blanks with your team specifics.

ChatGPT Prompt for Effective Team Building Activities:

  • You are tasked with organizing a team building event for [number] teams and [number] of people.

  • The objective is to [insert team building objective, such as strengthen team bond through fun and unique activities]

  • The budget is $[insert dollar amount].

  • The team building will be [in person, virtual].

  • The event will last [length of time, such as two hours or two days]

  • [Insert any other important criteria or context]

  • Generate [insert number] of creative, practical suggestions for engaging team activities suitable for professionals that provides an enjoyable, productive experience and increases team effectiveness and performance.

 
 
“If you hear a voice within you say,
‘You cannot paint,’
then by all means paint, and
that voice will be silenced. ”
— Vincent Van Gogh
 
 

If you can envision your team accomplishing things never before accomplished, but have self doubts, then by all means go ahead and accomplish what you envision.

Vincent Van Gogh’s story is a lesson for all of us. During his lifetime, he was unable to see enough paintings to even feed himself. He had to ask his brother for money to buy food. Van Gogh saw other artist’s paintings selling well, yet no one wanted to buy his paintings.

Today, if you have had the opportunity to see an authentic Van Gogh, you realize the beauty of what Van Gogh was creating, that was unappreciated during his time.

The lesson, if you envision what your team can accomplish, by all means go ahead and accomplish what you envision. If others doubt you or do not appreciate your efforts, be patient. Maybe they are just catching up to you.