EXTRAORDINARY GROUPS: How Ordinary Teams Achieve Amazing Results with Kathleen Ryan 1Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Today Your own experience with an amazing group Key concepts from our field study Application of concepts to your role as a leader of teams 2Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Starting Questions  Why do some groups achieve amazing results while most others do not?  What do extraordinary groups have in common that sorts them from the rest?  How might we create these terrific results more often? 3Bellman/Ryan © 2009

What’s Your Experience?  Think of an amazing group experience you have had.  Identify three things that enabled that experience to be so memorable. 4Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Our Field Study  Sixty groups of 2-20, incl. virtual  Work, volunteer, personal life  Self-identified as “amazing”  Interviews with 1-3 members  1.5 to 2 hour phone interviews  Open ended questions and stories 5Bellman/Ryan © 2009

An Extraordinary Group… Achieves outstanding results while members, individually or collectively experience a profound shift in how they see their world. 6Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Exercise  Find a partner…someone at your table or nearby, who you’d like to get to know better  Briefly describe the essence of your experience (2-3 sentences)  Discuss, What factors enabled your experiences to be so outstanding? 7Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Eight Performance Indicators 1.Compelling Purpose 2.Shared Leadership 3.Just-Enough Structure 4.Full Engagement 5.Embracing Difference 6.Unexpected Learning 7.Strengthened Relationships 8.Great Results 8Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Indicators of Extraordinary Groups IndicatorDefinition Compelling PurposeAn inspiring and shared understanding of why group members come together. Shared LeadershipA designated leader assures that the group is led rather than being the one constant leader; members take mutual accountability for outcomes and the way the group works. Just-Enough StructureMembers develop only the plans, systems, roles, and agreements necessary to help them move forward, but not so much as to be bureaucratic or burdensome. Full EngagementMembers enthusiastically participate in the group’s work. Embracing DifferencesMembers see, value, and use their diversity as a strength. Unexpected LearningIndividual and collective learning exceeds expectations, reaching beyond the work at hand to members’ careers and lives. Strengthened Relationships Trust, respect, collegiality, and often friendships grow among group members. Great ResultsTangible and intangible outcomes surpass members’ expectations. Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Tangible Results  200 lives saved through reduction of medical errors  Award winning library built  Breakthrough software developed  Micro-credit extended to 100M of the world’s poorest families  Millions $$$ saved  Market share dominated  Championships won by teams of “not brilliant” players  WMD facilities dismantled and equipment safely moved across continents 10Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Intangible Results  Learned about one’s self  Gained or deepened knowledge/skills  Applied to other parts of life  Built new or strengthened relationships  Increased pride of accomplishment  Heightened self confidence  Greater sense of community 11Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Groups in Human History  Thousands of years of living in groups  Survive together, perish alone  Genetically, instinctively informed to group  It’s easy to relate to a group; it’s hard to relate to a large organization  Groups are the way to get things done 12Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Table Discussion  What organizational benefits would you anticipate from investing in the creation of more extraordinary groups…  At work?  In your community groups?  In your family? 13Bellman/Ryan © 2009

High Performance Levers for Extraordinary Groups Just-Enough Structure Compelling Purpose Shared Leadership Embracing Differences Full Engagement Unexpected Learning Strengthened Relationships Great Results 14Bellman/Ryan © 2009

High Performance Levers for Extraordinary Groups Bellman/Ryan © 2009 Just-Enough Structure Compelling Purpose Shared Leadership Embracing Differences Full Engagement Unexpected Learning Strengthened Relationships Great Results 15

Application  Think of a group you are involved with on a regular basis, one that you care about.  The next time you meet, what might you do to intentionally apply:  Compelling Purpose  Shared Leadership  Embracing Differences  Just-enough Structure  Unexpected Learning  What one thing will you do? 16Bellman/Ryan © 2009

The Bottom Line  Especially during challenging times: – Our organizations need our best, most creative and collaborative work – We, as people, need our groups to be the place where we can contribute, achieve, connect, and grow.  Life is too short to spend time in groups that do not fulfill their promise. 17Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Visit our website,  Weekly Blog  Other useful materials  Copies of today’s slides 18Bellman/Ryan © 2009

An Extraordinary Group… Achieves outstanding results while members, individually or collectively experience a profound shift in how they see their world. 19 Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Workshop  Push your thinking further about your own group experiences  Explore the Group Needs model and how Transformation can happen in a group  Application: What can you do differently to meet your own Group Needs or those of others…so that you can encourage more extraordinary groups? Bellman/Ryan © 2009

More Reflections on Your Group Experience… 1.Thinking about groups more generally in your life… – When you join or are assigned to a group, what do you hope for? 2.Return to the amazing group you talked about at breakfast… – As you recall that experience, what feelings does the memory inspire? Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Getting Below the Surface Why do we human beings group? What is it that motivates us to join with others? 22 Bellman/Ryan © 2009

When you join or are assigned to a group, what do you hope for? 23Bellman/Ryan © 2009

24 Six Group Needs  Accept one’s self while moving toward own Potential  Bond with others while pursuing common Purpose  Understand Reality of the world while making an Impact Bellman/Ryan © 2009

25 Four Feelings at the Heart of Transformation Energized ! Connected ! Hopeful ! Changed ! Bellman/Ryan © 2009

More Reflections… How do the feelings you connected to your wonderful group experience match up with the Transformative Feelings of being – Connected! – Energized! – Hopeful! – Changed! Bellman/Ryan © 2009

27 Energized Connected Hopeful Changed Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Getting Below the Surface 28 Eight Performance Indicators Four Feelings of Transformation Bellman/Ryan © 2009

High Performance Behaviors and Techniques 29 Group Dynamics Meeting Management Leadership Strategies Employee Engagement Team Development Collaborative Decision Making Conflict Management Brainstorming Effective Dialogue and Discussion Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Seeing Group Needs at Work  For the Group Need you have been assigned, develop a list of additional behaviors you might see in a group if that need were being met  Think of what you might do during group meetings as well as before a meeting or after Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Think of a Group… = Poor 2 = Okay 3 = Good 4 = Very Good 5 = Fantastic That you care about, one that you want to be outstanding. Consider that group’s : -Effectiveness at achieving its purpose -How you feel about the experience of being in that group Circle the number that best describes your group. 31Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Finding a Case Study  Who has a group that is categorized as Okay or Good?  Briefly share the circumstances  Pick one group to work on as a table case study Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Extraordinary Groups Consulting, Inc.  Client: 5 minute background on situation  EGCI: 15 minutes brainstorming about possible client actions Client: 5 minutes--Here’s what I like best EGCI: 5 minutes last advice, thoughts Whole Group report-out by client Bellman/Ryan © 2009

34 Life is too short to spend time in groups that do not fulfill their promise. Energized Connected Hopeful Changed Bellman/Ryan © 2009

Examples of General Applications 1.Design a meeting or event 2.Debrief a group experience 3.Frame questions 4.Diagnose group dynamics 5.Clarify your role 6.Plan with your client Bellman/Ryan © Bellman/Ryan © 2009

More Specific Applications 1.Refine or reshape a group’s Purpose 2.Explore members’ motivations 3.Define the meaning of a group’s work 4.Ground discussions in Reality 5.Determine the right level of chartering 6.Help people get to know each other 7.Support constructive disagreement Bellman/Ryan © 2009

37Bellman/Ryan © 2009