Leadership

Abstract

To remain competitive organizations are shifting their focus from individual I.Q. to the collective I.Q. of a team in hopes to create High-performance teams (HPTs). This essay reviews the initial processes of the author to build an entirely new management team which would manage all operations of the contractual relationship within the Nutritional Services Department of Northeast Georgia Health System and Unidine Corporation. Comparisons to Google’s analysis on team building and the author’s experience on building a new management team suggests building HPTs is possible on any scale or industry. When achieved the result is measurable, lasting, and serves as a competitive advantage.

Keywords: teambuilding, High-performance teams (HPTs), Google people, engagement

Analysis of a Team-Based Challenge

All organizations should be in business to produce High-performance teams (HPTs). While HPTs may still appear foreign the term is quickly gaining the interest of may corporations and institutions due in part to Google’s quest to understand and identify what makes their best teams successful. In the United States success has a name, the American Dream. To realize the American Dream, one must be of humble means (the poorer the better). By way of hard work and perseverance they must somehow amass a fortune. While this dream is still possible it is less probable today. Fortunately, the path is broad, undefined and ripe for revision.

Over the past five years a renaissance or Golden Age of team building and dynamic has entered into both business and academic setting. Today arguments can be made that so called hard work and may no longer be the common denominator of success. Studies similar to Google’s are challenging the core beliefs held for so long by business and academia. Look at any internet trend and you will find a frenzy of searched to understand the dynamic of the collective Source: Google Trends, 2016.The days of the individual success are not only gone but increasingly evident they may have never existed.

Instead with the right team output can far exceed the input and the shared the experiences perpetuate continued successes and growth for all team members. What’s more? Those individuals once considered to have The Right Stuff may no longer be suitable in a teaming environment in which the leader can be replaced by the socially established norms of the collective.

The honeymoon period.

The contract was set to begin December 14th, 2014 and as the opening checklist required the entire management team was hired and on site two weeks prior to inception. Having two weeks to begin to strategize and get to know one another before the start of the contract was integral to our success. While the team had plenty to accomplish before the go live date