Who Said Tech Guys Are Boring?
What makes a good team an excellent one.
That was some years ago. When I was pregnant with my first child I got seconded — from a communications team — to a team of risk management specialists.
There were a few eyebrows raised, mainly by my communications colleagues.
I work in the engagement and communications field. I do stakeholder analysis and planning, I implement and review engagement, write engagement strategies, get stakeholders on board with government policies, and handle communication collateral. You might ask, what does it have to do with risk management?
Well, nothing of course apart from the fact that I wanted some challenge in my life. Pregnancy on its own wasn’t enough of a challenge, obviously. Theme of my life. Why stay comfortable in a nice well-known team with predictable work and calmly wait for the child to come along? Or rather — come out.
You might ask, why risk management? I’d say, just because.
An opportunity came up. I convincingly and passionately explained to my communications manager why it was absolutely vital for me to take that opportunity. He shrugged but agreed — whatever next a pregnant woman might want.
The risk manager was looking at me at the interview, his face conveying deep disbelief that anything good might come out of a pregnant communications female infiltrating his highly skilled and impeccably organized technical team.
In his very logical and structured mind, communications people were the nice (aka fake), broad-thinking (aka superficial), people focused (aka too talkative) folks with creative minds (whatever that means) who — when tired of talking — went off to create a poster or a PowerPoint presentation. Which then would have to be totally re-written by the highly skilled technical professionals because the communications people would get all the technical details wrong anyway.
The risk manager visibly struggled as he was studying me with his cold calculating eyes. Then he said, why not, and took me on.
Later he confessed that, after all, he was The Risk Manager who praised himself for taking well calculated risks with solid mitigation strategies in place. Much later, he added that he didn’t think I could cause too much of a damage given the short period I’d be staying with the team. A nice one, thank you; I regarded your openness as a sign of trust.
I had a brief farewell tea with my communications colleagues. Laughter and jokes were mixed with condolences and sympathetic smiles. I mean, who in their sane mind wants to be locked in for six months with humorless uncreative boring overly rational folks specializing in risk management?
A couple of people even whispered in my ear that the risk manager was informally known as a bully. Maybe because he was one. Or maybe because of his direct confronting personality. They didn’t know for sure (communications folks never do) but thought I should be warned.
If I was a normal person, I would have reconsidered my move. But I set my eyes on a new challenge, and when I set my eyes on something I don’t listen. By then I had already dealt with a couple of bully managers in my professional life, I can deal with another one, right?
Guess what? My communications colleagues were wrong. And I was right to take up that opportunity.
Looking back, after 30 years of work life, those six months in the risk management team turned out to be one of my best times in the corporate world.
That team turned out to be literally the funniest, friendliest and most supportive team I ever worked with. A team that was a live example of what a truly good team should be like.
The manager was one of the best managers and mentors. The whole experience was an absolute pleasure.
Years and years after, on rainy days, I still go back to some of the funniest moments and warm memories from those times.
Thinking about many other not-so-outstandingly-good teams I ask myself, what actually made that team truly stand out.
I came up with seven components that are much discussed by social media, but it was the first and almost only time (with a couple of exceptions that come somewhat close) when I saw those components working in real life.
1. Openness.
Despite his much-feared personal style, the manager created an open and honest environment. The team had no second thoughts about raising any concerns, at team meetings or directly with the manager.
2. Information sharing.
Information is power; it empowered the team to do their work and take initiative. The team was trusted with information, often with sensitive information behind closed doors, and never let their manager down by leaking it out.
3. Inclusivity.
Differences were embraced, including contradictory ideas and personal styles. Example was set by the manager who would openly throw on the table his own shortcomings and would let the team critique his ideas.
4. Trust.
We were open to each other’s ideas and feedback because we didn’t have a reason not to trust the manager and each other. You know, the type of trust that would be immediately killed off by the slightest sign of gossip or power play.
5. Diversity.
Despite most team members, except me of course, coming from a similar background, we had a mix of personalities so different — by culture, gender, age, temperament and self-expression — that it created just the right mix for a vibrant and never boring team spirit.
6. One vision.
We had different work styles, but we all lived and breathed the same goals and team values. Those were set up collectively, but the manager strictly observed that the team followed the vision.
7. Strong leadership.
Despite all the nice things listed above the manager was direct, upfront, decisive and proactive. There was a time for a healthy debate, and then a time to make decisions and take courageous leaps. The manager nailed down the timing perfectly.
If you’re reading this and patiently waiting for a list of personal characteristics that made the team so brilliant and fun, you’ve been waiting in vain. I don’t have a list for you.
The conclusion I came to is that personality styles, profession, age or gender don’t play a big role in forming brilliant teams. It’s more important to have these seven components and it’s the manager who brings these components into the mix, leading by example.
