21
Nov
2018

hi ed leader team

categories: teaching
5 SECRETS TO DEVELOPING A HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Patrick Sanaghan & Jillian Lohndorf

https://www.academia.edu/8335887/Ways_to_Improve_Teams_in_Higher_Education

6 POTENTIALLY DESTRUCTIVE MYTHS
#1: THE MYTH ABOUT TALENT
A variety of skills, experiences,and perspectives are necessary,along with high levels of trust, open communication, emotional support, and mutual accountability—all of which arevery hard to establish and maintain. One differentiator of an exceptional team is a high level of curiosity where questions(not hidden criticisms) are prized.

#2: THE MYTH ABOUT FOCUS

stellar teams allocate their time in an unexpected way. They spend two-thirds of their time on thetask at hand (gettin’ ‘er done) and a full one-third on the “process” or relational aspect of the team’s functioning

#3: THE MYTH ABOUT CONFLICT

Exceptional teams see conflict as a resource, not something to be avoided.

Leaders need both the skill and the courage to deal with conflict on their team, as well as the understanding that everyone on the team needs to be involved in its resolution. 

#4: THE MYTH ABOUT OPENNESS

  • the “ seduction of the leader ” syndrome frequently seen in higher education.  Due to the “collegial” and polite nature of most campuses, people simply don’t feel comfortable providing honest feedback,especially if it is negative or critical. 
  • Many people are reluctant to be honest, because it might hurt someone’s feelings. 
  • People don’t want to “lose their seat at the table” and fear that they risk doing so if they are truly honest.
  • People realize that the leader really isn’t open to honest feedback, even as the leader professes to want it

#5: THE MYTH ABOUT SAMENESS

One of the pervasive team dynamics that every team leader needs to be aware of is
“comfortable cloning.”
 This happens when we select people to be on our teams who have similar backgrounds to ours.

#6: THE MYTH ABOUT MOTIVATIONAL METAPHORS

One of the best ways to build a realteam is to have each team membershare their own metaphor for how theywould like the team to operate.

5 STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING A STELLAR TEAM

1. Make your team a learning team, by creating an internal article or book club.

2. Define the rules for decision making.

3. Create working agreements or“ground rules” for the functioning and support of the team.

4. Establish a mechanism for regular, anonymous evaluation of team meetings.

5. Conduct a leadership “audit.”

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more on leadership in higher ed in this IMS blog:
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=ed+leader

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