Creating Effective and Sustainable Teams

High performing teams are a real possibility. They look, feel and move like a unit. A high performing team moves with an attitude of “us” and “we”, as opposed to “I” and “me”. Such teams fulfill the vision that Agile promises and are a delight to behold.

But how do we create effective and sustainable teams? That is a million dollar question.

Here are some thoughts on how to achieve such high performing  team:

1) Serve and lead

A servant-leader is motivated to serve and grow their people to become wiser, more independent, and with a sense of purpose.

Their focus is on people, helping them reach their true potential, and ultimately creating other great servant-leaders.

2) Create a feeling of oneness within your team

When team members are bound by a common sense of purpose, they “belong” to one another. “This is MY team, what can I do to make it successful?”  Such teams operate as a well-oiled machine and move as a unit.

3) Help your team focus on bringing high value to their common cause or goal.

Each member’s  involvement and support is important, no matter how small or big it is. A good servant leader communicates and re-communicates the vision to the team and in the process of doing so, inspires everyone to contribute wholeheartedly. As a result, there is a sense of pride in the team for what they have accomplished.

4) Create transparency and visibility

A good team realizes the power of making all work visible. They  prioritize work, and execute with the big picture in mind (“Are we building the right product” to “Are we building the product right?”). They know their capacity and only take so much work as they can during a sprint.

5) Create an environment of trust and safety

An elemental part of building a successful team is to satisfy their basic human needs of Trust and Safety.

A servant-leader scrum master would create a working environment where personal bonding is easy to establish.

6) Adopt a more “human” mindset.

Our actions reflect how we think. If we consider people as resources, it will reflect on how we treat them. People are humans, not resources.They have likes and dislikes, feelings and emotions, fears and anxiety. They respond to love and kindness and thrive when they feel safe and trusting.

In the end, it is not about processes and tools, but about people. Remember, the first value from the Agile Manifesto, “Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools”?

Creating Effective and Sustainable Teams

Challenge Your Understanding About
"Creating Effective and Sustainable Teams"
By Taking This Short Quiz!

1 / 5

Question 1: Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a servant-leader in the context of Agile teams? Choose the best answer.

A. Motivated to serve and grow their people.

B. Focuses on helping team members reach their true potential.

C. Prioritizes processes and tools over individuals and interactions.

D. Aims to create other great servant-leaders.

E. Dictates tasks and maintains strict control over team decisions.

Explanation: A servant-leader empowers the team rather than dictating tasks or maintaining strict control. They focus on serving the team to help members grow and succeed. Choice C is not the best answer as there can be times where focusing on processes and tools might be needed to help the team move through forming-storming-norming.

2 / 5

Question 2: In building high-performing Agile teams, creating a sense of "oneness" among team members primarily leads to:

A. Enhanced team cohesion and unified movement towards common goals.

B. Increased individual competition and personal achievements.

C. Strict adherence to hierarchical structures within the team.

D. Emphasis on individual tasks over collaborative efforts.

E. Reduced communication and transparency among team members.

Explanation: A sense of "oneness" fosters team cohesion, where members operate collectively towards shared objectives, enhancing overall performance.

3 / 5

Question 3: According to the article, which practice is essential for maintaining transparency and visibility in Agile teams?

A. Assigning tasks exclusively through top-down directives.

B. Limiting access to project information to select team members.

C. Making all work visible, prioritizing tasks, and executing with the big picture in mind.

D. Encouraging competition among team members to boost productivity.

E. Focusing solely on individual performance metrics.

Explanation: Transparency and visibility are achieved by making all work visible, prioritizing tasks appropriately, and ensuring the team understands the overarching goals.

4 / 5

Question 4: The article emphasizes the importance of trust and safety within a team. Which approach is recommended to cultivate such an environment?

A. Implementing strict rules and monitoring compliance closely.

B. reating a working environment where personal bonding is easy to establish.

C. Encouraging team members to work in isolation to minimize conflicts.

D. Focusing solely on technical skills and neglecting interpersonal relationships.

E. Rewarding individual achievements over team collaboration.

Explanation: Establishing an environment that facilitates personal bonding helps build trust and safety, which are crucial for a successful team.

5 / 5

Question 5: Adopting a "human" mindset in Agile teams involves:

A. Recognizing that team members have emotions and thrive when they feel safe and trusted.

B. Treating individuals strictly as resources to maximize efficiency.

C. Prioritizing processes and tools over personal interactions.

D. Maintaining a rigid hierarchical structure to control decision-making.

E. Focusing exclusively on task completion without considering team morale.

Explanation: Embracing a "human" mindset means acknowledging that team members are individuals with emotions, and they perform best in environments where they feel safe and trusted.

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