Steve Ritter

Sitting in the lobby waiting to be greeted by the company’s chief human resources officer, I took in the decor. Workspace design is often the first clue to an organization’s mission. This particular organization was the parent company for over a dozen global businesses. Each business logo was proudly displayed on a sign attached to a post embedded deeply into a massive foundation of granite. The message was clear.

An international gathering of small business owners attracted a diverse crowd at this year’s ISSA North America 2012 convention in Chicago’s McCormick Place. The convention floor was crawling with entrepreneurs in search of innovative products and methods. When I arrived at the podium to deliver my keynote address, “Building Great Teams,” the audience was already energized. I began my presentation with a story.

Tom sat at his desk with his head in his hands, frustrated about the challenge his boss had just laid in his lap. The report, the one that takes a week to complete, had to be turned in three days early. He knew the team would balk. He could picture Andrea’s reaction as she considered the extra time she’d have to take away from her kids to meet the deadline. He knew Jim would stomp around, angry that he was going to miss the big game. Gloria would deal with it without complaining because she’s motivated by getting the job done on time and well.

Sometimes it takes a unique perspective to find a solution. We can work as hard as we like, but the answer remains hidden until perspective is adjusted. Sometimes that perspective has to come from outside ourselves, and accepting it becomes the challenge.

We’re all wired with indelible traits and talents. What happens when new requirements of a team mandate a change in core character? Are humans truly capable of transforming?

The band has been together for 25 years through various changes in personnel. Add a bass player…find a new drummer…introduce a talented new lead guitarist…stumble upon a vocalist. Through all the transformations, the band adapted and kept generating good music. That is, until recently, when the rules changed.

What are the fundamental principles of effective change management?

One of the greatest gifts of change is new talent. While some teammates get mired in mourning who they’ve lost, others reinvest in who they’ve gained. How does a team best leverage this change for success?

Twenty-five years after the original formation of the band, the music continues to evolve despite numerous changes in membership.

Welcome back to the Team Clock Institute’s monthly newsletter. Each month, Breakthrough Teams will invite readers to participate in an Ask/Apply/Act model:
Ask: this month’s team challenge
Apply: example story
Act: action steps for consideration