Organizational Excellence

A decade ago, Seth Godin, inspired by the Team Clock methodology, said, “…think hard – really hard – about what it means to join or lead a group of people.” He was referencing the powerful responsibility we each have to our teammates regardless of our position or role on the team. On most teams, sadly, only a small percentage assumes that level of ownership. The norm is under-engagement or disengagement. Imagine the characteristics of the ideal team. The Center for Team Excellence sees a rare few of these examples but they do, indeed, exist.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when you’re surrounded by organizations who have solved the excellence challenge. Top workplace publications are packed with examples of strategy that anchors recruitment and retention, promotes employee engagement, supports creativity, and embraces change. There is no shame in borrowing from the best practices of your peers. Below are a few highlights showcasing some of the original approaches we’ve observed over the past year.

If the norm is mediocre, average performance will always be good enough. Good enough is sufficient in many endeavors. Some commitments, however, require a devotion to excellence and continuous improvement. Elevating good to great and great to greater taxes the system before it fuels. It’s easier not to stretch yourself when the immediate reward is not visible. In a culture that prefers good, great is a threat. Consider these ways excellence gets punished:

What is the most basic recipe for creating and sustaining a healthy organization? Not surprisingly, it’s not much different than the path to a strong relationship: 1) Make an investment. 2) Build trust. 3) Sponsor growth. 4) Adapt to change. Here’s a quick primer on these four simple steps.

Collaborating fuels energy in most top workplaces. Effective teamwork is only a small part of what makes organizations excellent. Employers-of-choice make a sustained investment the health and wellness of the internal culture so that top talent seeks entry and stays forever. Take a moment to name the strengths and gaps in your organization as you consider these 10 pillars of organizational excellence:

Few organizations can boast 0% disengaged workers in their workplace. Gallup data suggests that about 20% of the country’s workforce is actively disengaged. At minimum, they devote their energy to preventing change. At maximum, they poison the culture with negativity. When an organization commits to a culture of engagement and wellness, the welcome mat for the actively disengaged is removed from the employee entrance. How is this accomplished?

There’s a parallel running through the baby-boom and millennial generations. It’s driven by a shrinking tolerance for work that lacks meaning and purpose. Patience is wearing thin on workplaces shaped by toxic politics. Unless impact is measurable with some regularity, jobs fail to engage or become sources of burnout. Whether you are thirty or fifty years old, it’s good to get clear about the most basic, non-negotiable criteria for a thriving professional path.

The healing powers of summer are providing the annual elixir to teachers and school administrators everywhere. No matter how awful the internal politics of their workplaces last spring, August will usher a renewed sense of hope for the fall return to the classroom. Like a bad case of amnesia, the break will successfully numb these professionals from the unresolved violations of healthy organizational culture that exhausted them a few short months ago. 

What kinds of teams benefit most from Team Clock? The first month of 2011 has welcomed calls from strong teams wishing to get stronger. The first call came from KIPP Schools in Houston.