The 5 P’s of team design and development for managers
Teams are a useful business tool for improving processes and quality, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction or reduced costs. Many managers recognize the benefits that teams can bring, but do not adequately consider what it takes for a team to function in the direction management wants. When forming teams, the manager must consider the purpose, participation and location of the members, as well as the team’s processes and plans. With the 5 P’s of purpose, involvement, location, process, and plan, management can better design teams and determine development needs.
Goal – Will the team have a clear understanding of why it exists, what it needs to do, and how it will know it is successful? The team and management must agree on the purpose or mission statement in writing so that they work together in a common direction toward solutions that meet their overall purpose. Team goals and management timelines should align with your overall purpose and will serve to guide performance and help you meet challenges.
Attendance – Who would be the best people to include on the team, and how large should the group be to achieve its purpose? Management must consider necessary skills, professional attitudes, and process knowledge when selecting team members. Also, for membership in team formation or as staff needs grow, seek a balance between personality types for both the task and the approach of the people to be included so that the solutions the team designs are more diverse and innovative to achieve the purpose of the team and what is required. to work.
Placement – Where will team members be physically located and how often should the team plan to have meetings? If the team is going to be an intact work group, this may simplify some things, but the group will need a meeting room to solve complex problems. If the team is spread across multiple sites, managers will need to consider costs and potential problems the team may have due to culture or time differences, and then determine if travel is required for some meetings or if special equipment is needed. for members to meet regularly. by phone or online.
process – How will the team get where it needs to go to achieve its purpose? Members must develop and agree on their ground rules, any restrictions that management may place on decision-making authority, or functional boundaries. Initial team training should include meeting management with a suggested meeting agenda and record keeping formats, interpersonal communication, problem solving and, if relevant to the team’s work, include process mapping.
Plan – Will the team recognize when their project or task will be completed and know what they need to accomplish their tasks? If the goals are specific to their purpose and the team agrees that these are relevant and achievable goals, then the team should agree on a timeline for the goals and a way to measure how well they are doing towards the goals. Not only should the team and its management define work deadlines and expected milestones in their goals and timelines, but they should also include the necessary training to acquire skills related to cooperation and the task.
By keeping the 5 P’s of purpose, involvement, location, process, and plan in mind, management can design better teams and plan their development needs accordingly. It’s good to recognize the benefits that teams can bring to a company or organization, but teams are only effective when management understands what it takes to move their teams in the desired direction. Well-designed and well-developed teams only become useful for process and quality improvement when managers consider the selection of members for the best engagement and preferred location along with the team’s purpose, process, and plan.