In the previous article we touched on the fifth S Strategy and proven strategies for successful alignment, effective onboarding and reducing the impacts of ‘premature evacuation’.
Today we are looking at the Sixth S Staff, as a subjective aspect of the McKinsey 7-S framework, and the onboarding process. Staff is where people skills come into play and how interaction with staff can contribute to onboarding success.
Fitting into teams
When starting a new role, you can find yourself joining any number of teams, as part of the onboarding process, it helps to understand how teams are formed allowing appropriate contributions from day one.
There are four stages of team formation, which psychologist Bruce Tuckman defined in 1965 and this model remains relevant for us today.
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Forming – In the initial stage, the team leader plays a dominant role, helping to define the responsibilities of each team member.
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Storming – The second stage is ‘make or break’.
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Norming – Continuing to be actively involved, despite differences, allows people to work towards a resolution.
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Performing – The final stage sees team goals achieved with hard work, but without conflict.
What makes an effective team
According to Gina Abudi, effective teams share these common characteristics:
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Clear communication among all members
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Team member consensus
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Group brainstorming and problem-solving
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Commitment to each other and the project
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Positive and supportive working relationships
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Effective and inclusive team meetings
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Considered and timely handoffs between team members and stakeholders to keep the project moving
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Positive, supportive working relationships among all team members
As Andrew O’Keefe, author of Hardwired Humans has shown, we can learn much about team dynamics from primates. Observing chimp communities can provide a greater understanding of what it takes to maintain organisational harmony.
Team charter
A team charter is a roadmap to define the team’s purpose, processes and intended outcomes.
According to mindtools.com, there are seven elements to a team charter. These can be used to gain a deep understanding of a charter already in place or to assist in the creation of a new one. Abiding by a team charter will help any new team member fit in seamlessly and therefore heighten the chance of survival in the first three months.
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Context
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Mission and objectives
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Composition and roles
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Authority and boundaries
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Resources and support
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Operations
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Negotiation and agreement
My practical, proven strategies for successful alignment, effective onboarding and reducing the impacts of ‘premature evacuation’ is based on the famed McKinsey 7-S alignment framework.
In our next post we will be looking at some of the main points of the final S Systems for effective onboarding and how recruiters can reduce impact of ‘premature evacuation’.
