What’s so magical about lists of 10 things? There are the Ten Commandments or the “10 Best Movies of 1993.” Well, here’s a list of “The Top 10 Ways To Guarantee Teams Will Fail In Your Organization.”
- Don’t listen to any new idea or recommendation from a team. It’s probably not a good idea since it’ll be new and different and will come from a team.
- Withhold from your teams any additional resources to help solve problems in their area. Teams are supposed to save money and make do with less.
- Treat all problems as signs of failure and treat all failures as a reason to disband teams and downgrade team members.
- Create a rigid system that requires lots of checks, reviews and signatures to get permission for all changes, purchases and new procedures.
- Get your security department involved in making it impossible for teams to get information about your business. And don’t let those team members near any computers!
- Plant an “old line” manager on each team to keep an eye on everyone in your area. You can tell the teams he or she’s there to help “facilitate.” (Teams like that word.)
- When you reorganize or change policies and procedures, never involve team members in the decision or even give them any advance warning. Besides, everyone likes surprises.
- Cut out all team-member training. Problem solving’s just common sense anyway.
- Lash out with your criticisms freely and withhold your praise and recognition. Teams need to know where they’ve screwed up so that they feel guilty.
- Above all, remember only you know best. That’s why they pay you the big bucks. Never let team members forget that.
SOURCE: Reprinted with permission from Today’s Team Facilitator, September, 1993, Wentworth Publishing Company, Lancaster, PA. 17601.
Personnel Journal, July 1994, Vol. 73, No. 7, p. 69.