Trivia Questions For Scott Asalone: Teamwork & Communication in the Modern Workplace

. As part of our “Trivia Questions For…” blog series, where I have the honor of interviewing nationally-renown experts in the fields of team dynamics, office communication, morale and corporate team building activities in NYC & elsewhere, I am delighted to have sat down with Scott Asalone, acclaimed expert in workplace communication and teamwork.

As partner and co-founder of A & S Global Management Consulting, Scott is a highly sought-after executive coach, having worked with over 3,000 corporate and nonprofit teams. As a longtime researcher of effective teamwork, achievement and success in the workplace, Scott is one of the principals behind The Greatness Project, a 10+ year study to learn firsthand how people strive for and achieve greatness. A regular keynote speaker on the international psychology lecture circuit, Scott is also an in-demand management consultant, workshop leader and facilitator.

Today, I am asking Scott about teamwork and communication in the modern workplace:

1.     More than ever, today’s knowledge workers are completing their work on their own terms, be it remotely, on flex schedules or at home/on weekends. Are we headed towards a “team-less workforce?”

Yes and no. There is definitely a move toward a more flexible, remote workforce. It is both a significant cost saving for many companies and it provides many people what they want in work; freedom and autonomy. So this movement enhances the individualized, single person production that is so prevalent in technology, communication and other industries.

However, there is a simultaneous movement toward more teamwork because of the complexity of products and services. If a programmer in the technology sector is so “remote” that they have no connection with other designers or end users their products can suffer dramatically or be totally off the mark. Because of the complexity of organizations in the current market there is a necessity for individuals to work within the context of some sort of team. It is a check and balance system.

2.     Mobile technology has had a significant impact on the workplace, especially within recent years. How has this impacted the traditional notion of “teamwork?”

The traditional notion of teamwork involved individuals within a certain geographic proximity (on the same floor or in the same area) who came together on a regular basis and worked through production or service and dealt with issues or challenges together. This has not changed.

What has changed is that technology allows the group to be geographically disbursed while still allowing the communication necessary to enhance production or service and deal with challenges. The “geographic proximity” is achieved through the use of technology so that meetings can still occur when people are continents away.

3.     What can/should managers do to ensure that both individual team members & teams as a whole are appropriately recognized & rewarded?

Reward and recognition are essential, but are not really possible without some very clear goals. One of the most important characteristics on high performing teams is a clear, elevating focus. This focus includes vision, mission and goals. So the first discipline of the best managers is to create clear goals both for the individuals on the team and for the team as a whole. It is essential that the goals are not in any way at odds with each other or employees will naturally choose the goals which are most beneficial to themselves. Additionally the team goals should be stronger, or have a higher reward than the individual goals because it enhances working as a team.

Second, recognition and reward are necessary all along the way. Managers need to make it a daily task to find employees doing something right and acknowledge specifically what they are doing right. Studies show that informal feedback (finding employees doing something right) is more powerful in improving performance than formal feedback sessions. (That doesn’t mean managers can forgo the biannual, or annual performance review)

Third, customizing reward and recognition to the employee is the pinnacle of the best managers. Some employees love to be recognized in front of their peers. Others just want to hear from the manager. The best managers take the time to find out what employees want for their recognition (sometimes a day off is a great recognition) and how they want to receive the recognition.

4.     In a challenging economy, retaining top talent remains as important now ever. What role should high-performance staff have when working in teams, to ensure they stay motivated and at their peak performance?

High performers enjoy environments where their unique talents are recognized and rewarded. If this is the environment on the team, very high standards can be set and it will energize and motivate the top employees. Recognizing the entire team so you won’t hurt feelings when one person has really shined is a mistake. It can help a team when someone who has done an excellent job is recognized. However the manager has to find a balance to recognizing the best of his staff and when the entire team does well.

Additionally, top talent is motivated by seeing the results of their work. New research out of Wharton shows that by having your employees meet an end user of their work and see how their work make a difference in their life can have a tremendous motivating effect. People like to know they are working for something that is much larger than themselves.

5.     If you could give just one piece of advice to those who manage teams on how they can succeed in the modern workplace, what would it be?

Don’t always focus on what is wrong. There is a tendency in evaluation, feedback and process checks to always focus on what is wrong in order to fix the problems. That is fine and it works to create an average team. However the best also focus on what is going well in a process, person or team and then try to figure out how to multiply that success. You will get much more on the upside if you focus additionally on what is going right than what is going wrong.

 

Now, Scott has a trivia question he would like to ask YOU:

What is the current winning streak for the American Women’s Basketball team in the Olympics?

To find the answer, connect with Scott by visiting his Websites www.ASGMC.com or www.GreatnessProject.com.

Do you have questions, comments or thoughts regarding this interview? Please feel free to share by using the “Leave a Reply” box  below!