Where is My Dream Team? (Part 5)

Ever watch The Office?

The undercurrent of truth relayed by the irreverent behaviors that abound at the office of Dunder Mifflin illuminates many of the primary issues that tie the noose on progress. They’ve brilliantly captured some of the standard personalities we’re asked to bond with in the workplace. While they’re limited to a reasonable number of cast members, corporate America has these types ad nauseam. Angela and Pam times 200. Michael and Jan times 300. And let’s not forget Dwight. Although he’s my favorite, multiplying him is quite scary.

Many of us brace ourselves for these folks every morning as we shower and dress for work. Most develop thick skin over the years, not letting our more challenging co-workers impact our personal lives. That’s all well and good, but what about the times when these characters seem to sabotage progress?

Gee, that’s every day for some of us.

Of course, there are wonderful people at work who make life a joy. Some of the best friends we have are found at the refrigerator, by the coffee machine, or in the cube next door. Some people even marry their co-workers. But for every kindred spirit, an opposite seems to creep out of the woodwork or paperwork. It’s the inevitable dichotomy of life. Sure, I’m easy going and can get along with most people. I bet you can, too. So why do we still struggle to collaborate?

Collaboration, or teaming, is one of the key cornerstones of Six Sigma and all other respected quality philosophies. But forget all that, it’s basic to the world of work. If you can’t collaborate, you’re dead in the water cooler. So what do you do when this flapdoodle gets in the way? For example:

• The guy on the team who spends 15 or 20 minutes bringing up the same issue a million different ways at every meeting because he just can’t let it go.

• The woman who continues to ask questions about things she really should know already. Or worse, she asks the question that was just answered because she wasn’t listening.

• The newbie who insists that you explain everything that everyone else already knows, chopping up half the meeting time.

• The 20-year veteran who continues to crack jokes when joke cracking time is over.

• The lady who slows everyone down by asking someone to read to her because she left her glasses on her desk again.

• The direct report who takes 20 minutes to explain something that could be best said in two.

• And lastly, the uptight middle aged career woman who takes every comment personally, filling the room with unnecessary tension.

“Where, oh where, is my dream team?” you beseech the dark clouds above your head as you walk to your car at the end of a frustrating day. Face it, these people aren’t going anywhere. Look on the bright side, you could work at Dunder Mifflin.

Whether you’re the leader, manager, quality professional, or a team member, you can make an impact on this seemingly endless situation. The best approach will be determined by your role on the team and within the company. The key is to put some thought into it instead of continuing to pull your hair out, talking to the sky when no one is looking. Any time you’re frustrated, there is one sure thing you can do to incite change – take action. I won’t lie to you. The best action may be to leave, as is the case if you’re at Dunder Mifflin.

But if you don’t work for Michael Scott, once you’ve evaluated each sabotaging behavior, the best tactic is to chip away at it one team member at a time. But first, tease out the behaviors you can live with; give people somewhat of a break. Are the behaviors actually slowing progress or just personality traits you don’t particularly care for? For goodness sake, don’t be too tightly wound. If you are, you likely belong on the list above. Next, identify the low hanging fruit, such as the lady who keeps forgetting her glasses. There’s likely an easy fix for that one.

The rest will likely call for face to face conversations. For some, this idea can be quite stressful. However, it’s best to take on some personal growth of your own and face the fear of confrontation; it gets easier with experience. If you abhor bringing up tough topics like inappropriate joke telling, just imagine how the jokester feels. He’s the one being criticized. I’ve found that the most useful and kind approach is to talk to people like you’d want to be talked to. Usually that doesn’t involve arrogance, sarcasm, or threats. You may be thinking that no one would handle such a conversation that way. Well, trust me, they do. Some people still believe that’s how to exert authority and lead teams.

The approach followed in these conversations underlies the corporate and team culture more than we realize. The gift of dignity goes a long way toward creating a culture in which all types can join hands and march to a single beat. That’s when mountains start to move. Let’s not tear them down thinking we’ll put something better in their place. That’s confusing the mountains with those who can move them.

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This is the last of a five-part series on aberrations in the workplace. To see what it's all about go here.

Also see:

The Old Bait and Switch (Part 1)
Hocus Pocus Customer Focus (Part 2)
Hi! My Name is Larry (Part 3)
The Jolly Metrics Hayride (Part 4)