Self-Managing Teams
Self-managed teams introduce a capability when properly developed and implemented that not only replaces a typical organizational team but improves its functionality, its intrateam integration, production, organizational awareness, and output. In addition, self-managed teams often find greater job satisfaction through quality work, and rewards and benefits (Brown, 2011). These self-managed teams also enjoy autonomy; independence that leads to ownership of a project or goal. This pride that comes with such autonomy leads to a great deal of satisfaction when meaning is not only provided behind its purpose but meaning given by those claiming ownership. Knowing that you are a part of a team that has been empowered to make decisions on behalf of an organization is a renewal of that empowerment. If an open-books policy is provided along with a culture of clear flat communication, I can see an additional benefit of having a sense of organizational ownership that only comes with trust and support by upper management.
While there are many benefits to self-managed teams, Brown (2011) cautions on several considerations when developing, or using such teams: "self-managed work teams may not be appropriate to the task, people and context; the organization does not perceive a need to change; managers and leaders are vague about their roles; organizations that do not reward performance are likely to run into problems; a lack of training can cause self-managed work teams to fail; because there are fewer layers in an organization, there are fewer opportunities for advancement into managerial positions; and building self-managed work teams is not a one-shot activity" (p. 353). These issues, while definite concerns within an organization supporting self-managed work teams would be best utilized while developing them so as to be aware of such pitfalls and avoid them.
In my current community, we have what is called working-groups. Depending on the level of the organization you are working in, this name may be referred to as something different but they are all generally the same. Nonetheless, these groups function relatively the same as self-managed working teams. My time in these working groups has been the most rewarding and enjoyable of my tenure. I enjoyed autonomy, open-books access, freedom to provide input, develop new policies, Operational Directives, and Operations Center Standard Operating Procedures with the full support of higher management. However, withstanding any extra incentives, the enjoyment of the autonomy and freedom of work along with the quality of our results lent much in the way of benefits of working within such a team. I would love to develop, be a part of, or even coordinate such self-managed teams!
As a Navy Chief, I feel I can draw numerous parallels in competencies required to be an effective external manager. A Navy Chief manages and leads all the while mentoring up-and-coming leaders (the internal team leader). I do not often inject my input but leave the decision-making to the rest of the platoon (self-managed working team) to develop solutions and accomplish tasks. I simply support and facilitate what they've been directed to accomplish. If they require some guidance along the way, I am at their disposal 24/7. Throughout my time as this external manager, I suppose the competencies I would need to be effective would include being a coach, teacher, mentor, cheerleader, goal definer, vision provider, resource manager, grand communicator, and facilitator. Brown (2011) offers "The coordinator functions largely as an energizer, teacher, and facilitator by encouraging the team's self-managing behaviors, learning, goal-setting, creativity, self-evaluation, feedback to one another, new ways of problem solving, and group problem solving." As in most cases of leadership development, I always find it best to be a part of what you want to manage and lead so as to have the experience to fully understand the depths and nuances of how to best go about becoming and performing as an effective external manager.
References:
Brown, D. R. (2011). An experiential approach to organization development. Boston, MA: Prentice Hall.
INSEAD (2008, September 22). Self-managing teams: debunking the leadership paradox. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDCMUC9aeQQ-NqjHS3nfiod2PMSA&v=GBnR00qgGgM&feature=emb_rel_end.
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