How to control the process.
The development of a group into a team follows a very specific pattern: the desired changes in behavior only occur once the process has gone through all the phases. In this article, you will learn about the different stages of this development and how you can consciously manage the process.
Neuland used to define the moderation method as: "Turning those affected into participants". After many years of practical moderation experience with a wide variety of participants and the most diverse issues, Neuland now defines the method differently. The quite justified criticism of the effectiveness of the results of teamwork can only be avoided if it is also possible to make participants involved.
A company on its way into crisis - and out again
The case: A medium-sized company (let's call it ChipBase GmbH) was planning to restructure its production areas (manufacture of electronic components). We were commissioned to help with the restructuring process with three moderators and to train and deploy process facilitators from within the company. The management's idea: In production, employees were to work in groups without a hierarchy. The groups were expected to- that they take on more responsibility
- that they give themselves their own personnel responsibility framework
- that they take on maintenance tasks independently
- that they are responsible for the quality of their work and their products
- that they are responsible for reducing production costs
Consultants instead of superiors
The previous hierarchical levels of foremen and supervisors should be abolished. In future, foremen and supervisors were to act as advisors and helpers to employees in production. The employees concerned (who were not yet aware of the project) identified strongly with the company. In the model, we referred to this as closeness. Employees who had previously been externally determined were therefore expected to think and act independently (self-determined) in the future.
The management assumed that the path from 1 to 2 would be relatively easy and could be completed in a short time. In various preliminary discussions, we made it clear to management that this was not the case and that additional considerations needed to be made: What will happen when the employees find out about the project? The closeness, the identification that could be felt until then would give way to great skepticism. The employees would doubt the success of the project and question it.
Anyone who takes the crisis phase into account has almost overcome it
The doubts and skepticism are accompanied by fears and in the third stage, active resistance may even arise after the project has started: the employees will "push the limits". A phase of crisis, of "confusion", which those responsible often do not want to see. The interesting thing about this situation is that those affected are already acting in a self-determined manner. If all those responsible are aware that this phase of chaos cannot be prevented, the negative accompanying circumstances can be kept within tolerable limits. In many other companies, you can see that the decision-makers want to turn the wheel back as soon as there is any sign of sand in the gears.Conclusion: Once we had involved those responsible at ChipBase in the process, a new joint overall concept emerged that took the potential difficulties into account. And this is how we implemented the organizational development in the Production division.
The 10th step took place 30 weeks after the start of the project. The anticipated difficulties began after the 2nd step. After the formation of the working groups and their start (steps 7 and 8), it quickly became clear that the new self-determination had largely been realized harmoniously. And another of our predictions came true: the foremen and supervisors were unable to cope with their new role. Instead of leading employees and being supervisors, they were supposed to act as helpers and advisors. Eight out of eleven foremen therefore looked for and found new tasks in other companies. Today, approximately 1.5 years after the start of the project, ChipBase has achieved its sales targets a year earlier than planned.
