action research: building high performance teams :infusion of the coporate and kaizen culture

7/29/2019 Action Research: Building High Performance Teams :Infusion of the Coporate and Kaizen Culture

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BUILDING HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAMS :

INFUSION OF THE CORPORATE AND KAIZEN CULTURE

Abidah bt Sarajul Haq,

Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman,

Sekolah Berprestasi Tinggi

Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah,

31400 Ipoh, Perak.

E- mail : [email protected]

Abstract: Teams can be very effective in producing innovative solutions in the working environment

especially in schools. In jobs throughout every industry, managers always emphasise the need for good

team players. Teamwork should be that secret recipe of every panel in schools. Yet, we all know that

creating a team can be a challenging task indeed. Teachers working together can harness the talents and

strengths of individuals to create quality results. Hence, with this in mind, I have venture into the

corporate work ethics and Kaizen culture to look into their values and strategies so as to build up myhigh performance team : the English Language Panel of Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman , Ipoh , our

High Performance School in Perak. I would also like to share my experience being the team leader (head

of English Language panel) in various schools in coaching my team members. I believe that learning

takes place through experience. A good teamwork boosts the entire performance rate but this is possible

only if the entire team shares one vision and focuses on we rather than me. But creating and leading

a team can be a risk too. Yet, risk-takers often succeed above all others. If you are willing to rise above

the challenges to lead a team, you should first prepare to lead your team effectively. Heres how you can

watch out for the pitfalls and maximize the advantages of this valuable method of working together as a

team.

WRITERS BIODATA

Abidah bt Sarajul Haq, a DG.52 Excellent Teacher is currently attached to Sekolah Tuanku Abdul

Rahman, (S.T.A.R.) Ipoh . She is a graduate from Sunderland University, England , majoring in English

Literature and Sociology. She has an experience of 25 years as Head of English Language panel in 7

schools . She has also been the facilitator for English Language and ETeMS courses in Perak, National

Assessor for School Based Oral Assessment , Team Leader for residential school exams, Residential

schools committee for Academic Programmes, coordinator and head of the EL Programmes for Cluster

and High Performance School at S.T.A.R. Her extended role includes being a writer for the e-siswa

monthly magazine ( Karangkraf publications). She believes in a strong team spirit and her EL team

achievements include the 1st runners-up for Prime Minister English Debate ( 2007 & 2010), Champion for

the UTP Debate (2009) Champion for Northern Zone English Drama competition (2008) and 1 st runners-

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up (2010). The EL team has spread its wings through networking which includes multiple corporate

companies and international educational institutions.

INTRODUCTION

The importance of working together and how a panel in a school can achieve great results is due to

effective teamwork. Building up a good team requires time and patience but then work can be fun if you

have a good team that works hard towards a common goal. This has yet to materialize before you are able

to build up a high performance team. Applying the term culture to organisations such as the school and

subject panel is rather new. However a number of theorists have defined culture and applied it more

specifically to organisations ( for example schools) as:

a pattern of basic assumptions - discovered or developed by a given group , as it learns to cope

with the problem of internal integration - that has worked well enough to be considered valid and

therefore to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive ( Schein 1985 )

the way we do things around here . ( Burke and Litwin, 1989 )

In many ways, culture is an organisations image as I would put in. A large part of the culture is

communication . It is not just what the organisation communicates but how it does so. This is essential to

form the basis of building a high performance team.

THE INFUSION OF CORPORATE CULTURE INTO TEAM BUILDING STRATEGIES

Why the corporate culture?

In six words, corporate culture is How we do things around here. Corporate culture is the collective

behaviour of people using common corporate vision, goals, shared values and beliefs . It is interwoven

with processes and a learning environment. In addition, different individuals bring to the workplace their

own uniqueness and knowledge. So corporate culture encompasses moral and behavioral norms of an

organisation based on the values, beliefs, attitudes and priorities of its members. Corporate values that are

implemented in a panel (as an organisation) involves a learned set of behaviours that is a common

knowledge to all its members. These behaviours are based on a set of shared beliefs and values that the

members have agreed on. As Sun Tzu, a Chinese military general from 3000 BC, indicated in his

explanation of strategy culture forms an integral part of any organisational strategy .It consists of Tao

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- the created and shared beliefs and values that holds an organisation together and italso involves the

very nature of the organsation . Culture is about individuals in a group sharing patterns of behaviour.

There is no cultural absolute because culture is relative, we have the power to create a culture that is best

for an organisations future direction. So tighten up and create your own set of values and goals in your

team.

BUILDING HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAMS BASED ON CORPORATE WORK ETHICS

A team is made up of a group of people working together to achieve a common goal. High performance

teams are effective teams which possess certain characteristics that allow the team members to function

efficiently and productively. These teams will then develop ways to share leadership roles and ways to

share accountability for their work products, shifting the emphasis from the individual to several

individuals within the team. High performance teams develop a specific team purpose and concrete work

products that their members produce together. These effective teams will conduct open-ended meetings

and develop active problem-solving strategies that go beyond discussing and delegating the work to be

carried out. They will do the assigned task together. When necessary, individuals in a team will set aside

their own work to assist other members of the team. In a well-functioning team, performance is based not

on an individual members ability to do the task alone but it is assessed directly by measuring the work

products of the whole team.

Seven Characteristics of a High Performance Team

Team members share leadership roles

Team develops its own scope of work

Team schedules the work to be done and commits to taking time allotted to do the work

Team develops tangible work products

Performance is based on achieving team products or results

Problems are discussed and resolved by the team

INFUSION OF KAIZEN STRATEGY

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Kaizen is a system of continuous improvement in quality, technology, processes, company culture,

productivity, safety and leadership.

Kaizen was created in Japan following World War ll. The word kaizen means continuous improvement.

Its comes from the Japanese words ( kai) which means change or to correct and (zen) which

means good. The term Kaizen is thus translated as Kai-change and Zen-Improve. The term became

popular after Masaaki Imais book Kaizen: The key to Japans Competitive Success was published in

1986. The popularity of Kaizen increased over the years as more companies discover what can be

achieved when they empower their staff to make improvements. Kaizen is a system that involves every

employee-from upper management to the cleaning crew. Everyone is encouraged to come up with small

improvement suggestions on a regular basis. This is not a once a month or once a year activity. It is

continuous. Japanese companies such as Toyota and Canon has a total of 60 to 70 suggestions per

employee per year which are written down, shared and implemented. In most cases these are not ideas for

major changes. Kaizen is based on making little changes on a regular basis: always improving

productivity, safety and effectiveness while reducing waste. Kaizen also involves setting standards and

then continually improving those standards. To support the higher standards Kaizen also provides the

necessary training, materials and supervision that are needed for employees to achieve the higher

standards on an on-going basis. What is more important Kaizen focuses on creative solutions. In

Kaizen problems are opportunities to improve. With the above Kaizen strategy we can look at problems ,

diagnose them and then solve these problems by taking immediate action through suggestions given by

team members. Kaizen is all about action. Taking action to generate suggestions and taking action to

implement those suggestions immediately.

THE HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM LEADER

A team leader is a leader that brings the team to success The first step in leading a high performance

team is to look at the qualities that are vital to fit this role. Do you know how to lead a team? If you can

answeryes to these questions, you are ready to get started :

Do you have a positive attitude ?

Can you convey enthusiasm for a project and help the others? Do you have the ability to set a

productive and energetic tone for a group?

If the leader is not passionate about achieving the goal, the team members will not be either.

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Are you organised ?

Starting a team takes strong organisational skills and you must be able to communicate precisely

the results you are looking for. A team needs strong direction. Kicking off your first team

meeting with the necessary details and clear goals allows others to feel confident about their roles

as well as the teams purpose. Staying organised throughout will help you to guide your team to

success.

Are you a good communicator?

Many people think that they are effective communicators but are not fully aware of what

communication is all about. While providing direction is one important communication skill,

listening is equally important. So open up to listen to your team members.

Are you confident enough to lead?

As a leader you must often step back and allow your team to progress without interfering. If you

are unable to let go of tasks and feel the need to be involved all the time , you are not fulfilling

the role of a leader. If you have properly communicated the goals and set a productive

atmosphere for your team, you should be able to delegate the work with confidence. Check on the

progress from time to time and advise them along the way. This will not only makes your team

members feel confident, appreciated, and supported but it allows you to follow progress and steer

the team toward its goals.

Effective leadership is one of the most important components in building a high performing team. The

team leader should possess the skills to create and maintain a positive working environment and motivate

and inspire the team members to take a positive approach to work and be highly committed. An effective

team leader will promote a high level of morale and make them feel supported and valued.

There are several ways in which a team leader as the head of the panel can help panel teachers to become

a high performance team:

1. Establish objectives together

Define performance objectives with the team and make sure that all team members understand the

objectives and what are the actions that need to be taken to achieve them. Every team should have

definite objectives or goals.

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The objectives or goals should support the teams mission or purpose. In other words,

every goal the team pursues should assist the team in fulfilling its mission. Remember,

the mission is the entire reason for the teams existence and should align with the

schools mission. As an example , below is S.T.A.R. and the English Language Panels

aspirations which go hand-in hand.

SEKOLAH TUANKU ABDUL RAHMAN, IPOH

THE SCHOOLS ASPIRATIONS

Motto

Knowledge is our guidance

VisionSekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman as the paramount

showcase of academic excellence.

Mission

To develop Starians with a towering personality by:

acquisition, application and delivery of science and technology in English

aesthetic appreciation of music and arts.

development of an active physical growth.

generating values and the spirit of patriotism.

development of a holistic and quality leadership

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PANELS ASPIRATIONS

Vision

To be the best leading panel that inspire academic

achievement and creativity

Mission

To strive and persevere

Objectives

To provide every student with the opportunity to develop the

maximum degree of competence in the English language.

To help students build up their confidence and to do well academically

in the English Language exams.

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To encourage and help teachers to improve their teaching methods with

the latest technology and creativity.

2) Creating a Strategic Plan for the Team

As a team leader, you need to draw up a team plan. A team plan is simply a written blueprint for theteams success. It spells out the teams vision, outlines the teams goals and lays out a strategy for

fulfilling the team mission and reaching the goals. This plan should clearly state the responsibilities of

each person in the team, what they do and how they do it. It should outline what each person does and

how he or she is accountable. The strategic plan should be discussed during panel meetings where the

team members come together to discuss the teams results and future plans. As a team leader , you should

come up with a Team Progress Review. Here are some items you should consider covering the review..

Check to make sure that the team is effectively accomplishing its mission.

Review the teams goals and make necessary adjustments. This is a great time to keep

highlighting these goals.

Review the team plan and determine if any updates or changes need to be made to make the team

more effective. Talk about the things that are working well and discuss what areas need to be

improved.

Clarify responsibilities for each team member and the actions they need to take next. Set a date

for the next Progress Review.

When conducting any panel meetings, the team leader has to give a printed agenda to every member.

Start and end each meeting on time and keep the meeting on track by following the agenda. One final

note that I would emphasise during my meetings is to remind my team to constantly cooperate in any

given task and always stay on track. I find that these progress reviews will keep the team focused instead

of turning them into a nightmare.

CONCLUSION

Infusing the corporate work ethics and kaizen strategy which involves everyone in an organisation calls

for a never - ending efforts for improvement. In the kaizen management, work has to be carried out

continuously towards revising the current standards. Once a process or procedure has been mastered, the

team will progress further into improving and revising its quality. Kaizen strategy of achieving

continuous success is through making small improvements rather than involving drastic change in the

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existing process or procedure. These small improvements are the result of coordinated and continuous

efforts made by all the members in the organisation. The Japanese management encourages employees to

generate a great number of suggestions and works hard to consider and implement these suggestions. The

management also gives due recognition to employees efforts for improvement. With this in mind, we can

use the strategies to adopt and adapt work ethics related to the corporate and kaizen culture to improve

our existing working environment.

Building teams which are always at their best needs a lot of commitment and sacrifices. As a team

leader ( head of panel) you need to reflect your values which are exemplary to the other team members.

Values such as integrity, honesty , supporting each other, producing excellent work and products, helping

team members to develop their skills and creating the team spirit should be included in your value system.

Is it true that leaders are simply born and not created? Maybe it is. Some people have the innate talent of

being great leaders while others just do not. But that is not to say that we cannot garner qualities of a true

leader and learn effective team leadership with a set of value system. If we understand the definition of

effective team leadership and what makes a good leader, then it might just be possible to become one.

Why is it so important to learn about effective team leadership ? Because in todays competitive and

professional world, possessing leadership skills is one of the most important skills to display

Managing teams is not like managing a group of individuals. The best teams function as one, investing in

the success of the team and not their own success, willing to compromise when it is best for the team

outcome. But, getting team members to work into a cohesive unit is not an easy task. You need to have a

plan especially, if the teachers have never worked in a team before. If you are not comfortable leading

the team, approach the person you think is the best leader among the members and ask him or her to work

with you. The main leadership role of a good leader is to be a guiding force. The position of a leader

supplies us the power to influence others in a positive way and motivate them further to work as a team. It

is imperative that the team leader has the knowledge and expertise so that he or she can guide the team

members. It is also expected that the leader motivates the team mates in whichever manner possible so

that the best of their abilities are brought to the core. This is not only essential for their personal growth

but also for the overall goal. So all the best in building your high performance teams. Good Luck !

Teamwork is the ability to work together towards a common vision. The ability to direct individual

accomplishments towards organisational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain

uncommon results . Andrew Carneige

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barth,R. (2001). The Culture Builder. Education Leadership, 59 (8) , 6-12

Deal, T.E., & Peterson, K.D. (1990). The Principals Role in Shaping School Culture. Washington,D.C. :

U.S. Government Printing Office.

Fullan, M. and Hargreaves, A. (1992) .WhatsWorth Fighting For : Working Together for Your School.

New York : Teachers College Press.

Joyce, B.R., Hersh, R.H.,& McKibbin, M. (1983). The Structure of School Improvement. New York :

Longman.

Kotter, P., John (1992). Corporate Culture and Performance, hardcover. Free Press.

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action research: building high performance teams :infusion of the coporate and kaizen culture

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