A635.6.3.RB – EcoSeagate
I do see value in the EcoSeagate team development process.
Reading the blurb in the text, it seems that they had a very volatile and
unstable work environment. “They called it Slavegate. People got fired all the
time. The CEO had a grenade on his desk.” (Brown, 2011) The CEO had a grenade
on his desk? That seems to be quite a powerful visual to have out on his desk.
I can’t imagine going into a meeting in that room and not feel intimidated –
walking in you already know you’ve lost. It really sounds like when the new CEO
came in, he could either do nothing and things would continue to deteriorate,
or, he could change the way the people saw management and themselves. And I
think that because the workplace held such negative energy and memories, taking
the groups outside and away from the office was the best way to go. They had to
learn to trust each other – and management again.
Something like this would absolutely be necessary in a
high-performing organization. One of the things about a high-performing
organization or a high-performing team is the stress and focus that can wear
even the best person down to nothing. Even when I’m in a med-performing team it
always feels good to get away and have a team lunch off-site. You get to talk
to your colleagues about something other than work which helps you know them on
a deeper level. We go back to work, after just an hour, feeling closer and
having made a couple new memories. A development process like EcoSeagate would
be even more important because it encompasses several levels of employees away
from their place of work, thrown into challenging situations where they have to
learn to trust and rely on each other to complete tasks. I think one of the
most important things to come out of an activity or development program like
this is trust. Your team is made up of people with different needs, ambitions,
and personalities. Getting to know them, and helping them to get to know each
other, can build a happy, trusting team. (MTET, 2017) It is imperative in the EcoSeagate situation
that they all learn to trust each other again. It’s like they all lived under a
repressive regime and can finally come out to breathe fresh air again. It takes
time and work to believe that the fresh air is real.
I know that in the upper levels of management Boeing does
have some developmental programs similar to EcoSeagate’s example. I wish that
we could all be involved – I really think that would help on so many levels. We
are on a competitive schedule so it would only work if we worked ahead or
pulled ahead some jobs for a day or two; or held it voluntarily on a weekend. I
wonder if one of the reasons they don’t is because of union restrictions. I don’t
know if that’s a thing or not. Here in South Carolina, we don’t have to worry
about union restrictions and I think it would be a wonderful way to just put
down our tools and talk to one another. I think that leadership would learn a
lot from the feedback after a process like that too. Before returning to the
workplace, participants summarize what they have learned and how it applies to
their work. (Brown, 2011) Even though a development program that would take us
away from our jobs for a day or two is technically not value added, (It doesn’t
affect fit, form, or function of our work.) sometimes the non-value added but necessary
category is what saves the day. It would pay off in improving morale, teamwork,
and trust in our colleagues and leadership. I think that where there is a will,
there is a way and I think that having a program like this at Boeing would be immensely
helpful to all levels of employees. Team building is about providing the
skills, training, and resources that your people need, so that they can work in
harmony. But, to be truly effective, it needs to be a continual process,
embedded into your team and organization's culture. (MTET, 2017)
References:
Brown, D. R. (2011). An experiential approach to
organization development (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Mind Tools Editorial Team (MTET). (2017). Team building
activities: an introduction. MindTools.com. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_52.htm
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