Digital business runs off smarter teamwork Digital business runs off smarter teamwork

Businesses that want to compete in the digital economy have a central goal – to use Digital Transformation to secure and drive competitive advantage. And, according to Muggie van Staden, MD of open source technology and services provider Obsidian Systems, says to achieve this, there must be an obvious connectedness among employees and a clear ability to leverage smarter technology.

He added that today’s business environment has given rise to the concept of smart teamwork as an umbrella term to describe technically progressive, digitally driven and data-focused business operations. The concept is now considered a must and integral to the digital business strategy.

“Through the connectedness of people, with technology getting smarter, more mundane processes will be automated, allowing for better business insights,” said van Staden.

“Competitive advantage and market leadership is really down to how quickly and effectively a company can achieve connectedness among its staff – in other words, smarter teams – and also the extent to which employees are able to tap into technology advances.”

With the advent of cloud, AI and IoT within the modern business operation, many decision makers are eager to invest in solutions and capitalise on the benefits that these resources promise.

Van Staden points out that the temptation to invest and invest quickly is often fuelled by the desire to achieve technical agility and reduce costs.

However, he says smart teamwork is not about managing cost.

“It is about building efficiency in integrating your systems and saving time, optimising your teams’ productivity and therefore gaining more than just a cost benefit,” he explained.

Once the processes are in place, what is the next step for the business?

The success of an initiative or concept or strategy is directly linked to the success of projects. This, says van Staden, is where smarter teamwork really comes into its own.

SmarterTeams will achieve success when they have the platform that facilitates simple, realtime and integrated communication, when they are focused on collective goals and results, and when they contribute to the bigger picture and know their role in the broader company team.

“SmarterTeams know where the gaps are and can quickly able to support their peers, they are diverse and bring different thinking to the team and solutions, and are organised,” said van Staden.

The reinvention of teamwork

Disruption is the buzzword of business.

And why wouldn't it be, when tech-centric companies like Amazon, Uber, Netflix and Twitter are transforming the way we shop, travel, play and communicate?

Perhaps your business is trying to disrupt itself. If not, then you can be sure that someone else's is, and chances are they're doing it with quite different teamwork practices than what you treat as the norm.

Is it technology that's making the difference inside these disruptive companies? Yes, to the extent that product technology supports their exponential growth. However, inside the company, everyone has the same access to pretty much the same technology at the same time, everywhere. It's cheap, easy to use and mobile. And let's remember that instant messaging, email, smartphones, video, collaboration software and the like are tools – and tools only.

Where's the difference?

Share and share alike
There's a clue in the common purpose of many of these new technologies: to facilitate the sharing of information.

Indeed, this is exactly why the Internet was invented in the first place. Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are popular because people like to share. We have social brains, and our evolution has programmed us to connect (because it saved our early ancestors from the disruption of sabre-toothed tigers). Even Daniel Goleman, the acclaimed thought leader in emotional intelligence, now speaks of social intelligence.

We are genetically wired to engage and share with others and, in doing so, to adapt and respond and learn, which is precisely what the disruptive teams in places like Uber and Dropbox are doing so brilliantly. And they're doing it with the help (and at times hindrance) of new technologies.

Here are six things you can do to lead your team to be disruptors, or at least nimble adaptors.

1 Find the secret
We live in an age of information overload, bombarded with data 24/7.

We are most certainly sharing, and it's on a global scale that's faster, more frequent and, some would argue, less meaningful than ever before. The importance of focus can't be underestimated, as we must navigate through the distraction of always being ‘on.'

The better performers in this digital world derive their focus from the core belief that it's not so much which collaborative technology they use to share information (the tools are very similar), but whom they share it with and what they (collectively) do with it.

Fast disruptors know that technology can be duplicated, but there is one thing that can't be. In a disruptive world, the secret to success remains what it was thousands of years ago: the ability of people to work together toward a shared purpose. In a word, teamwork – but a more fluid and flexible style that suits a world that has seen its boundaries shatter in the face of globalization.

2 Make the secret scalable
While technology and globalization continue to disrupt the business landscape, they are not reinventing teamwork in their wake, but rather scaling it as a capability and culture.

The typical company circa 2016 has people dispersed across multiple locations and issues arising at the speed of light, which is why teamwork makes the business more than the sum of its parts. Great teamwork scaled across the business makes anything possible.

This is why a national 2014 employment survey in the US, as reported by Forbes, found that the skill employers looked for in their new recruits was the ability to work in a team structure. The second most important skill was the ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization.

3 Accelerate and share the learning
Business has always been a team sport, and there are many good reasons for this; however, one now stands alone as pivotal to organization survival and success.

Business is consumer-driven (or more specifically, customer-experience-driven), which means our teams must be agile, innovative and constantly learning how to optimize that experience for a customer who has abundant choice.

Shared learning is the key, because working alone or in silos of expertise reduces learning,growth and creativity. When there is no one to challenge us, we simply don't leverage our experience and ideas.

4 Escape the gravity of hierarchy and structure
Daniel Pink, acclaimed business thought leader, argues that we are now in the Conceptual Age, in which right-brain thinking reigns supreme. There is much evidence for this.

Pink talks of the necessity for organizational symphony: through empathy, intuition, play and meaning. The disruptive companies are enterprises more than organizations, unencumbered by the gravity of organizational hierarchy, process and division.

They play like they're in the Age of the Entrepreneur: risk-ready, nimble, wellconnected folk who thrive on change.

5 Harness the power of the whole team
The leaders of the most successful disruptive companies share their vision and move others to see it, too. They're marvellous storytellers, connecting with others, who in turn connect with them. They inspire people to think as one team, to move as one team and to learn as one team.

Think of a flock of migrating geese, which always fly in a V formation. Geese innately know the secret to great teamwork. They have a common destination and work in perfect unison. When a goose drops out of the V formation, it quickly discovers that it requires a great deal more effort and energy.

Geese help each other, too. When a goose gets sick or wounded, two geese drop out of the formation and follow their fellow member down to help provide protection. They stay with this member of the flock until he or she is either able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out on their own, creating another formation, or they catch up with their own flock.

6 Share the truth
The disruptors share the reality. They are not afraid of the truth. In fact, what they fear most are hidden agendas, silos and the status quo. As in professional sports, they make sure the whole team knows whether they have won or lost and why. The focus is always on what is best for the business, even if getting to the marrow of this takes some tough conversations. The leaders insist that they be challenged. They embrace feedback and tap into the power of their people, because a good idea can come from anywhere.

Make the secret yours
Technology gives us the power to communicate, collaborate and learn across great divides. Very few of us do this well. To prosper in today's markets takes real teamwork, and we are just beginning to harness technology to this end. Beware those who see technology as an end itself. Technology is the vehicle. It is who you take along for the ride and how you use the technology to share the challenges and opportunities that make the real difference. This is what it's really all about.

Additional Considerations For Developing Efficient Business Teamwork

Work needs to be delegated when it comes to business teamwork. If work is not delegated to specific people, issues are then most likely created with multiple people working on the same thing. Tasks should be assigned to employees based on their strong points and skill sets. This will ensure each person is motivated because the work they are assigned is something they are good at. Delegation needs to be done with a leader who can recognize the skills and abilities of each team member.

Effective communication must be used with business teamwork. Everyone needs to know what is going on throughout the entire project plan. It is important to agree the method of communication that will take place to keep everyone informed and in the loop. You might choose email or phone conferences. Whichever your communication method is, be sure everyone agrees with it and they are happy with the decision.

A timeline needs to be laid out at the beginning of business teamwork when starting a project. Everyone needs to know specific deadlines that pertain to them and when they need to have their tasks accomplished. This sets goals in place for people to work toward and it gives each person a focus. If there is not an end date in site, then employees tend to slack. You might even consider moving the deadlines up a bit to see if you can get employees to speed up their work. This allows for more efficiency and ending a project not only on time but before the deadline.

Business Teamwork provides a way for organizations to encourage members to work collaboratively towards a collective goal. Building credibility, trust, and respect with other individuals in the organization develops the expertise of the team and leads to the successful completion of organizational goals. Although not every member of the partnership must work on every organizational challenge, it is important that all members are informed of the expected end result and have a sense of involvement in the entirety of the project.

Creating an effective team is a more intricate process than simply selecting potential team members, creating a lineup, and delegating tasks. It is important to acknowledge that merely motivating a group of people to engage in a specific task does not reflect Business Teamwork. The method has to be structured in order to ensure that individual members are embracing the concept of a team in an effort to enhance productivity in the organization. Apart from giving members control over certain work procedures, there are additional considerations for developing efficient Business Teamwork.

Define roles and articulate directions clearly. It is imperatively required to identify the function and responsibility of every individual in an organization. By creating a list of organizational roles, all team members are aware of their personal and group accountability, thus promoting efficient Business Teamwork. Well-defined roles and clear expectations encourage members to interact with others and contribute in improving the organization's competence in order to meet tough challenges and survive in a competitive industry.

Emphasize the importance of credible and efficient leadership. An effective leadership is necessary in building a motivating and inspiring work environment. A credible team leader does not only understand personal roles and responsibilities but also initiates decision-making, appreciates contributions of team members, and protects individuals and teams from discriminatory actions and circumstances so that they feel secured and respected. A good leader is necessary, and choosing this person is very crucial to the success of the entire team. Some people are born with the qualities of a natural leader. Others need to undergo training in order to gain the leadership skills necessary for success.

Establish and maintain open lines of effective communication. In the process of facilitating good Business Teamwork, make sure that there is open communication. Teams are composed of individuals who possess different sets of principles. Relationships among individuals have a colossal effect on self-esteem and productivity. Understanding other's perspective and proactively gathering feedbacks can help develop a sense of belonging and promote solidarity among team members.