The traditional corporate organizational model is struggling.
Need proof? Deloitte’s 2017 Global Human Capital Trends reports only 14% of corporate executives believe a hierarchical structure based on specific expertise is effective; in the same study, 94% of companies believe flexible, agile models that accommodate collaboration (i.e., a “network of teams”) can key success.
As the workforce becomes more varied in age, experience levels, etc., teams will need to somewhat stray from the status quo in order to succeed. In his book, “Team of Teams,” Gen. Stanley McChrystal revealed how his military unit’s transparent communication helped U.S. forces topple al-Qaida in Iraq. In real estate, the very concept of teams is proving to be more popular and productive than the more individual approaches of the past.
Reorganizing corporate structure can be a significant challenge for larger and established companies, but that difficulty can be lessened by hiring the right people for those teams. The people who thrived in a vertical structure are not necessarily those who will thrive in a horizontal one and vice versa. The key to building a team that will thrive over the long haul is hiring individuals who can be effective no matter what a team looks like.
Find the Right Parts
Teams – whether they’re in the workplace, on a field, or elsewhere – are only as strong as their weakest links. When hiring for the best unit possible, keep these three critical factors in mind:
1. Keep diversity in mind. There are two types of diversity: inherent diversity (gender, ethnicity, age, etc.), and acquired diversity (differences in knowledge and skills). Both can be assets to a team down the line.
Diverse work cultures are more likely to innovate, respond positively to change, and hit financial benchmarks, as revealed by a Bersin by Deloitte study. Yet, some companies are still slow to mix things up, evidenced by the 78% of executives surveyed by the Center for Talent Innovation saying their companies lack diverse leadership.
Diversity – or the lack thereof – feeds on itself. Prioritizing diversity opens your team up to new ways of varying schools of thought and experience, while minimizing its importance creates an echo chamber where no new ideas or approaches can develop. A variety of voices, experience levels, and perspectives ensures a team sees an issue from every angle and creates the best solution for everyone involved.
2. Look for “team-first” people. Employees with passion are highly productive, but that passion can be either a strength or a weakness in a team environment.
The people who prioritize self over team tend to thrive in traditional, hierarchical structures. This power-centric trait may be geared to get them to the top of an organization, but stepping on too many people along the way can ultimately hinder their long-term success.
Passionate co-workers who prioritize the group’s overall success fit far better into a team dynamic. Their passion is reflected in a desire to learn, take responsibility, and empower others to grow and meet their own goals. They are also more likely to fight for each other in the process, which can build a trust and cohesion within the team that’s hard to break.
3. Don’t let geography be a limitation. Distributed teams are becoming far more common in the modern workplace. For example, Automattic, which produces WordPress, has 450 employees spread across 45 countries and is considered one of the most successful examples of distributed organizations.
This type of environment can be highly rewarding for the employee, who is offered flexibility in her work environment. The employer, who doesn’t have to factor location into the hiring process, can focus on finding people with the most important asset to a team: the right skill set.
While a distributed structure is not ideal for many companies, the lessons learned from these experiences can be helpful. For example, technology has proven to be critical to success, especially for the 73% of the Global Human Capital Trends study respondents who use tech to communicate with co-workers. Rather than requiring time-consuming in-office meetings, on- and off-site teams can leverage platforms like Slack, G Suite, Asana, and Zoom and create a more dynamic and productive work environment.
As corporate leaders fight to innovate in an ever-changing environment, they can easily (and understandably) forget about the very structure they manage. That structure is often considered an immovable object, not an opportunity for innovation. To maintain their competitive advantage, they must consider the needs of the modern workforce, adjusting their structures to recruit employees who embody that future.
Empowerment, transparency, and open communication are quickly becoming the assets that are critical to success in any team environment. Push your teams to strive for all three and build a rock-solid team structure.
For help preparing for your next hiring initiative, download Glassdoor for Employer Behavioral Interviewing Questions and Templates.
About the Author:
Stefan Swanepoel is the chairman and CEO of the Swanepoel T3 Group. Swanepoel is a The New York Times bestselling author; a business, leadership, and motivational speaker; and a real estate trends strategist. The T3 Group operates T3 Sixty, a management consulting company that provides extensive research, strategic analysis, and business innovation to facilitate better management decisions in the real estate industry.
