NEWS March 2014 / ARGO news Nr. 20
Emotionally intelligent teams –more than just the sum of their parts! How can I ensure that my team will consistently bring the level of performance that will enable us to assert ourselves on the market, even under time and cost pressures? This is the kind of question executives ask themselves, and many of them realize that the Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) is just as important for delivering high performance as the formal IQ (Intelligence Quotient). The quality of EQ (Emotional Intelligence) is all the more important when teams work together to carry out tasks – and even more so when it comes to complex tasks.
So what can you do? In order to build a foundation for an emotionally intelligent team, it is necessary that the team as
a whole responds consciously constructively to the emotions of the individuals who make up the team. Team EQ does not only focus on the question of how to deal with “destructive contagious emotions”, but on how to consciously bring to the surface emotions that influence the team and its performance. Moreover, Team EQ deals with the question of how relationships can be built within and outside the team in order to meet the challenges that face the team. Team EQ is not just the sum of the Emotional Intelligence quotients of the member comprising the team. Team EQ depends on the norms that support the awareness and ability of the team to regulate emotions within and outside the team.
These norms create the foundation for three basic requirements of successful cooperation: trust, group identity and the awareness and feeling of group efficacy. Team members feel that they function better together as a team than individually.
Team: Does the team evaluate how well it is doing? Does the team create the time and language needed to discuss difficult issues and feelings? Does the team maintain a “can do” attitude? Is the team proactive about solving and preventing problems and avoiding a “victim” mentality?
Teams can ask themselves the following questions:
Environment: Does the team understand the organization and those who can affect its performance? Does the team build relationships that help its performance? Finding the answers to these questions is exciting, especially when the answers are recorded via a 360 degree profile. But the teams also grow together via facilitated discussions of the answers to these questions, and together they identify common norms. An emotionally intelligent team – an exciting way to successful cooperation!
Individual: Do members understand what they need to know about each other to work together effectively? Do members address counterproductive behaviors that hurt team performance? Do members value, respect and support each other?
Create awareness
Regulate emotions
Fig. 1: “9 Team Norms” create awareness of emotions and support their regulation (1) by individual team members, (2) by the entire group, and (3) by groups with whom the team works:
(1) Individual
(2) Team
• Interpersonal understanding
• Team self-evaluation
• Organizational understanding
• Creating emotion resources • Creating an affirmative environment • Proactive problem solving
• Building external relations
• Addressing counterproductive behavior • Caring behavior
Once again this past Christmas, rather than buying Christmas cards, ARGO made a donation to a selected aid organization. More than ever, trusting oneself and others is a basic requirement
New offices for all ARGOnauts!
to be able to overcome difficult times. That’s why we wanted to help where young people need support in this important quality. We chose the “Wilderness Riding Project”, supported by the Lions Clubs Johann Strauß and managed by Ms Waltraud Marsoner.
Please visit: http://www.lions-club-wienjohann-strauss.at/lions/?p=904 for further information!
The work with therapy horses focuses on social interaction and perceiving oneself through the animals. Many positive reactions from the teachers document the immediate effects of the program. The new Vienna office is still located in the 19th district of Vienna, at Heiligenstädterstraße 31. At a relaxed ARGO welcome after work, friends and business partners of the ARGOnauts got together for a glass of wine and inspired discussions.
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Both in Chicago and in Vienna, ARGO has changed anchorage: ARGO chicago can now be found in impressive offices at the NBC Tower, North City Front Plaza Drive.
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A scientific study will be started in the near future.
Process Management Summit
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March 2014 / ARGO news Nr. 20
For now the fifth time, the ARGOnauts organized a workshop at the Process Management Summit, this year focusing on the topic of “Leading Change Under Scrutiny: Conflicts, Obstacles and Other Opportunities in Change Processes.”
Johannes Hindler is leaving ARGO on his
own accord. In the pursuit of personal goals, Johannes will devote himself to a new focus with an in-company internal role. We wish him all the best and a lot of success in his new job! ARGO chicago is expanding its team: three experienced consultants have come on board – Stephen Francis, Dave Faulk and Matt Vosmik Read more about one of their projects in the next edition!
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www.argo.at
Your questions – our answers! Answering our clients’ questions – that is what we do. In order to make these answers available to all those interested, we’d like to offer a new “Questions & Answer” section on our website. With questions ranging from, “Though our development programs are good, their implementation is not taken seriously – how can we strengthen commitment and results?” to “We want a new image on the market, so how can we work that with our people?” – topics from Leadership and Change will be discussed. And new topics will be added each month. I look forward to your questions! Write me at b.thoma@argo.at !
outlook
• The ARGOnauts in Croatia are also relocating! The opening of the ARGO zagreb office at Turinina 5 in Zagreb will take place on April 28. Photos in the next edition!
imprint Barbara Thoma ARGO Personalentwicklung GmbH Heiligenstädterstraße 31/ Stiege 1/ Top 602 1190 Vienna tel +43-1-369 77 00 mail: b.thoma@argo.at
I look forward to your feedback!