Engineering Your Team OS

Your team functions as a system, consisting of numerous interconnected components. Over time, this system has developed, often unconsciously, into its current form. This tool helps you progressively redesign your team's system. We use the term Operating System (OS) from the software industry to describe a complex system that enables people to work effectively and continuously improve through small, consistent changes. An "Operating System" is meant to be invisible, with its sole purpose being to support the programs running on it. - Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux (open source operating system) To begin, gather your team and display the statements map from the Team Self-Assessment workshop. Allow the team some time to review the statements, ensuring they are familiar with the "mindset" of the Self-Assessment workshop. If you haven't completed the workshop, take 15 minutes for individual reflection on the following categories: 1. Team Relations & Environment 2. Information & Decision-Making 3. Responsibility & Accountability 4. Learning & Individual Purpose 5. Collective Purpose 6. Profit & Productivity

Step by step, discuss each category with the group: 1. For a well-equipped, networked team with our defined purpose and culture, how can we approach this differently? 2. Conduct a structured discussion, inviting everyone to share their thoughts. Focus on positive and ambitious statements that address the question. Remember, only one person should speak at a time. 3. Aim for consent, not consensus. It's not necessary for everyone to agree on the new statements, but make sure no one strongly opposes them. 4. Inform the group that during their turn, they can either expand on someone else's statement or express strong disagreement. If they disagree, they must offer an alternative solution. 5. Continue with structured discussions until a decision is reached regarding the first statement for the first category.

Place the initial statement on the wall or modify a digital document. Generate as many uplifting and ambitious statements as possible within the given time. Remember, this is a challenging group effort, and it will be time-consuming and mentally exhausting if done correctly. Select one statement to concentrate on as a team for the upcoming week, 15 minutes before the session ends. Each team member should verbally pledge to work on altering that aspect of the team's behavior. During your next regular meeting (or a scheduled one if you don't have regular meetings), focus solely on this statement: - How did you perform? - Was it successful? - Does the strategy need adjustment? Repeat this process for each new statement, making it an ongoing iterative cycle. Consider how frequently you update apps on your phone. Almost every day, there's a new version of Facebook, WhatsApp, or Google Maps to install, featuring minor enhancements to the OS. Adopt this mindset for continuous improvement.