My first job in the proverbial real world was for an independent investment advisor that chose different money managers to work with on behalf of their clients. I was quickly introduced into the world of portfolio construction and began to learn more about Top Down versus Bottom Up investment philosophies.

A top-down approach starts with the broad economy, then analyzes industries given the macro plays in the economy, then narrows down to companies within the industry, before selecting one or more of the companies to invest in. A bottom-up approach looks at the fundamental and qualitative metrics of multiple companies and picks the company with the best prospects for the future. If you are interested in learning more about the difference, here is a summary from Investopedia.

To be clear both of these approaches have the same end goal in mind, to find the best performing stocks. In my role as a coach to leaders and teams my goal is always the same. I work to help them outperform so they can achieve the results they want and deserve.

As a team development practitioner currently and as a team member participant in my past, I have experienced both approaches to improving team effectiveness.

  • I think the bottom up approach to team development usually involves every individual on the team completing some type of self-awareness instrument, such as Meyers Briggs, Disc, Emergenetics, Insights and the Predictive Index to name a few. After all the individuals receive and debrief their reports, the team usual comes together to share and explore the individual differences and discuss how they are impacting team dynamics. The exercise is helpful for increasing self and group awareness but is often challenging to know what to do next and how to apply the learnings in the moment when actual work needs to get done by the team.
  • A top down approach to team building can take a couple of different forms.
    1. One way is to use a team instrument to identify where the team is currently in relationship to the ideal model. Some current examples are Lencioni’s 5 Dysfunctions, Drexler Siebert High Performance Team model, Tuckman’s stages of team development. The goal here is usually to progress through the stages to improve performance.
    2. The second alternative of a top down approach could be the classic team building experience, such as a ropes course, geo-caching, the Vault or some kind of simulation that supports the teams collective development outside of the usual work environment.

Just like with the financial services examples, either approach is after the same thing; to help the team thrive and perform.  Having worked with both approaches over the years, I can say that regardless of the approach, there are 5 key pieces that have to be in place to make any team building efforts a success in terms of sustained change and improved business results.

  1. The leader of the team has to show up for the work as an individual member of the team. They have as much to learn and contribute as the rest of the team. Yet without their ongoing commitment to, involvement in and sponsorship of the process, the work will fall short of its desired results.
  2. Everyone on the team, and most importantly the leader, has to commit time and attention to continually address the on-going maintenance of team development just as much as they do to the constant need to accomplish work related tasks together. Too often these exercises are seen as check the box, one and done events that don’t stick over time because they are not repeatedly built into how the work gets done by the team over time.
  3. Everyone on the team has to commit to courageously having the hard conversations that invariably come up when a team tries to improve itself. Emotional Intelligence is required and if it is missing it has to be developed. Curiosity, courage and a continual desire to learn in relationship with each other has to be the glue that holds the team together when things inevitably break down and appear to get worse before they get better. Speaking and receiving the truth of one’s experience of another is never easy and yet without it very little will change over time.
  4. Use of a methodology like Team Elements that allows the team to see, name, own and work what is most important to them to develop in their team through data and dialogue that leads to changes in beliefs and behaviors for better outcomes that can be tracked over time. This subtle but powerful systemic approach puts the power and responsibility to change in the hands of the team and reinforces the concept that the work of team development is on-going and never done in a complex and dynamic work environment.
  5. Partner with a practitioner that you trust and who is outside the system that can:
    • Tell you what you are missing,
    • Challenge your beliefs,
    • Encourage and support your growth if you are committed to it
    • Hold you and the team accountable to your commitments and
    • Be of service to your individual and collective success

Whether you chose a top down or bottom up approach to build your team doesn’t matter nearly as much as the commitment and perseverance it takes to get what you are ultimately after.  Truly engaging in ongoing team development is both exciting and challenging. However, in my experience those that jump in and stick with it get all the benefits and more that come with being part of a highly effective team.

So here is my challenge to you. Get after making your team more effective. The time is now.  There is no telling what you can achieve together if you lead, commit and partner for success.