- The document discusses high-performance teams and how to develop them. It presents the S.C.O.R.E. framework for developing high-performance teams, which stands for strategy and purpose, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, open communication, rapid response to change, and effective leadership. - It provides a case study of how a dysfunctional IT project team was transformed into a high-performing team using the S.C.O.R.E. framework, which resulted in improved project delivery and customer satisfaction. - Developing high-performance teams requires focusing on synergistic characteristics like those defined in the S.C.O.R.E. framework in order to achieve results greater than the

1. HR
www.ft.lk
WEDNESDAY APRIL 23, 2014
14
From the Centre for Executive
Education (CEE Global) and Strategic
Partners consulting experience in
developing high performance teams
in Singapore-based companies, we
found that most if not all of their sen-
ior leadership team advocate team-
work. And they should.
Teamwork represents a set of val-
ues that encourage listening and
responding constructively to views
expressed by others, giving others the
benefit of the doubt, providing sup-
port, and recognising the interests
and achievements of others. Such val-
ues help teams perform, and they also
promote individual performance as
well as the performance of an entire
organisation. But teamwork values by
themselves are not exclusive to teams,
nor are they enough to ensure team
performance.
Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith
in their groundbreaking 1993 article
‘The Discipline of Teams’ define a
team as “a small number of people
with complementary skills who are
committed to a common purpose, set
of performance goals, and approach
for which they hold themselves mutu-
ally accountable”. That definition lays
down the discipline that teams must
share to be effective.
Katzenbach and Smith discuss the
four elements – common commit-
ment and purpose, performance goals,
complementary skills, and mutual
accountability – that make teams
function. They also classify teams into
three varieties – teams
that recommend things,
teams that make or do
things, and teams that run
things – and describe how
each type faces different
challenges.
Leading teams to
success
Teams have become a
principal building block
of the strategy of success-
ful organisations. With
teams at the core of corpo-
rate strategy, your success
as an organisation can
often depend on how well
you and other team mem-
bers operate together.
In today’s highly net-
worked business environ-
ment, teams are critically
important to getting work done. Yet
not all teams are created equal. Some
fail to perform, or they perform below
expectations. Some start out well
but later lose their focus and energy.
Teams are extremely valuable if they
are working well. They are very costly
if they are not. It is critical for manag-
ers and team leaders to
find ways to ensure their
teams are working effec-
tively and are achieving
their results.
In most teams, the
energies of individual
members work at cross-
purposes. Individuals
may work extraordi-
narily hard, but their
efforts do not translate
into team effort, and this
result in wasted ener-
gy. By contrast, when
a team becomes more
aligned, a commonal-
ity of direction emerges,
and individual energies
harmonise. You have
a shared vision and an
understanding of how to
complement each other’s
efforts. As jazz musicians say, “You
are in the groove.”
Case study: Turnaround of a
highly dysfunctional team
CEE Client, a leading Fortune 500
Information Technology company
dispatched a team of highly qualified
and experienced IT engineers to deliv-
er a large-scale strategic project for
one of their clients in the mobile tel-
ecommunication industry. Sustaining
market leadership for this client is
critical for the success of this firm.
However high employee turnover
especially amongst the mission criti-
cal talents had created misalignment
in what was once a strong perform-
ing team. Moreover, as competitors
encroached, relationship manage-
ment was critical with this strategic
account.
All this transcended the sound tech-
nical expertise of the IT engineers
whose demonstrated primary form
of communication was email. There
was lack of direction and clarity on
the respective project team members’
role and responsibilities compounded
by the relatively poor team communi-
cation which has resulted in poor per-
formance, and results.
We introduced the CEE ‘S.C.O.R.E.’
Framework (see Figure 1) through
a series of team effectiveness meet-
ings and workshop, the project team
achieved breakthrough results in
customer, company, employee, and
operational value. Thanks to the
team’s shortened response times and
improved communication project
delivery was achieved within budget
and on time.
Relationship management became
second nature as team members
became more expansive leading to
the early exploration of new business
opportunities. A post customer sat-
isfaction survey confirmed acknowl-
edgement of the value that our client
provided.
Finally, our client preserved its
strategic account and strengthened
the customer relationship there-
by sustaining market leadership.
The project team’s ultimate proof of
transformation was it’s unanimous
decision to distribute among all team
members annual performance bonus-
es assigned to a select few. This pre-
sents evidence that high performance
teams not only impact the organisa-
tion and marketplace but above all the
gratified individuals that constitute
them.
CEE ‘S.C.O.R.E.’ Framework
for developing high
performance teams in
Singapore
From experience gathered through
team effectiveness consulting engage-
ment with Singapore and the other
Asian-based organisations, it is found
that a high-performing team demon-
strates a high level of synergism –
the simultaneous actions of separate
entities that together have a greater
effect than the sum of their individual
efforts. It is possible, for example, for
a team’s efforts to exemplify an equa-
tion such as 2+2=5!
High-performing teams require a
complementary set of characteris-
tics known collectively as ‘S.C.O.R.E.’
(see Figure 1) – strategy and purpose,
clearly defined roles and responsi-
bilities, open communication, rapid
response in adapting to a changing
environment, and effective and exem-
plary teamleadership.
The characteristics of each element
of SCORE are outlined in Table 1.
Conclusion
In high-performing teams, leader-
ship shifts during the stages of team
development based on team needs.
Unlike organisational leadership,
which remains somewhat constant,
team leadership can shift from very
directing, when the team is being
formed, to more delegating, when
the team is functioning effectively. To
transform into a high performance
team, an easily implementable frame-
work such as ‘S.C.O.R.E.’ would assist
towards achieving that end goal.
(Prof. Sattar Bawany is the CEO of Centre
for Executive Education (CEE Global). CEE
Global offers executive development solu-
tions including executive coaching and lead-
ership development programs that help pro-
fessionals develop the skills and knowledge
to embrace change and catalyse success in
their industries. Website: www.cee-global.
com Email: enquiry@cee-global.com.)
Having successfully con-
ducted the first intake of
the Leadership Code based
L e a d e r s h i p A c a d e m y,
Deepal Sooriyarachchi the
Certified Partner of the RBL
Group USA announced the
second intake in May.
L e a d e r s h i p C o d e w a s
developed by Dave Ulrich,
Norm Smallwood and Kate
Sweetman the international-
ly recognised experts in the
field, which is the synthesis
of over thousands of books,
articles, competency models
on the subject.
It presents in a simple
f r a m e wo rk wh a t eve r y
leader must do and possess
- strategist, executor, tal-
ent manager, human capital
developer and personal pro-
ficiency.
T he Leadership Code-
based Leadership Academy
is an intensive three month
program designed for senior
level leaders to accelerate
their development through
a series of robust impact-
ful experiences that link to
business results.
The program is offered in
partnership with LAHES -
The Corporate Campus, the
education subsidiary of the
LAUGFS group.
The uniqueness of this
pro g ram is its bias for
results and the highly per-
sonalised nature.
The participants will have
to be given a real life busi-
ness project that will add
value to the business more
than the cost of participa-
tion as mandatory require-
ment.
Each participant will have
to develop a personal devel-
opment action plan based on
a 360 degree feedback.
The theoretical learning
and personal coaching by
Deepal will be linked to the
Personal Development Plan
and to the Business Project
undertaken.
T his way the lessons
learnt will be directly linked
to business and development
is highly personalised.
Instead of being a one-off
event this is a spread-out,
balanced program.
Instead of not being tied
to Back Home results there
will be individual as well
as business related projects
with results strongly linked
to the program.
Instead of being a same
program for all participants
this will be highly tailored
to suit individual develop-
ment with personal coach-
ing.
Instead of being a pro-
gram without measurement
there will be pre and post
assessments.
Instead of focusing on
one “flavour of the month”,
the program is focused on
Leadership Skills develop-
ment.
Another special aspect
of this program will be
inte g rating of develop-
ment of Mindfulness as a
Leadership Capability based
on the Deepal’s book Inward
Bound- published in UK.
Deepal one of the most
sought after Management
Development Consultants
in the country is the for-
mer Managing Director
of AVIVANDB Insurance
(AIA).
He serves on a number
of boards including that
of Sampath Bank and AIA
Insurance as an independ-
ent director.
H e a l s o f u n c t i o n s a s
t h e C o m m i s s i o n e r o f
the Sri Lanka Inventors
C o m m i s s i o n a n d h a s
authored over 15 books
locally and internationally.
His writings and presenta-
tions are so popular because
of his unique ability to pre-
sent even the most complex
concepts in a very simple
manner.
He is passionate about
developing people and brings
this ability to inspire others.
Participating in a program
delivered by Deepal is in itself
a life changing experience.
Considering the highly
personalised nature of the
program, only a very lim-
ited number of persons will
be enrolled. Details can be
obtained from isharas@
laugfs.lk / 5566500 – 3 /
0777261156.
The Institute of Certified
Management Accountants
(CMA) of Sri Lanka the
N a t i o n a l P r o f e s s i o n a l
Management Accounting
Institution in Sri Lanka
incorporated by parliament
Act No. 23 of 2009 signed an
MOU with Commercial Bank
of Ceylon PLC which is one
of the leading commercial
banks in Sri Lanka.
C M A h a s ove r 1 2 , 0 0 0
students and 2,000 mem-
bers. CMA is a member of
South Asian Federation of
Accountants (SAFA) and a
member of International
Federation of Accountants
(IFAC), which is the world
b o d y o f P r o f e s s i o n a l
Accountants.
Commercial Bank was
rated as the best bank in Sri
Lanka by Global Finance for
16 consecutive years and also
as the ‘Bank of the Year’ by
The Banker magazine on
seven occasions.
This MOU will provide
CMA students an oppor-
tunity to obtain practical
training in the management
accounting and finance
fields at a recognised busi-
ness organisation which
will give them a foundation
to progress in their career,
and obtain their member-
ship.
The CMA practical experi-
ence component is an essen-
tial part of the CMA program
and has been developed in
accordance with the inter-
national standards of the
Inter national Federation
of Accountants (IFAC), the
world body for professional
accountants operating to
meet the growing demands
of competitive organisations
at both national and interna-
tional levels.
The Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Sri Lanka
(CA Sri Lanka) appointed
BPO Connect Ltd., Abans
Au t o L t d . a n d A b a n s
Electricals PLC as training
partners.
CA Sri Lanka President
Arjuna Herath awarded
the training partner cer-
tificate to BPO Connect’s
Shyamali Kirinde, Financial
C o n t r o l l e r, H a s a n t h a
Sooriyaarachchi, Global HR
Manager and Srinivasan
Sankar, Head of Global
Transformation at a cer-
emony held at the institute
recently.
Herath also awarded
the training partner cer-
tificate to Abans Auto’s
U s h a n i K a n n a n g a r a ,
Deputy General Manager
and Prasad Jayathilaka,
Accountant.
T h e C A S r i L a n k a
President also handed over
the training partner certifi-
cate to Deepal Kumanayaka,
Finance Controller of
Abans Electricals, in the
presence of the institute’s
Vice President Lasantha
Wickramasinghe, Chairman
of the Student Training and
Development Committee
M a n i l J a y a s i n g h e ,
Alter native Cha i r m a n
Sanjaya Bandara and Chief
Executive Officer Aruna
Alwis.
Deepal to present Dave
Ulrich’s Leadership
Code for the second time
CMASLsignsMOUwith
CommercialBankasAccredited
PracticalTrainingPartner
CMA SL President Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala presents the
Accredited Training Partner Certificate to Commercial Bank Chairman
Dinesh Weerakkody in the presence of Managing Director/CEO
Ravi Dias and DGM - HR Management Isuru Tillakawardana and
Consultant L.B. Wattegedara, CMA Director Education & Examination
Dr. Swineetha De Livera, Senior Manger Member Relations Shanthi
Maheshwaran and Director Operations Sumudu Pagoda
BPO Connect, Abans Auto and Abans Electricals
onboard as CA Sri Lanka training partners
“Every company faces spe-
cific performance challenges for
which teams are the most practi-
cal and powerful vehicle at top
management’s disposal – Jon R.
Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith
(Harvard Business Review, The
Discipline of Teams, 2003)
Building high performance teams
using S.C.O.R.E. Framework
BPO Connect receives CA Sri Lanka Training Partner Certificate
Abans Electrical receives CA Sri Lanka Training Partner CertificateAbans Auto receives CA Sri Lanka Training Partner Certificate
Guest
Column
By Prof. Sattar
Bawany