Most of the companies I work with struggle to accomplish more with fewer people. This is a widespread challenge for companies today. There are undoubtedly several ways to approach this challenge. However, one approach that is profitable and successful is to build the organization’s capabilities through the creation of effective teams.
Too many companies respond to the need for increased capacity by hiring a person who is qualified and competent to meet the immediate challenge. However, once the challenge has been met, they either have an underutilized employee on their hands or let them go. This will never be profitable. First, the company incurs the cost (in dollars, time, and investment) of defining the job, advertising it, and hiring it. Second, the cost of training or onboarding should be considered. Third, the cost of retaining an underutilized employee or entering into a separation agreement will be incurred.
A second response to the need for expanded capacity is the use of outsourcing to contractors. While this approach eliminates some of the cost of onboarding and the cost of firing, it can lead to additional unanticipated costs. First of all, an independent contractor doesn’t know the company, its business, or its culture. Second, an independent contractor will not have the facility or internal connections to ask staff for the same level of assistance or cooperation. Third, onboarding takes about as much time as a new hire. Fourth, an independent contractor will approach the problem or need from only one point of view. That point of view may or may not be in line with the corporate culture or corporate values.
The answer to this challenge of expanding organizational capacity that I have found most effective in most cases is the creation of effective teams to accomplish certain tasks. Consider these points:
o There is no additional employee or contractor cost.
o There is no wasted time or momentum to bring in a new person.
o Corporate culture and values are shared by team members as current employees.
o Current employees have communication networks throughout the company.
o Current employees are already committed to corporate goals.
o Teams are flexible: they can tackle a single problem or multiple problems
o When done well, effective team participation actually increases employee capacity; can then be applied in other parts of the organization
The key to building organizational capacity through teamwork is building an effective team. My definition of an effective team is one that builds on the strengths of each of its members in such a way that it creates more than any one individual could alone. An effective team will bring to the table a range of viewpoints, a variety of experiences, skill sets, and knowledge bases. An effective team will not be based on the thinking or experience of a single individual. Rather, bringing the team together, by virtue of the uniqueness of each individual member, will provide the strength of diversity and experiential depth. You will create the kind of enthusiastic synergy and level of buy-in that offers the best opportunity to identify or create solutions that are creative and innovative. In addition, by bringing together people from various parts of the company, news of your work and your solutions will quickly spread throughout the organization, encouraging others to anticipate creative solutions that benefit the company and all employees.
If your company is faced with the need to expand organizational capabilities, I encourage you to take the bold step of building a functional team comprised of people from across the company because of their skills, insights, knowledge and experience, as well as their openness. to negotiation and innovation. Once you take that bold step, I think you’ll recognize a level of achievement that could be amazing. I am almost certain that your next challenge will be met with an effective team.