F E AT U R E

TEAMS

Top-performing
teams share secrets
for building strong,
successful squads

12 QP June 2019 ❘ qualityprogress.com

In today’s high stress, technology-driven
business world, every organization
is looking for an edge. More times than
not, that edge happens as the result
of high-performing teams that are properly
motivated, organized and supported
by leadership and the entire organization.
But what specifically makes those teams
function so well? What strategies propel
teams to success? How do teams get the
best out of their members? What do strong,
successful teams do differently than others
that seem to sputter and fall short of goals?
Who better to answer these questions
than teams that have successfully competed
in ASQ’s International Team Excellence
Awards Process? Representatives from
10 teams from around the world offered
insight on team dynamics, structure and
leadership, and why they think their teams
work so well. Along the way, they offered
advice for you to build successful teams
in your own organization.

qualityprogress.com ❘ June 2019 QP 13

 F E AT U R E
TEAMS
Beyond this article, be sure to visit this article’s web-
page at qualityprogress.com for more insight and advice
from teams representing:
++ SanCor Salud in Formosa, Argentina.
++ Nexteer in Jiangsu Sheng, China.
++ Altos Hornos de Mexico in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico.
5 Tips to Build the Right Team
by Carrie Qian, Jabil Inc., China
A project’s success depends on many factors,
but perhaps the most important one is people.
It takes planning and ongoing effort to build a strong
team that can innovate effectively. At Jabil, a manu-
facturing solutions provider, teamwork is at the core
of everything we do.
From our finance team in Shanghai that was
inspired by a platform design and development proj-
ect, here are five tips for building an effective team.
Many of these tips should be familiar to you from
Bruce Tuckman’s stages of team development.
1. Preparation: First, and most importantly, clarify
the project scope. This includes the schedule
and cost, which helps leaders identify and docu-
ment the required skills. As part of it, create a staff
management plan, including a timetable for staff
acquisition and release, so you can control
the cost within budget. In our project, we found
that the subject matter expert was the key person
to support us on platform development.
2. Forming: Based on the scope of the project,
it is important to get a diverse team on board,
with members who can all bring different skills
and expertise to the table. Our team consisted
of participants across various departments who
were experts in their areas but perhaps lacked
other knowledge.
We communicated the project goal
and objectives in the project kick-off meeting
and immediately gave everyone a chance to share
their ideas and concerns. We established the team
ground rules and trained members in the neces-
sary skills for the project, including brainstorming
techniques, affinity diagrams, and cause
and effect matrixes. We regularly encouraged
14 QP June 2019 ❘ qualityprogress.com
++ The U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional
Maintenance Center in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan.
Have you worked on a successful team? What made
it so effective? Share your ideas and advice on what made the team
special on the Quality Progress discussion board on my.asq.org.
—Mark Edmund, associate editor
equal participation. As the team came together, team
building activities helped individual team members work
together effectively.
3. Storming: When new teams are formed, it can take a little
time for them to find their groove. In our project, the financial
analyst was an important team member. Due to the project
adding to her extensive workload, she initially felt over-
whelmed. But the team came together to support her
with extra resources, leaders coached her on multiple skills
and the team helped her coordinate with other functions.
As conflicts arise, it is crucial that team members support
one another to navigate difficult situations.
4. Norming: After the team settles in, it’s easier for members
to collaborate with one another. Through weekly meetings and
consistent check-ins, we were able to review the project status
and ensure the project was executed within the scope to sched-
ule. In this way, issues could be diagnosed in a timely manner.
5. Performing: In this stage, team members helped one another
with problem solving. They focused on the goals and benefits
analysis, such as foreign exchange gain/loss analysis to profit
and loss, and material price variance analysis when they were
testing in the new platform. We promoted openness and
team discussion.
As a result of following these stages, our project launched
successfully and on budget.
The Jabil team, which included Carrie Qian, Daisy Pu, Linda Wu,
Angela Shen and Johnson Jia (left to right), discuss team selection
and knowledge requirement at the beginning of a project.
Effective Team Continuity
by Alia Obaid Saif Altayer Almarri, Emirates Global
Aluminium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

It is important to have a strong team to achieve a goal.

Working on complex problems or developing process
improvement opportunities requires a combination
of multifaceted skills, which can be easily acquired
by bringing together members who are skilled
in various aspects.
During our team’s tapping yoke failure project,
we identified five important aspects to ensure
team continuity:
1. Strong teams require a strong, inspiring leader
who sets and communicates a clear vision
of the expected outcome with specified targets,
leads respectfully and is open to feedback
and criticism from team members. In addition,
the leader must prioritize team development,
give credit to the team and acknowledge its effort,
and confidently delegate to gain team members’
buy-in. For this project, having a great leader
was one of the main drivers that brought
in and attracted skilled team members because
of the clarity in direction, confidence and support
received from the leader.
2. Successful teams must leverage the skills and expe-
riences of the team members who were selected
to participate by assigning clear roles and respon-
sibilities accordingly. In this way, not only is the
expertise fully used, but each member also will
be clear on his or her roles in the team and his
or her contribution toward the goal. This helps
overcome avoidable and unnecessary conflicts,
confusions, duplications and potential errors—
especially when it comes to tasks assigned
to individuals. As a team, the roles and responsi-
bilities of the members were clearly defined
and communicated. This helped us a lot, especially
during follow-ups on actions and assigned tasks.
3. Maintaining open communication throughout
the project is important among team members,
the team leader and other stakeholders. It is impor-
tant for everyone to understand the type of infor-
mation and its flow to determine the appropriate
method of communication. This results in improved
The EGA team consisted of Sajjad Hussain Shah (standing on left), Alia Obaid
Saif Altayer Almarri (sitting in front of whiteboard), Narendra Singh Rana
(standing on right), Hassan Abdulla Mohamed Al Raqabani Al Motairy (sitting
on right) and Abrar Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Al Hammadi (sitting with back
to camera).
effectiveness throughout the process of acquiring inputs,
updating on the progress and providing constructive
feedback. As a team, we had recurring meetings
scheduled with the stakeholders to ensure everyone
was aligned.
4. Providing support and handling challenges is an aspect
that brings team members together and strengthens
their connection. Support can be provided not only
by the team leader but by all members through coop-
eration, determination, optimism, participation
and encouragement. This is important for the continu-
ity of the team and contributes greatly to improving
the dedication and productivity of the members.
As a team, support was provided from top manage-
ment with its commitment to continuous improvement.
Not only that, but team members also were cooperative,
easy to approach and helpful toward one another.
This was important when the team was exposed
to a stressful challenge: At one point in the project,
it was realized that further pilot tests were required,
which extended the planned project schedule.

qualityprogress.com ❘ June 2019 QP 15

 F E AT U R E
TEAMS
Maintaining open communication throughout
the project is important among team members,
the team leader and other stakeholders.
5. Appreciation and recognition are important
to boost team members’ morale. Appreciation
can come from the team leader, team members
acknowledging one another’s contributions
or external recognition of the full team’s
Supported by a Great Culture
by Amalia Cristina Velasquez Yagua, Qroma S.A.,
Lima, Peru
A great team must be empathetic and its functions
must be clear. The members must have the neces-
sary knowledge and skills.
It also is essential to provide the team members
with space for creativity to flow and to grant them
the necessary resources so they can meet their goals.
During our team’s project, we drew some conclusions
about what it takes to build and support a team.
Building the right team
1. The team must find a balance among members
so when one member fails, another can be his
or her complement. Fellowship meetings serve
to establish close bonds that encourage each
member to timely express his or her ideas.
2. Teams often are discouraged when there
is a breakup. Look for good relationships,
highlight the positive qualities of each member
and encourage them to put them into practice.
3. Each time the team innovates, it takes a step
forward. Each time an opportunity is presented
to perform in a different way, the team is more
creative. Creativity has no limits, and when
working as a team, this becomes even more real.
It is exciting to be on a team in which challenges
that exceed current capabilities are faced. A good
team does not frighten and gives solutions even
when it’s up against all odds.
16 QP June 2019 ❘ qualityprogress.com
accomplishments. This is a crucial aspect and should
not be underestimated because it acknowledges the efforts
and dedication that were provided by the members
to achieve the goals and targets set.
Being recognized by top management and the CEO
of Emirates Global Aluminium for this project—and partici-
pating in local recognition platforms—has greatly boosted
team members’ morale for their contribution to this project.
This recognition also has made team members enthusiastic
to continue in the journey of continuous improvement
and always be proud of their accomplishments.
4. Big challenges help teams move forward, even further than
the teams imagine. We have seen teams that have really left
it all on the field. The idea of giving your all for a bigger cause
is motivating.
5. The most important thing is to sell the idea of the team’s
project and keep track of it. Having a vision and committing
to it gives the team the strength to keep moving forward—
even in difficult times. The improvement projects we carry
out take about six months, so the team must be willing not
to expect quick results. Over a long period of time, members
get discouraged. The project champion must be able to keep
the team motivated by continuously transmitting the purpose
of the project and how it contributes to a greater good.
Team dynamics
The team dynamics that have worked best for us are focused
on challenges that we haven’t been able to achieve without
being completely cohesive and synchronized. Once, a project
was running late in the day—too late for everyone.
But no one left work because everyone wanted to achieve
the goal. Even at the end, when we knew we weren’t going
to be successful, everyone still had this feeling of wanting
to achieve the goal together.
Adding or subtracting members
We rarely withdraw team members. We have invested in each
person, and we strive to keep each member to the end, giving
all members the necessary support so they can perform well.
We add members if we need their knowledge or skills.
But we try to ensure that everyone is present from the begin-
ning and can benefit from the entire work process.
Looking Inward and Outward
by Raimundo Rodulfo, City of Coral Gables, FL
The City of Coral Gables (FL) IT department worked
together on our response times and efficiencies
improvement project. The process empowered
our team to look inward and outward, identifying
opportunities that could make a difference over
a short period of time. All team members were
involved in our brainstorming and ideation process.
We listened to one another’s work experiences
and how we interact with systems, processes
and customers every day.
We were able to quickly identify problems and
improvement opportunities by having everyone
together in the same room—giving them the freedom
to challenge processes and discuss issues openly.
The team was oriented with a positive mindset and
focused on providing solutions and moving forward.
Using lean Six Sigma process improvement tools
and techniques opened possibilities and helped
us uncover issues that otherwise would have stayed buried
in daily routines. In addition, team members were empowered
to make all necessary corrections—even if that meant disrupt-
ing some old processes.
Our entire team was made aware of the process improve-
ments put in place and of the positive results shown in various
metrics of our balanced scorecards (financial, performance,
customer satisfaction, change and innovation). We celebrated
those results together, acknowledging everyone’s contributions,
commitment and dedication. Because our team saw and expe-
rienced these results and customer feedback was positive,
our department goal of fostering an organizational culture
around quality and customer service became an organic process.
Our team made it a priority to listen to customers by meeting
frequently with stakeholders from different departments
and organizations, and directly with citizens and members
In a city of Coral Gables IT leadership meeting, Nelson Gonzalez, Mark Hebert,
Gisela Rodriguez, Raimundo Rodulfo, Lemay Ramos and Ayanes Apolinar
(left to right) review process improvement and strategic planning matters.
qualityprogress.com ❘ June 2019 QP 17
 F E AT U R E
TEAMS
Our team made it a priority to listen
to customers by meeting frequently
with stakeholders from different
departments and organizations.
of the community. A helpful and impactful initiative
was to dedicate assigned IT liaisons to each city
department. This helped us build better channels
of communication and improve response times,
which increased customer satisfaction.
A customer centric and quality-driven approach
has aligned our team with our mission as a city
to continuously improve quality of life and customer
service. This means that sometimes we put aside
the complexities of engineering and technology
areas of responsibility to look more closely
at our mission as a service provider.
We make the satisfaction of our customers
and the quality of their experience when interacting
with our systems and services the first lens of our
assessment. That can be particularly challenging
for a team of technologists and analysts steeped
in daily technical duties.
Strengthening Your Team
by Yuan Zhong, Shanghai Nuclear Engineering
Research and Design Institute, China
Strengthening a team to become an excellent
one has been discussed at length in recent years.
Our team remains strong in the projects it takes
on because it follows these five guidelines:
1. Shared expectations should be established among
all team members and stakeholders at the begin-
ning of the project so the project selection criteria
and the identification of risks are well understood.
Based on trust and understanding, the team can
face obstacles and overcome difficulties.
2. Various communication tools can be used
to make everyone on the team clear about what
to do and how to do it. Nowadays, a combination
of formal and informal communication tools—
such as meeting minutes and instant chat apps
18 QP June 2019 ❘ qualityprogress.com
ASQ’s ITEA Process
Since 1985, thousands of teams worldwide have
participated in ASQ’s International Team Excellence
Awards (ITEA) Process. Organizations such as Alcoa,
Anheuser-Busch, Bayer, Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Co.,
General Motors, Johnson Controls and Ritz-Carlton
Hotel Co. have showcased proven results with long-
term implications, resulting in collective cost savings
of billions of dollars. For more on the process and
information on how to participate in the 2019–2020
ITEA Process, visit asq.org/team-excellence or email
itea@asq.org.
As a team, our approach is to rise above technical practices
to focus on the value we provide to our customers in Coral
Gables (residents, visitors, businesses and employees).
The customer experience drives our business. We, as citizens
ourselves, can drive the business by how we relate to customer
expectations. Benchmarking against world-class organizations
and industry standards and best practices also has proved fruit-
ful to push our team to strive for excellence and high standards
of customer service and satisfaction.
on mobile devices—is vital to strengthen the team, resulting
in higher work efficiency.
3. Teams should embrace the power of new technologies
to achieve continuous improvements in the process of projects.
For instance, the application of virtual reality, hardware and
software prototypes, and real-time simulators offer the team
technical strength to optimize design and implementation
of projects toward user-centered principles by iterative means.
4. Voice of the customer data should be collected and ana-
lyzed. User complaints can be of great value. Systems
on an organizational level should be set up to cope
with customer feedback.
5. Team building activities, such as group visits or team barbe-
cues, are usually welcomed. Training, too, can be beneficial
because it enhances the team’s knowledge and skills needed
to handle the projects. Team building and training lead
to cohesive, strong teams by encouraging all team members
to try their best.
Accelerating Performance
by Ashok Ram and Varsha Suman, ESAB Welding & Cutting
Products, Denton, TX
In 2017, ESAB Welding & Cutting Products was challenged
to improve poor delivery performance on spare parts to our end
users. This led to a policy deployment initiative from the president’s
office, and we were appointed to lead the initiative.
One of our key focus areas was to form a new team of dedicated
resources that worked cohesively in resolving the customer needs
with a high sense of urgency. We did this through:
Team development. Our challenge was to accelerate and min-
imize the time taken in the forming, storming and norming stages,
and get to the performing stage to make an impact on the delivery
issues ASAP.
Therefore, we positioned the jobs as high standard requirements
and set out to handpick the best individuals in the organization.
We picked the internal resources first and set out to hire the balance
from the outside. Internal communications referred to this as a per-
formance team, and this naturally motivated the team to perform
at a higher standard—not just as individuals but also as a team.
We supported this mindset with knowledge gap assessments
and provided the required training upfront.
Performance. We clearly set our objectives as a team
and defined the relationship between the team and the process
owners using a responsible, accountable, consulted and informed
(RACI) chart that kept everyone focused on their roles and held
other team members accountable. Metrics were developed to align
with the objectives and directly linked to the merit process.
The team from ESAB Welding & Cutting Products that participated
in ASQ's International Team Excellence Awards Process.
It was evident that unless we worked as a team,
we could only succeed in about 50% of our individual
objectives. The other 50% required the team to inter-
act efficiently. We developed tools to facilitate this
interaction because the team was diverse and spread
across five sites in three countries.
Results. We built a cohesive team that works
autonomously and feels empowered to make deci-
sions to resolve the customers’ needs while they have
a machine breakdown, for example. Internal custom-
ers in sales and tech support were happy with
the speed of resolution. We made good progress
on all metrics we set out to achieve, but still had room
for improvement. It was important for every team
member to know he or she performed a task that
made a difference in our customers' experience.
The biggest asset we built, however, was the work
culture and happiness that the team shared while
working together.
Additional Advice
Read more from four other ITEA teams as they
describe their team dynamics, structure and leader-
ship, and what they think makes their teams click
so well. Find these articles on this article’s webpage
at qualityprogress.com.
qualityprogress.com ❘ June 2019 QP 19