How do Self-Directed Teams work?

The self-directed teams they are organized work models that have currently been developed in the business environment. They are autonomous groups designed for the same work to be done, to later be executed through a self-critical analysis that facilitates evaluating their actions and in turn improving them.

These teams are not organized by means of a traditional hierarchy, where the participants carry out activities explained and in relation to their position, rather the activities where specific wishes of each one, their abilities and their capacities to learn.

The best thing is that they decide in a different way than what is generally customary in companies, since it is done jointly and without the presence of a leader who directs the actions of the participants of a team, which means that each one leads and acts depending on what happens in the business.

How do self-directed teams work?

These teams do not only perform a job based on a product or service, they have the ability to manage it in a complete way, therefore, it is not a self-directed work for a certain project, it is a strategy that manages the work that includes everything that is related to the business.

In the self-directed teamsneeds are integratedof the participants who do the work, this means that it is a paradigm transformation that many companies have been putting into practice to increase productivity in a favorable way.

In companies where this innovative type of work is applied, it happens that authority is redistributed, power and responsibility with an organized design focused on quality and resolution of problems. These are used in work systems that require high individual and group performance.

Many companies do not risk using this productive system and do not dare to make this change so as not to lose control of the leaders who direct the teams within the organization.

Advantages of self-directed teams

Some of the advantages of this system are:

• They are more flexible.
• They increase the commitment of employees to the company.
• Operating costs are reduced.
• More importance is given to the needs of the workers.
• Ability to attract and retain new talents to the company.
• The quality of production and customer service are improved.
• The response to technological changes is much faster.

Conditions for developing self-directed teams

These groups pose a goal or problem to solve them autonomously and make the decision of how they are going to face it. In this sense, the leader becomes one more participant within the team and helps in controlling the activities to solve the problem under certain fundamental conditions, such as those that will be mentioned below. continuation:

Commitment by superiors in the formation of teams and their participants

When you start a I work with self-directed teams, the participants must be innovative in the development of their capacities, therefore, it is necessary that the superiors provide all the resources, so that this is developed effectively.

There must be trust between the participants of the company

This point is extremely important, since at the beginning errors can occur in the work of the teams, which means that participants must be careful not to put their future at risk within the business. In case of making some mistakes, they will have to present new solutions.

How to create self-directed teams?

To create these groups, the company must take into account the following:

Assess participants

Performance is not the only thing that should be measured, it is also important to assess the characteristics that the participants understand and thus clarify the roles when they are assigned.

Identify the impulses that lead to better performance

In different programs, the motives can change as they are passed on to each participant, therefore it is necessary to find out what drives the participants to work with the company.

Indicate what to do and how not to do it

In order for participants to get involved and take ownership of a project, they must figure out how it is going to be developed.

Support diverse opinions

Different opinions are presented in every working group, which is a good way to be able to arrive at a solution, for that you can use various tools that you provide said opinions.

Take failure as part of the process

You only learn by doing, so if the company wants to innovate with a product or service, it has to risk experiencing the components of trial and error. This combination, together with assimilation, knowledge and its development, give value to the error to take advantage of it during the process.