Strong Team Dynamic
Imagine you were challenged to build a fantasy or all-star office team. How would you know the team is healthy and functioning at its best? What kind of characteristics would engender a strong team dynamic? The answers could be wide ranging and possibly difficult to pinpoint. Although, if you’ve worked in an unhealthy office environment, you may know exactly what you want and don’t want for your professional team. Either way, the purpose of today’s post is to outline some qualities to look for to when you ask “what does it look or feel like when the team is at its best?”
This is similar to the core values question but it gives you a chance to see what the expectations are around teamwork. This question will likely make the committee think, so anticipate a pause and give time for a response. You may be asked to clarify and you can ask “what does a healthy office culture look like here?” or “describe the ideal team dynamic within the staff”.
One of the biggest green flags you can get is a response that alludes to “candor”. Candor is a step above honesty because while just about everyone would say a team works best when it can communicate honestly, the opportunity to be honest may not be open or regularly practiced. According to the authors of Creativity Inc.1, candor is telling the truth without reserve. There is a freedom to speak candidly without the structural or social barriers that may hinder the sharing of genuine thoughts and ideas. Candor also indicates that full participation and involvement is encouraged or even expected. Perspectives are sought out at all levels, which means anyone can contribute to problem solving or long-term planning. For a real-life example, see how Hot Cheetos were invented.
In terms of red flags, the obvious would be to look for closed body language or forced answers. The thing is, if candor is not practiced within the team, you are unlikely to get any clear or direct answers, so that will more or less be the response you’re looking for. There may also be a “yellow” flag where people are working through a response but they haven’t explicitly articulated the thought before so it will take time for a complete answer to form. This isn’t good or bad, but use your judgement to see how people respond.
As a note, there will be other answers beyond candor that demonstrate how the team functions at its best, but pay attention to see if those response can connect to candor in some way. Responses like collaboration, encouragement, risk taking, and shared vision all require some sort of openness, trust, and professional vulnerability. These answers can help you determine if you can transition well into this flow or if there could potentially be resistance down the line.
Lastly, you can verify the answers to this question when observing the team as they ask you questions and answer your other questions. These team dynamics are also on display when the staff interact in the hallway, during meals, or any other time outside of the formal interview period. So pay attention to all of their exchanges throughout the interview process, not just during the Q&A period.
1: Catmull, E., & Wallace, A. (2014). Creativity, Inc: overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration. Random House.
TL/DR:
Theme: Team Culture and Values
Question: What does it look/feel like when the team is at its best?
Meaning: What does a healthy office culture look like here? What is the ideal team dynamic?
Green Flags: Candor (ability to freely share ideas, opinions, and criticism), self-check egos and agendas, respect is disassociated with hierarchy
Red Flags: Micro-managing, haphazard delegation, frayed trust, closed body language
