Team building is not necessarily about organizational outings at the expense of the organization with no tangible results in tow, rather it should be a not-structured process unto which distinct departmental units can be empowered and best practices applied elsewhere, utilized for building teams into functional outfits which will provide a pedestal to achieve the required output in timely and concise mode as is the case at Biashara! Employees are charged with “passion”, an excitement, contagious enthusiasm and ownership about their terms of reference to bring into being results that are justly remarkable and unmatchable. An effective unit has diversity that augments tapping prowess and utilizing it synergistically to turn out an output more than its constituent parts. Apt coaching from senior management can lend a hand towards building a supportive pedestal under which teams can nurture themselves as well as get natured for top-notch success. At Iridium Interactive, this is refered to as a huddle.
Prior to joining Kuza Biashara, I had never heard of a huddle and wasn’t quite sure what to expect and what was expected of me whilst there – in a huddle. On my first opportunity to partake in one, I sat through the session and intensely listened to what the team was discussing. All the while comprehending, but not really making inroads on its over-arching agenda. Nonetheless, after the session I actually got the succinct hang of it from the succinct session as a non-structured but scheduled meetings where everybody talks about what they had planned for the day, what they did previously, what they had achieved, shared experiences they had throughout the week. I think to myself, “Great! This is certainly a break off from my former monotonous meetings.”
The distinctive thing about a huddle is the manner in which it is conducted. The one that happens daily is done while standing up, and is very brief and to the point. It is there to make sure that the group is sure of what they have the cut out for the day, and the responsibility each one has to ensuring the success of the stated goals. This is a very useful tool in keeping everyone on their toes, and giving accountability at the end of the day. The Friday huddle however takes a different turn, where it instead takes much longer than the morning ones, and includes everyone at the office. It is here that every group reports to the entire Kuza Biashara team, and shares a highpoint together with a low point of the week. This is meant to encourage people to share any issues they maybe holding onto, on a table where potential solutions can be provided.
I suppose it is a potent question and a hard one at that as there are no standard parameters to measure the success of such an initiative. To solve this however I will throw one question back at you my readers; does wining a Tandaa Grant and being given a Vision 2030 innovation Award sound like we are on the right track with our huddles en route to strategic effectiveness?
Well, you be the judge of that..
