Leading with Questions, 3rd Edition

8Using Questions to Build Teams

Teams now dominate organizational life, from senior executive teams and cross‐functional teams to project teams, virtual teams, and more. Peter Senge remarks that teams have become a critical component of every enterprise, that teams are now the predominant unit for decision making and getting things done.¹ Tom Peters points out how the critical work of organizations will need to be done in groups—due to the demands of customers, speed, learning, and efficiency.² Margaret Mead, the world‐famous anthropologist, noted that we should “never underestimate the power of a small group with dedication to change the world; it is, in fact, the only thing that does.”

But teams are not without their problems. Margaret Wheatley observes that in too many organizations team is a four‐letter word.³ Unfortunately, most groups are ineffective when they are first formed, and many never improve thereafter. Members of many teams and groups are frustrated by the ineffective productivity of their group and the painful social interactions and storming that occur within.

For many of us, team meetings are emblematic of the problems with teams. Too often, meetings are held with fixed agendas and little time for questions or open‐ended discussions. Not much gets accomplished, and agreed‐to tasks are frequently not implemented. Communications are strained, one‐way, and often overtly or covertly hostile. Even when meetings have a clear agenda, the overall purpose of the meeting ...