In response to Homan's comments Con Kenny writes:
>My own experience with cross-functional teams is that they become polite
opportunities for posturing. Unless the team produces deliverables, the
value to participants and other stakeholders is likely to be small. If the
team deliverable is to inform many constituencies about a complex issue,
perhaps its impact could be measured through surveys, interviews, and >focus
groups. Hope this is useful.
It sounds like those teams you are experienced with never moved out of the
Pseudo Community (Forming) Stage. I have seen many teams flounder for
some time before the teams members finally reach a productive Chaotic
(Storming) stage. Have a common goal or taks that's clearly defined and
that all the team members are commited to really does help. Doing that
defining seems to hasten movement from just being nice to each other to
the real struggles of control and power within the group. We have been
using the Ladder of Inference and the tool of "Dialogue" (although not in
it's purest form ala Bohm) to help our teams move from the 'Be nice" stage
to the performing stage. So far, its does seem to hasten the
collaborative spirit, although there's lots of organizational culture to
thrash through
-- Joe DiVincenzo NEANY@aol.com