Anatomy of a Self-Organizing Team - A journey through the Rabbit hole

“Let us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish. Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to, because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs, something that no other species has ever aspired to do.”

About me!

If we are selfish, how do we work as a team?

“In game theory, the Nash equilibrium is a solution concept of a non-cooperative game involving two or more players, in which each player is assumed to know the equilibrium strategies of the other players, and no player has anything to gain by changing only their own strategy”

Nash Equilibrium

A group of players are in Nash equilibrium if each one is making the best decision that he or she can, taking into account the decisions of the others in the game.

Hence a possible solution is to play a Co-operative Game!

What do you mean by a Self-organizing Team?

Let’s search online

What Google Thinks?

WordCloud!

What do the Techies think?

Words, Words and more Words!

I have two questions: 1. What is the meaning of these words? 2. How does it FEEL to be in a self-organized team?

Ask your Team!

How to ask? What is the best way?

Art Therapy

The American Art Therapy Association describes art therapy as "a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight."

• Visualize • Discuss • Contract

3 Step Process

Visualize your Team!

Discuss, Talk, Converse

• Brings out the ulterior • Clarifies the expectations • Re-aligns the team goals

Contract!

• Think about the next small-step! • Psychological Contracts*

* From “Transactional Analysis” by Eric Berne

Why do this exercise?

• Initiates discussions • Increases Self/Team Awareness • Fosters openness • Better collaboration

These processes are difficult and complex However it is important for the teams to go through these processes to EXPERIENCE the truth behind the nature of every self-organizing teams!

“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember, all I'm offering is the truth – nothing more.”