The Evolution of Teaming At AT&T Solutions - Outsourcing

By Jennifer Cash O'Donnell

How does a technology business move from the start-up stage to achieving outrageous growth in a market that is crowded with competition and splintered by clients' customized demands? Create "Team Spirit." Stan Sword, Resource Director in AT&T Solutions, believes that "Outsourcing is a team sport-we team with our clients as a virtual extension of their organization. Our work gets done by virtual project teams. Being an effective team is at the core of everything we do. The Team Spirit model and its service-focused spiral are at the heart of every action and interaction. The implementation of Team Spirit will establish a common language for creating sand sustaining teams and improving our work environment. It will bring a large, global, and diverse group of people to a similar understanding of the meaning of 'team.'"

For years, companies have used experiential team building programs ("walk in the woods," etc.) as a way to energize professionals and create high performing teams. For most, the exercises appear 'irrelevant' and do not result in sustained productivity gains or values-driven work performance. Support of the behavior on an ongoing basis, additionally, is the missing element of most team building programs. In contrast, Team Spirit combines action learning with business modeling to translate team-based concepts into the organization's language, environment, and work. Team Spirit's focus on service is naturally reinforced by organizational values and must be visibly supported through reward and recognition and performance management programs. The result of the Team Spirit experience is that participants not only learn what it takes to be an effective team, they also learn how to sustain team performance.

The implementation approach to Team Spirit at AT&T Solutions-Outsourcing is designed to facilitate the achievement of the organization's goals. Within the Organizational and Professional Development team, all team members are familiar with and most are certified in Team Spirit. The certified trainers include four internal OD consultants as well as representatives from other critical work groups. As one of those OD consultants, my primary project is the implementation of Team Spirit throughout the organization, via a simple, focused strategy: induction of the Leadership team and new employees, continuous public workshops, additional certification sessions, and community involvement. This is in addition to the OD consultants working on continuing implementation of Team Spirit with intact work groups.

Even as the organization has achieved unparalleled business results, it is working hard to develop a culture that will sustain future growth. Again and again, the organization and its leaders have turned the focus toward service, client satisfaction and the importance of our professionals who do the work. Team spirit helps provide the link between the energy of our people and our organizational goals. As a professional services firm, our central objective is to provide exemplary service to clients. Team spirit's emphasis on service as the core of its spiral correlates directly to achieving our organizational goals.

As the Outsourcing Practice moves from a start-up business into the realm of a high growth business a balance needs to be achieved in order to sustain the practice's momentum. That balance will be supported by the synergy of Team Spirit. In the breakneck speed of the IT world, authenticity is a key to success. It will be the authenticity of our people and our ability to work together to provide what is possible that will make us unique to our clients. This differentiation is clear to Stan Sword, who believes that "Team Spirit reflects the philosophy of how we do business today and in the future."

"Living the model helps make our people well rounded and provides balance to the technical prowess already present in our organization. Team Spirit will help transform our organization and build an enduring business that truly understands and acknowledges the importance of teamwork and the value that all of our people bring to each client every day."

Jennifer is an internal OD consultant for AT&T Solutions in Florham Park, NJ 973-829-1885.