The term “design build” evokes thoughts of collaboration. Although collaboration is an aspiration, it often does not happen among design-build teams.
Gregg Schoppman, principal with FMI, a management consulting and investment banking firm specializing in the engineering and construction industry, discussed the elements of successful collaboration and what inhibits it at a recent in person and virtual breakfast meeting hosted by the Nebraska chapter of DBIA-MAR.
Because making music is one of the greatest forms of collaboration, Schoppman studies rock bands to see what makes them successful. The Rolling Stones have a long and storied history and still are making music even though Mick Jagger and Keith Richards argue a lot and often don’t see eye to eye.
“But what they do is they air those grievances, they put their mind, body and soul into whatever music they’re doing, and more importantly, they’re successful,” Schoppman said.
Schoppman said bands are like any relationship, including project teams. It’s not always harmonious. But, that’s okay.
“The reality is, conflict is okay. We have to be able to challenge each other and say I don’t think that will work and this is the reason why. The Rolling Stones were famous for that,” said Schoppman.
When project teams do not unite for a common goal and truly collaborate, they become dysfunctional. Schoppman identified some of the factors which lead to dysfunction.
One factor is misaligned rewards. Do organizations pay people for one set of behaviors, telling them to go out and be team players, work hard together, but base compensation on how each team member individually performs?
“Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that . . . we should pay people out of one big black box, meaning if the company does well, we all do well. . . . . There’s some happy medium to incentivize collaboration and get the best out of everybody,” he said.
Misguided ethics also hampers collaboration. What does the company stand for? Companies spend a lot of time and energy creating a strategic plan, but often they don’t effectively communicate the company’s vision, mission and core values, Schoppman said.
Individual egos also impede collaboration.
“When you think about how many egotistical decisions are made in our business, not because they’re the right thing for our business, but they’re the right thing for what I think, for me, is that driving the right behaviors? Is that driving true collaboration,” said Schoppman.
Poor communication is another impediment to collaboration. Schoppman said that engineering schools do not teach communication skills, yet good communication skills is the number one trait the design build industry seeks in its project managers and superintendents.
“It is hard to put our hands on this concept of great communication. But, we have to get to the root of it which is, do we listen appropriately, do we communicate with a message or do we try to send text messages when probably face to face would be more appropriate,” said Schoppman.
Organizations first need to decide what they want to be and where they want go. Once that structure is in place, then find the right people to fill the roles.
“The moral of this discussion is look inward for a moment at your own company. Think about how your company is set up. Do your processes enable bad behavior,” Schoppman said.
Schoppman has researched what makes great teams. He cited an experiment by William Muir, a biologist at Purdue University, who studied the egg producing capability of two groups of chickens. One was a group of “super chickens” who were highly prolific egg layers, and the other, a group of ordinary chickens. In the normal chicken population, egg production increased by 160%. In the super chicken population, all but three died due to over aggressiveness and pecking. They literally killed each other.
“Assembling the best and the brightest doesn’t always get you what you thought. . . . But, initiative, fire in the belly, passion, those are different than what we would call these super chickens that are simply in it for themselves,” Schoppman said.
Schoppman said successful teams must have trust and empathy. Leaders must provide constructive feedback to reinforce positive behaviors and correct undesirable behavior. And, there must be accountability.
“This concept of collaboration is not new. It is not simple. . . . It takes conscious, deliberate modification to do it,” he said.
