Self-directed Teams

First introduced in Scandinavia in 1960, semi-autonomous groups were also used as self-directed teams by IBM in software development in the 1970s. In Germany, similar concepts were developed and introduced in the insurance industry under the term “all-round processing” with the customer as the focus. The task forces of the newly founded GSG 9, which were set up after the terror in the Olympic stadium in Munich, are set up as self-controlling commandos without designated leadership.

The current introduction of agile principles diluted the core of self-control. Today, we work with clear team responsibilities and transparent models to build a self-directing group and develop your performance..

For us, self-direction means:

1. Responsibility for clients in their totality
2. Identification of the employee with his or her work
3. Assumption of responsibility for his or her work
4. Further development of professional and social skills through increased independence and increased demands
5. Teamwork through participation in planning and decision-making processes
6. Budget responsibility for part of the team personnel costs (autonomous bonus distribution)
7. Leadership with autonomy of work assignment planning.
8. Regular feedback to increase behavioural safety
9. The possibility of rolling leadership
10. Leadership capacity possibly distributed among several
11. Leadership training for leading self-controlling groups, also in virtual teams

With the consistent development of self-directing systems, companies gain the following advantages

• High competence in solving complex and dynamic problems
  
• All-round service for customers possible in the shortest possible time
  
• Motivation and satisfaction
  
• Social competence in the team Basis for extraordinary challenges
  
• Increased work motivation and commitment
  
• Strong job satisfaction and lower sickness rate
  
• High acceptance of joint decisions

We have achieved productivity increases of 30% in periods of 16 months with the consistent introduction of self-directing groups.