How to build a 'rainbow' team

We exist in a VUCA world. The acronym which means Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity is what we are encountering as HR and business professionals. This dynamic environment would mean we put on our thinking caps and our best foot forward to deal with the myriad challenges facing the business, smartly and efficiently. From talent attraction and retention to nurturing leaders of tomorrow, capability building to creating and sustaining a culture of learning and development — we have to have a multi-pronged strategy if we are to succeed. I call this the ‘Rainbow Team’ phenomena. Here, every member of the team tackles a dedicated challenge with its expertise.

This prismatic HR team needs to be assembled, groomed, motivated and united to face the onslaught of challenges. Team White will be deployed to foster a culture of openness and transparency. As Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said it, “You have to run by ideas and not hierarchy.” Increased openness in the way we do things will bring in a more democratic setup and a prolific business environment. The ivory towers of higher management need to be dismantled so that employees feel they are working in an inclusive environment where opinions matter. Team Blue is entrusted with the responsibility of creating start-up like teams who have the autonomy to ideate and innovate. The team needs to bring into place a flexible business culture and institute practices that give them a sense of sovereignty, which is aligned with organizational goals. The Green squad shall dispense the responsibility of employee recognition and motivation. Meaningful and well-balanced reward programs will keep employees engaged and retain top talent. American psychologist, Abraham Maslow in his hierarchy of motives puts self-actualization at the top of the pyramid. This desire for accomplishment needs greater investment from self and the ecosystem.

A prismatic HR team needs to be assembled, groomed, motivated, and united to face the onslaught of challenges

Empathy is not just a cultural marker; it is key to creating a deep sense of belonging and ownership across levels. It helps to bring greater alignment between leaders and troops at intellectual, operational and emotional levels. An empathetic leadership and a culture of care indicate that the organization has the emotional intelligence to foster a high-performance environment. Team Pink would be assigned to the task of bringing compassion to the workplace which will scale up employee productivity manifold. Nurturing rising stars in an organization would make business relevant. Team Orange will be on the lookout for catching them young and catching them doing the right things. Leadership development is also a crucial priority and thus skill and competency building are pivotal to harness talent potential.

To make things move faster and for organizations to adapt better to the dynamic competitive scenario, we need to perceive red flags and thwart them. Team Red will then need to put a stop to practices that asphyxiate productivity ranging from redundant practices, red-tapism, an excessively bureaucratic setup and other pitfalls that sap the organization of productive vigor. Team Brown will provide the right environment for ideas that spawn creativity and productivity and a flourishing business landscape, while Team Black will spearhead the cause of challenging the status quo and building a knowledge base for transformation.

This kaleidoscope of solutions, I believe, is an effective way to answer the diverse challenges that we face as HR professionals. You need a team that deals with each of these diverse problems in its own unique ways. You need to scratch the surface, analyze, develop insightful and impactful solutions and deliver tailor-made solutions. You cannot have a sweeping approach to address these challenges. Break them down, have a targeted strategy and see your visions fructify.