At KEYSYS we know it’s important to foster the relationships within our teams and continuously develop our skills and knowledge.
To help us achieve both, we started a Non-tech Book Club. Each week the team meets to discuss a chapter in a book and how they can apply it to their personal and professional lives.
Recently, the team finished reading “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” a book that explores the five common dysfunctions that prevent teams from functioning effectively and provides practical advice on how to overcome them.
The book highlights:
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Building trust and open communication
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Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of peers
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Working together towards a shared goal
The book emphasizes how embracing healthy conflict, holding coworkers accountable, and focusing on measurable results are essential components of achieving success, both individually and as a team.
It also breaks down in detail how to turn the five dysfunctions into five functions by developing trust, embracing healthy conflict, committing to a shared vision, holding each other accountable, and focusing on measurable results.
Team Responses/Takeaways
- Noah Bishop appreciates the food and the sense of camaraderie that comes with being a part of the club. He also found the book to be a valuable resource for improving his skills as a valuable team member and as a leader. It provided practical instructions on how to be a better teammate and effectively lead a team.
- Bradley Harris enjoys and appreciates the culture of learning at KEYSYS, as evidenced by both company Book Clubs. He shared how this book in particular had valuable insights into the challenges of working on a team and the benefits of cultivating trust and authenticity.
- Grant Woolwine stated that being a part of this club has allowed him to connect with team members who he might not have had the chance to interact with on a regular basis. It has really helped him stay in touch and get to know his colleagues at KEYSYS on a more personal level. The topics that have been discussed usually revolve around soft-skills or leadership, which he finds very beneficial to all co-workers, regardless of their experience, skillset, or role within the company.
- John Gurley shared that the book club creates personal and professional growth by investing in employees as individuals. The recent read was one he has read before, but was more enjoyable due to the weekly discussions with coworkers. These meetings allowed him to hear about how other teams dealt with the vulnerabilities in the book and how to overcome them. He loved to see Jim Bob attend all of the book club meetings, lead the discussions, and provide insights on KEYSYS’ past experiences with each dysfunction mentioned in the book. Additionally, he shared the processes that were implemented to prevent problems in the future, which he found helpful.
Through the Non-tech Book Club, we are working to build a culture of continuous learning and growth. If you’re a Software Developer who would like to join our team & club, send us your resume!
