Team Development
For us team dynamics start with the concept of the team exploring and establishing the actual process of working together, and exactly what does the word “team” mean for them and the roles and tasks that they need to do. We understand that every team is unique and that there is never a “one-size fits all” solution, the importance of any intervention is that it helps the team to understand where they need to focus their attention on. For example, Lencioni’s team efficiency model that says that the most effective teams are conscious of, and take into account five main areas:
The first area is Trust among team members. A lack of this often stems from an unwillingness to be vulnerable within the group. Team members who are not genuinely open with each other about mistakes and weaknesses make it impossible to build a foundation of trust. This failure is damaging because it sets the tone for the second dysfunction.
The second area is Conflict, teams that trust each other are capable of engaging in unfiltered and passionate debate of ideas. As opposed to resorting to veiled discussions and guarded comments.
Healthy conflict leads to the third area Commitment. When team, members can freely air their opinions in the course of passionate and open debate, they are far more likely to truly buy in and commit to decisions, even when it is not their preferred option.
The fourth area is that of Accountability; committing to a clear plan of action and collectively standing behind it whilst being prepared to hold each other accountable for their actions and commitments.
All of the other areas provide the foundation on which the team can produce the fifth area: Results; these occur when team members freely sublimate their individual needs (such as ego, career development, or recognition) to the collective goals of the team.
These elements, together with a strong understanding of Tuckman’s stages of Group Formation (Forming Storming, Norming, Performing) for the backbone of all of our team interventions. The outputs of which are specific to each team and enable them to create the foundation upon which they can move forward as a team.
To bring together a management team (either peer or vertical) and through an accelerated “pressure cooker” programme deliver the business agenda from strategy to current changes issues. Also, to build them into an effective management team.
Participants will:
- Have a greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities required for both team membership and leadership
- Delivering the business agenda, starts with current state/future state analysis
- Have identified the strengths and weaknesses of themselves and other members of the team
- Be dealing with the business change agenda and uncertainty by calling upon other members of the team to share problem solving
- Have a connected business and team development plan which can be implemented on their return to work
The combination of discreet times for business and team sessions will accelerate and connect both areas to deliver real change. There will be a number of outdoor exercises which require a teamwork approach in order to simplify the achievement of the set objectives. Complex tasks require the formulation of structures for control, communications, planning and decision making. A creativity questionnaire is used, together with feedback, to help participants to identify how they work as part of a team together with their broader strengths and weaknesses to deliver the business agenda.
- Current state / future state
- Real business content?
- Team leadership and membership
- Team creativity
- Management of resources
- Management of change and uncertainty
- Decision making
- Proactive management
To bring together a group of people from the same or different functions and to instil in them an awareness of the need for and benefits of working as a team.
Participants will:
- Be better able to work as part of a team in either a leadership or membership role
- Have increased awareness of the roles and responsibilities required in a team
- Be able to apply group problem solving techniques to any given situation
- Have identified strengths and weaknesses within the team and how these can impact upon the team’s performance
- Have realised the need for and benefit of, effective overview, review and reflection to aid team achievement of objectives
The programme will consist of a series of experiential exercises, each of which require a team approach to achieve the set objective. As the tasks become more complex the team will need to design and install structures, systems and controls enabling them to operate against a changing background which requires constantly varying sub-group structures. Each exercise will be followed by a period of review which will focus on team roles and performance. Co-counselling will enable delegates to receive feedback on their views of their own strengths and weaknesses and to define the development requirements both of themselves and of the team as a whole.
Amongst the topics covered will be:
- Team roles
- Leadership and teamwork
- Team problem solving
- Communications
- Awareness of self and others
- Team creativity
Team Development Case Study
High Speed Two (HS2) were looking for a Team Development initiative within their Project Manager population of the Area North region. The newly formed team is comprised of a mixture of people, some of whom are new to the organisation as well as the team. They wanted the team to work through the forming and storming stage, and to gel and bond as quickly as possible.
The overarching aim for the programme was to enable the Area North team to create a sustainable culture of high performance enabling it to deliver the team’s objectives; to be achieved through creating mutual trust, support and clarity of focus.
The programme we designed and delivered:
