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Building High-Performance Teams
Most team workshops fit within one of the three following headings:
Design Criteria
It is important that team workshops be outcome focused, engaging, practical and have an element of fun. They need to align with the needs of the organisation and the current development needs of the team.
MODAL uses a mix of simple theory, your organisation's systems (e.g. planning processes or productivity measures), experiential learning (including outdoor based team activities) and on the job application to engage the team and assist the team leaders in their role.
The team’s leader is an integral part of the process and work with the leader usually precedes any team workshop.
Tailored Processes
The most important thing to bear in mind is that no two teams are the same and any workshops with teams will need an element of customisation to ensure the team’s needs are met. Having said that, there tend to be some common themes as starting points; based around the idea of Stages of Team Development.
With these stages in mind we have some processes to help the teams answer the following questions and work through the stages to perform at the best level they can.
- Who are we?
- Where are we now?
- Where are we going?
- How will we get there?
- What is expected of us?
- How effective are we?
- How will we work together?
- What support do we need?
- What recognition do we get?
Setting the Team’s Compass
Workshops with this heading focus on the early stages of team development (e.g. new teams, teams with a new major challenge, teams with many new members, project team start ups).
Typical objectives of ‘Setting the Team’s Compass’:
- To develop a clear and compelling team purpose
- To agree on team values that will guide behaviour
- To agree/clarify roles and deliverables/goals to accomplish the team’s purpose
- To develop a team charter
- Learning about each other
Optimising Team Dynamics
Workshops of this type focus on enhancing how the team operate together, sometimes particularly useful for dysfunctional teams.
Typical objectives of ‘Optimising Team Dynamics’:
- To develop an appreciation of the diversity within the team
- To ensure any confusion around roles, goals and tasks is resolved
- To develop effective communication skills within the team
- To understand how to effectively resolve conflicts
- Learning more about each other
Building High Achieving Teams
Workshops of this type focus on higher level attributes of a team and helping the team become more autonomous and therefore less reliant on direction from the leader. These workshops also tend to have a theme, for example Continuous Improvement, Safety Behaviour, Giving and Receiving Feedback, Customer Service etc. They could also have a major component of reward and incentive, for example big outdoor learning challenges, rest and relaxation, entertainment etc.
Typical objectives of ‘Building High Achieving Teams’:
- To deepen team skills in specific areas
- To create a self direction strategy for the team
- To celebrate team success
- Learning more about each other