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Team development
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Team development workshops help professionals work together more effectively. Lakin Associates' Team Development Workshops are available for teams that want to improve in specific areas such as clarifying roles, tools for decision-making, Myers-Briggs insights, and conflict management. |
Even the best people do not always work together as well as they could or should. Simply putting people together in a room, or assigning a group of people to a task, does not magically turn them into a well-functioning team. Watch your own managers work together. You can see that often people need to learn about individual differences and team dynamics to reach their potential.
Lakin Associates offers a variety of team-directed services. The most comprehensive is our Team Coaching approach. It involves:
- A detailed assessment of the team
- Feedback from the assessment
- Training in team skills
- Observation and commentary while the team works on real issues
- Individual coaching as necessary
- Follow-up surveys to measure progress
We begin with an assessment of the issues that may be interfering with the team's ability to function at its best. Also look for and ask about the circumstances under which the team functions at its best. This assessment includes:
- Individual interviews with the team members and team leader
- Paper/pencil survey of all members about the team and how well it functions
- Paper/pencil survey of all members by colleagues about individual contribution as a team member ("360-Survey" process)
The team receives detailed feedback from the assessment. Then the team prioritizes the tasks ahead and begins to work on those tasks. As the team works, the psychologist observes and comments within the context of the team assessment and team dynamics. In this way, the team is able to do the work for which it exists while also learning in "real-time" how to do it better. Typically, the psychologist will observe monthly unless issues indicate the need for more frequent involvement.
Sometimes a Team Development Workshop or retreat is desired. These are typically off-site one- or two-day programs to focus on one or more aspects of team skills. Lakin Associates' workshops usually involve exercises or simulations to highlight the advantage of teaming when compared to individual contributions. Then one or two skills are targeted for improvement. In many cases, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is used to introduce the need to adapt to and leverage individual differences in a team. Typical topics for a Team Development Workshop include:- Understanding and adapting to individual differences
- Clarifying roles and expectations within the team
- Setting priorities and action plans
- Tools for decision making in a group
- The "Life Cycle" of a team
- Being a "Survivor" (for teams after major reorganizations or layoffs)
- Choosing team members
- How to set agendas
- Leading priority setting
- Leading without dominating
- Project management skills
- Encouraging and facilitating a discussion
- Monitoring team progress
A final team development tool is the Team Check-Up. This is usually a bi-annual or annual review of team member issues and concerns. It involves individual interviews, feedback to the team leader, and sometimes feedback to the team as a whole. It helps assess the effectiveness of the leader as well as the functioning of the team. It is often combined with individual development coaching as part of the interview process. Following the Team Check-Up, an action plan is developed to address any issues that may be present. Development recommendations for both the team and the leader are included.
If you want more information on how Team Development activities can help you and your team, please send us a message.
Last modified: January 9, 2004 Copyright©2004 Lakin Associates Thanks for visiting!