Team Building and Team Development

The purpose of team building and team development is to assure that members of a team, unit, division, or sector are aligned with each other. A team-oriented process will also help clarify roles and address interdependencies. The process will show the group how to work together for the achievement of the common goal, both in terms of the business unit and the organization as a whole.

Leadership responsibilities will ultimately be distributed across the team members based upon competency, and the formal leader will work more as a facilitator than a boss. The ultimate goal of a team-building process is to create a fluid group dynamic in which there is some definition of roles but a flexibility that allows team members to complement and support each other without fear of overstepping boundaries.

To learn more about Team Building, please take a moment to watch the following short video.

The Indicators, The Process, The Components

The Indicators

The members of a team are focusing on individual results at the expense of team results.
A team has been formed to assume the lead role for a new product that could be a major breakthrough for the corporation.
Low commitment or poor morale exists.
There is frequent and open conflict between team members.
Lower-than-expected performance becomes the norm.
Dissension has resulted in a poor image for a team within the organization.

The Process

The ExecuQuest consultant explores the objectives of team building with the team leader.
An agreement is reached with the leader and key managers as to the objectives of the team building experience and the process to use to achieve them.
The consultant conducts individual interviews to collect views on workplace issues as the team members see them.
The interview data is assembled to serve as the foundation for the team building activity to follow.
The consultant and the team leader design an off-site meeting to address the key issues.
The off-site session, normally of two to three days in duration, focuses on:
- Understanding team dynamics, individual leadership style differences and dealing with interpersonal conflict.
- Dealing with specific issues and problems identified during the individual interviews.
- Developing an action plan.
The consultant conducts a follow-up session approximately three months after the off-site to determine:
- The status of each item in the action plan.
- An assessment of interpersonal issues resolution.
- Adjustments needed to ensure that the action plan will achieve the desired results.