In working with teams, I am always conscious of how cynical many team members may be about a team development intervention.
The set up is key. Individual one to ones before the group sessions can help significantly. I might ask the question 'what would need to happen in the team sessions for you to stop feeling cynical?'... and then design the intervention based on that feedback.
Individual sessions preceding the team get together are also crucial to uncover the real issues, and quickly. The team leader may have a very different view from the members about what it will take for the team to perform at its potential. This needs to be understood, discussed, and agreed...by the whole team.
Outputs of my team interventions normally include an understanding of The Jungian based 'Insights' model and what that means to adapting and connecting with others; and a team 'charter', which will list behaviours all sign up to and review constantly.
I will always go in with a planned structure, but will often change on the fly in order to follow what emerges as important areas for the team to discuss, and for which the team has energy to change.
My philosophy on teams is that 'the team' and its behaviours need to be 'programmed' and treated almost like a new born baby despite the fact that the team is comprised of fully developed adults.
Assumptions are challenged by private ballot and often what was thought to be obvious - agreed vision, shared goals, codes of behaviour, ability to get on, morale high - is often exposed as being more confused than originally thought. Through discussion the 'embryo' is explicitly nurtured and introduced to disciplined behaviour.
I am always uplifted by the magic teams can find when they have the courage to be open with each other, go back to basics, and write the script for how the team will operate.
20 years in financial services, from sales, marketing to senior management. Global marketing roles with Reuters, including postings to US, Canada, and Continental Europe.
Board level positions at NatWest Stockbrokers (Head of Marketing) and Societe Generale (MD, Fimatex UK).
A few examples of recent team development programme assignments: