There are always going to be problems when working with teams.
I believe problems DON’T equal solutions.
Solutions Equal Solutions
In all my team building workshops we work to identify where the team is, what is working, and 2 or 3 solution ideas to move the team forward.
Below is a series of questions. That lead to next steps and building the team.
Thinking through the 7 Steps to High Performance Teams
- Choose one project (preferable that involves a team you are leading or involved in) that is new or stuck or that could just use some improvement.
- Define the purpose of having this team together – ‘why are we here?’
- Think of what a successful outcome would look like: where would the team / you be physically, financially, in terms of reputation, benefit to the community, benefit to the staff, or whatever is appropriate?
- Brainstorm some potential next steps to achieve the successful outcome.
- Organize your ideas for next steps into steps you can control and influence from least to most impact.
- Decide which small-step you are going to take.
- Do it, observe what happens.
- Ask the team and yourself what was useful about that small-step, what did we learn?
- Repeat
Try it and let us know your results.
michael cardus is create-learning
image http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonythemisfit/4031168186/