The best teams aren’t just a random conglomeration of strong team members, just as a quality jewelry chain isn’t simply a bunch of precious metal strung together. Fine gold doesn’t gain any value if it’s soldered together without care, and the same is true for your work teams. Approaching team building with the right resources and level of consideration lets you increase the value of each member’s contribution and ensure a culture where everyone supports each other in a positive, productive manner. One way organizations can invest in their teams is via customized team development training.
To build up a team, you first have to discover that team’s most glaring pain points. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni outlines the following:
Each dysfunction forms a pillar supporting the team as a whole; even one weak column increases the threat of collapse. High-performing teams aren’t necessarily perfect and rarely (if ever) are all five dysfunctions permanently banished. Instead, team members are constantly asking questions, re-evaluating their individual roles and interpersonal skills, and addressing any changes that need to be made.
Our leadership team development experts turn training retreats into launching pads, igniting long-term discussions that create enduring and positive change. Patterns shift, attitudes evolve, and groups acquire a deep understanding of where they are so they can consciously influence where it is they want to go.
In a study conducted by the Queens University of Charlotte, 39 percent of recipients expressed that they believe other people in their organization weren't collaborating enough. Additionally, three out of four respondents said they felt working together was “very important.” Those two facts illustrate the seriousness of teamwork and the dire straits an organization can be in when collaboration is shoved on the back burner, either intentionally or as the product of a strained office environment.
Employees or group participants don't want to feel like they're bearing the brunt of the workload. Feelings of resentment and discontent inevitably follow, as does isolation and, in many cases, a breaking point. In short, poor teamwork is a breeding ground for miscommunication, lack of productivity and even the loss of valued employees. Luckily, although prevention is preferable, repair is absolutely possible.
A thorough evaluation of your team — not just as a whole but as the sum of many moving parts — is a vital starting point for what can ultimately become a long-term exercise in reflection and improvement.
On the flip side of dysfunction, you’ll find both power and purpose — two things our team training initiatives are designed to achieve. The heart of that journey is an assessment-based learning experience called
The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team.
This model turns the dysfunctions above on their heads, reintroducing those pain points into tools.
By learning about each team member and educating them on their own key behavioral characteristics — powered by Everything DiSC® or AllTypes (MBTI)— we begin to break down each group into its most elemental components so we can better structure a more capable and vigorous whole. You’ll discover more about yourself than you thought possible as you watch your own processes improve, but the real magic is in witnessing how each individual’s attributes gradually interlock with their teammates’.
Even a small disconnect in your team is enough to create bottlenecks or cause miscommunication that creates greater schisms. Leadership teams must stay connected to work teams, regularly participating in meetings and one-on-one discussions so they can evaluate how the team works together and whether distrust is creating barriers. Here are some signs that your team isn't doing a great job at developing trust.
Meetings or collaborative work are huge negatives.
If team members regularly come up with excuses to get out of group work or avoid meetings, or you hear sarcastic comments about meetings from team members, problems might be brewing. While it's good for teams to point out when meetings are unnecessary and simply taking time away from production, if staff hates getting together at all, then they aren't communicating and helping each other in the right way.
Team members hide mistakes and flaws.
In a culture of trust, each team member can admit to a weakness without worrying that others will take advantage of it. That means each employee is more likely to admit they don't know something (so they can be taught) or fess up to a mistake early (so it can more easily be corrected). Working together in this way builds even more trust amid team members, creating a positive snowball effect.
Grudges are a constant presence.
Without trust, team members may default to assuming negative intent on the part of others, and forgiveness isn't often present. That means teams can be derailed by perceived slights or real mistakes, and they don't communicate well enough to get through the issue without long-term, negative consequences.
These are the types of things you can avoid by ensuring your teams are well-trained to promote trust, honesty and professional communication across the group.
Companies that select tailor-made team development courses instead of standard team-building activities tend to experience greater success in the long run. On the surface, cookie-cutter team-building schemes seem convenient and inexpensive, but they don't offer the business-specific qualities inherent in high-quality workshops or engage the participants in a competency-building learning experience. Custom team development programs designed specifically for your company by Turnkey Coaching & Development Solutions, help teams of all sizes (from leadership and executive teams to mid-level teams to special project teams). Our programs are specifically designed to engage your team members in working toward higher performance and company-specific goals, rewarding and validating their efforts along the way.
Many experts refer to team building as one of the most important investments you can make. Improving team cohesion and function means making better decisions based on aggregate input, wasting less time, and, perhaps most importantly, boosting your bottom line. Whether you’re a nonprofit or a Fortune 500 company, success can be quantified and a high-functioning team creates superior outcomes.
Speaking of quantifying results: every group that completes the Five Behaviors assessment is eligible for a Progress Report six to 12 months later. This serves to reinforce the idea that change is not a single step forward but rather a treadmill — you’re never truly “there,” but you can increase your endurance, lengthen your stride, and teach your body to work more efficiently and effectively so you’re in a position to re-imagine your goal into something even bigger and better.
Turnkey Coaching & Development Solutions designs training and employee development programs for leadership teams, work teams and cross-functional teams. Our curriculum uses research backed building blocks and then is custom-built for each client’s unique needs, goals, and team makeup. We create a one-of-a-kind “adult-learning” environment and agenda that’s tailor-made and remarkably effective. Most companies come to us with between 10 and 30 employees at time, allowing for targeted training that compels progress.
We have two programs:
Single-Day Team Development Training
Provides an intense overview of what high-performing teams must learn to outperform their competitors and fulfill their goals. When your team only has a single day to give to the goal of effective teamwork, this is the program that can change the course in a snap.
Team Development for Lasting Change Program
This is not a quick "day program" or a cookie-cutter seminar that repeats word for word from city to city. Instead, we offer a laser-focused approach that uses the best practices in leadership development and work team development to help your team not only create but sustain results.
Turnkey Coaching & Development Solutions has programs across the United States, centered in all major metropolitan areas. Dates and times are set according to your needs, reflecting our adherence to client-centric systems. You’re not sending your leaders to participate in a managerial meet-and-greet or to learn skills that only hold unilateral benefits. This is coordinated learning founded on well-respected principles molded to fit your team’s makeup, and it truly works.
A team-building and team-development program is an effective way to build cohesion among your team. But it isn't a one-shot deal. The bonds forged through team-building activities can erode over time without proactive steps to keep them strong. That's why team development, as with culture development, should be an ongoing part of your business's strategy. True, you might not have the time or the funds for weekly team retreats, but you can incorporate productive and fun team-training exercises into your daily routine. This commitment, over time, will not only transform your team’s effectiveness but also have a positive impact on your company’s culture.
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