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Team Mastery
"Uniting for performance"

Purpose

Few leaders fully understand how to build effective powerful teams. The success of an organisation depends on the ability of leaders to integrate and align their team members to a common purpose. This in turn drives commitment, passion and performance. Removing team members from the normal working environment helps break down political, cultural and personal barriers, eliminate distractions, and have fun.

The purpose of the Team Mastery practice is to empower team leaders to optimise team performance against a commonly defined purpose and business objectives. This is done through a facilitated process of (i) awareness to define purpose and objectives, (ii) custom developed team development activities to address the defined purpose, and (iii) reflective learning sessions to embed the new learnings.

TowerStone Prism provides Team Mastery consulting as a means to empower leaders to develop powerful teams run by Brand Ambassadors. It has become common practice for most organisations to hold regular team building or team development initiatives, primarily to facilitate bonding horizontally (between peers) and vertically (between managers and subordinates).  What is largely lacking however, is a true understanding of the concept and purpose of team development. Some outdoor fun and an overnight social event will often realise very little business value.

In a matrix environment, individuals with a specific job function and belonging to a specific department, often have to unify with other ‘foreign’ team members to accomplish mutual business objectives and outcomes. As true Brand Ambassadors of the organisation, their actions are driven by the bigger picture, and they understand that their function exists to serve the bigger picture.

Team Mastery is a scientific, outcomes focused set of programmes with a focus on addressing true team development needs against the context of business needs.

The TowerStone Prism Team Mastery approach is multi-dimensional:
  • Individual and team assessments - to create awareness.
  • Relevant, experiential team exercises – to create learning and bonding.
  • Lessons learnt and practical application in the workplace – to realise real team growth and development.

Benefits & Outcomes

Team Mastery programmes are designed to motivate people to pool their talents and perform at their best individually and as team players. Team members will discover that diversity is their greatest asset, and trust, co-operation and effective communication are the key to a team’s success and alignment with its purpose. Structured activities will not only encourage individual development, but also bring all members together for a common cause.

Typical benefits of Team Mastery programmes include:
  • Improved morale and leadership skills.
  • Improved communication both internally and externally.
  • Unlocking the barriers that stifle creativity.
  • Clearly understanding and defining team objectives and goals.
  • Identifying a team’s strengths and weaknesses.
  • Forming/strengthening a common team language and culture.
  • Improved problem solving abilities.
  • Uncovering diversity and resolving conflict.
  • Uncovering hidden potential within individuals and teams.
  • A measurable return on investment to the organisation.

Solution Overview

The Team Mastery approach is a process, not an isolated event. TowerStone Prism designs a number of packages or modules, each appropriate to a specific business requirement.

Customised Team Mastery packages may include:
  • Communication effectiveness and shared vision
  • Decision making                                                                                
  • Commitment and accountability
  • Results focus and driving performance
  • Leveraging unhidden potential - innovation and creativity
  • Nurturing a trusting environment
  • Conflict resolution and problem solving
  • Managing diversity
  • Building new teams
  • Work redesign and cultural development
  • Managing matrix based teams
Each package is structured in three phases:

Phase 1: Awareness

An assessment of the current and desired situation is required to gain an in-depth understanding of (i) the team’s purpose, both for itself and the greater organisation, (ii) the exact needs of the team, and (iii) the desired outcomes of the programme. This information is typically provided by the team leader in an interview to establish the needs as required against business performance/goals. An appropriate programme is then designed to address these requirements.

This initial phase is followed by a team assessment engagement – both quantitative and qualitative:
  • Quantitative assessments are conducted utilising a number of established evaluation instruments including:
  • HBDI (Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument) – thinking preferences for the entire team and its individual members. Assists in understanding individual styles and preferences to situational circumstances, including conflict resolution, problem solving, communication, creativity, decision making, learning styles and more.
  • Barrett’s CTT – a values alignment methodology to assess the degree of cohesion and conflict hot spots within a team environment. Values alignment is a powerful tool for shaping behaviours.
  • Qualitative assessments are based on interviews and workshops with team members to establish the following:
  1. What is the current situation of the team and individual? What is their view of the problems, challenges and opportunities with the team in which they are working?
  2. What are individuals’ personal objectives, their understanding of the team’s objectives, and what is the relation of the individuals’ objectives to the team’s objectives?
  3. Is the individual committed to the process and does he/she understand its purpose?
Phase 2:   Intervention

Typically a one or two day event, team members are involved in a series of experiential exercises and games. While fun is a key element of the exercises, the overall objective is to address specific issues defined in the Awareness phase. There are a multitude of exercises, venues and challenges that may be used dependent on the situation e.g. indoor vs outdoor; problem solving vs team bonding. The post activity reflection is critical. What lessons were learnt? How does this apply to the team and business challenges identified in the initial assessment? What principles can be used in the workplace?

Phase 3:   Application

This is where the true value of Team Mastery lies. The first two phases are analysed and recommendations made on next steps and actions to identify team performance gaps.

Key aspects to consider include:
  • Building Brand Ambassadors
  • Creating a culture of care and growth
  • Addressing diversity and conflict
  • Over performing on targets
  • Ongoing team development