Working, Building, Performing Better as a Team

In one team-building workshop I did, we weighed the idea that a team was a group of people going in the same direction.  So a busload of people, headed toward the city, were an example of a team, right?  Of course, not.  So what truly defines a team?  Consider this cartoon.

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That was a workshop in Dubai, and at the time the Burj Khalifa, slated to be the tallest building in the world, was under construction.  "Imagine you and two colleagues are at the very top of the Burj," I suggested to them, "and you have to rely on each other, not only to get the job done but also to ensure your safety."  That's teamwork:  A group of people, who need to, and must, work together, in order to serve a common purpose.  

A high-impact workshop for top leaders and their teams

One of the age-old truths in organizations is, You cannot do it all by yourself.  For both leader and members alike, team is a fundamental necessity.  It is instructive and inspiring to hear success stories of teamwork, but in reality it can be tough to pull disparate people together and galvanize them under a shared vision.  So this two-day workshop focuses not just on the what and why, but also the how of teamwork.

Gallup Q12 Engagement Model (image credit)

In so doing, we draw on the Gallup model of engagement.  They positioned the above 12 elements as crucial guideposts, in order to be a great leader.  But in their research, anyone in the team can offer recognition, encouragement and development, just as much as the manager.  Moreover, these elements have a line-of-sight to more engaged customers, sustained revenue growth, and increased shareholder value.  So the 'soft skill' of teamwork produces 'hard results.'

What you expect

• Define what teamwork really means, in reference to best practices and lessons learned across organizations and also in the particular context of your own organization (what)
• Clarify the purpose of your team, and its mandate and expectations; surface and resolve fundamental differences of opinion or frank conflict among you (why)
• Identify what it will take to work more effectively, build stronger relationships, and serve that purpose with high-level performance, drawing on the Gallup model (how)

What we deliver

• An overarching meta-framework - The Core Algorithm - that helps top leaders identify the strategies, people and process that work best for them and their teams, mandate and situation
• A walk-through of the Gallup model, in order to gain a conceptual grasp of what it is and how it helps teams
• A focus on whatever areas of teamwork are crucial for particular leaders and teams, such as (a) understanding oneself and each other's style; (b) building relationships, improving collaboration, and resolving conflict; (c) engaging and developing multicultural teams; and (d) discussing real issues, taking right action, and driving performance

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Finally, in sports especially, it is said so frequently, as to become cliched and tiresome:  There is no "I" in team.  But, oh, there is most certainly is, and there are often a lot of them.  In this high-impact workshop, we navigate the real tension between team and individual, and find the equilibrium that works best for all of them.

Want to know more?
Let's talk!

Ron Villejo, PhD
Managing Director
Ron Villejo Consulting
Ron.Villejo@ronvillejoconsulting.com

RVC^

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