Ellis Locke & Associates

A senior team for one of our financial services clients was formed following a reorganization. The team leader approached us with an interest in a team building exercise with an emphasis upon ensuring the team was working together efficiently and effectively in pursuit of a common goal. The intervention was to focus upon role clarity, effective team functioning and creation of a clear team mandate and rules of engagement.

We began a data collection exercise by conducting a structured interview with the team leader to validate his objectives and expected outcomes. We then asked team members to complete a team assessment survey to identify where the team was operating effectively and where there were opportunities for improvement. We also had team members, including the leader, complete assessment indicators to identify preferred work styles and to understand how they responded to conflict.

The information gathered was used to structure a two day team building session that focused on several components including:

An assessment of current team functioning based on the collective results of the team assessment survey.
Clarity and feedback regarding team member roles and preferred working styles and an understanding of how to work with one another more effectively.
Norms and guidelines regarding how to manage conflict and engage in productive debate in order to make high quality decisions.
Clarity regarding the team’s current mission and a compelling vision for the future that was supported by an action plan.
Guidelines to establish ownerships and hold team members accountable for providing one another with meaningful feedback on performance.

At the end of the session, the team left with renewed focus and clarity regarding its mandate and vision and a better understanding of how to work together effectively to achieve its goals. The client continues to ask us back on occasion to facilitate strategic team meetings or off-site events to ensure the team is achieving its intended outcomes.