Course Description

Fostering teamwork is creating a work culture that values collaboration. In a teamwork environment, people understand and believe that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when done cooperatively. People recognise, and even assimilate, the belief that "none of us is as good as all of us." You will not build teamwork simply by retreating as a group for a couple of days each year. Rather, this teambuilding event must be viewed as the building blocks where the team building becomes something you do every single day.

Teams are complex machines and it's not surprising that they malfunction occasionally or need re-alignment. To work effectively you need agreement on exactly what sort of team you are: what the goals are, what each member's role is, who needs to work closely with whom, and what the game plan should be. This tailor-made team building event allows you to take time away from the workplace to take stock of where the team is now and work on any re-positioning needed.

Through discussion, brainstorming, game play, role play and goal setting, the team will sort out problems, put forward new ideas, plan the future, look at the team's purpose, vision and mission, and learn more about each other as people. The event has a positive effect on morale, motivation, confidence and effectiveness that transfers immediately to the workplace. A follow-up event can be arranged after an agreed period to measure progress against the goals set.

Target Student

This workshop is aimed at bringing the workforce together, raising the work spirit and strengthening relationships within the workplace. It is designed for individual teams and their line managers.

Pre-requisites

• None

Core Learning Objectives

• Recognise the importance of effective teamwork
• Identify the stages of team development and where your team currently sits within this
• Identify individual and team strengths and weaknesses
• Reassess your team's goals and direction
• Communicate better as a team
• Develop practical strategies for building an effective team

Course Outline

1. The Importance of Effective Teamwork

• What makes a team a team
• The value of collaboration over individual effort
• Setting the event in the context of wider organisational objectives

2. Stages of Team Development

• Identifying the stages a team moves through
• Recognising where your team currently sits
• Understanding what the team needs at each stage

3. Team and Individual Strengths

• Identifying individual strengths and weaknesses
• Mapping team strengths and gaps
• Learning more about each other as people

4. Purpose, Vision and Mission

• Clarifying the team's purpose
• Defining a shared vision and mission
• Aligning the team with organisational goals

5. Goals, Roles and the Game Plan

• Reassessing team goals and direction
• Clarifying each member's role and responsibilities
• Identifying who needs to work closely with whom

6. Team Communication

• Communicating better as a team
• Sorting out problems through discussion and brainstorming
• Putting forward new ideas constructively

7. Practical Strategies for Team Building

• Developing day-to-day team building habits
• Building confidence and focus
• Preparing to transfer learning back to the workplace

8. Follow-Up and Measuring Progress

• Agreeing actions to take back to the workplace
• Setting measurable goals for the team
• Planning a follow-up event to review progress