Teamwork Case Study
The Situation
Re-organisation - again!
Project administrators and coordinators in this training department, part of a large financial institution, felt apprehensive when a new team manager and new reporting structures were announced.
In general, though, they responded with a "just get on with the old job" approach. They already knew each other and their new team manager, and had been working side by side for at least 2 years - but usually assigned to specific project managers and projects.
Organisational Needs
Where to focus?
They needed to look at how they were working together, both as individuals and as a team. This would be the important first step towards understanding and responding to the needs of their stakeholders and clients.
To keep up with future change, they would also need to start assigning work within their team differently.
They also needed to sell their potential contribution, as well as the services they could offer, to new stakeholders and clients.
The Team Building Programme
How to go about it?
The Team Building Programme took the format of a one-day facilitated workshop, designed to help the team focus on the context in which they would have to operate, and the requirements of their clients and stakeholders, as well as their own needs.
As team members were already familiar with their own MBTIŽ profiles, we used these to underpin a day that had a strong focus on open and honest communication and support, within the context of identifying and understanding business and customer needs.
The Results
What was achieved?
Having the opportunity to talk openly about their concerns and their needs in terms of mutual support, the team drew up a team support contract and action plan, as well as their own personal development plans.
In addition, they identified the need to assertively present themselves - as an effective and value-adding team - to their new clients and stakeholders.
In order to do this, they put together and delivered a presentation for the project management team and project office, showing their services and the added value they could bring, and inviting their clients to open dialogue with them.