Ask The Expert – Making Everyday Teams Excellent
One of the questions we are commonly asked about our team building activities is whether we can help teams who aren’t performing at the top or failing to gel together as hoped. The simple and honest answer is yes. However, we wanted to give you a greater insight into how we can help do this. This month’s Ask the Expert is with our Director Steve Gaskin who discusses in more detail how we can help make everyday teams excellent through our High Performing Team.
What Is A High Performing Team?
A High Performing Team (HPT) is either a team or a company whom are consistently performing at a high level across twenty common business variables. These variables include: trust, leadership, creativity, communication etc. Our company guides and assists clients through four easy steps:-
- Diagnosis: Measure how the team are currently performing. Like all good business “if you can’t measure it-you shouldn’t be doing it! The diagnosis measures input from event member of staff (anonymously)
- Analysis: Each member of staff inputs a quick and easy on-line screening; it takes about ten minutes. An overall report is generated, showing where attention is needed and equally where the team is excelling.
- Improvement: Once all staff have discussed improvement and capitalisation, an action plan is drawn up and all members of staff sign up to it. Right Angle also make recommendations where appropriate. This action plan is with the client within 24 hours of the session.
- Experiential Activities: Right Angle lay on one of their award winning team building activities to bring the session to life.
In addition, each member of staff completes a personality behavioural assessment based on Carl Jung’s colours. This enables staff to see how they behave under normal and stressed conditions. It will show how to be aware of self and more importantly other members of the team.
What Differences Are There Between A High Performing Team And A Business Coaching Plan?
Business coaching is of necessity a much longer process between client and coach. HPT is immediate and unlike coaching embraces more than a few people.. The process can be carried out really quickly and the team can take action straight away. Some clients form “focus groups” etc to ensure High Performance action is driven by the whole company. Likewise, immediate results can be seen.
As one client recently said “My leadership style changed within the first two hours of Right Angle delivering the experience”. Our company often return to re-evaluate the team and give guidance where needed. Companies are rightly proud when they hit High Performance Team status.
What If My Team Is Relatively Inexperienced And Shy?
This product can be used for either very experienced teams or new teams. New teams benefit from finding out colleague’s capabilities and personality immediately. Experienced teams will also see benefits. They will discover hidden “talent” gems contained within their teams. Also our Behaviour Profile Assessments will clearly show the whole team how colleagues behave at work under normal circumstances and stress. Within minutes colleagues will be far more aware of their own behaviour and others whilst at work. This has the benefit of greater and more cohesive working practices.
Is HPT Applicable For Any Team Size/Industry And If So Why?
High Performing Team activities can be used for companies of any size. Generally speaking customers work in small teams during the “improvement” phase of High Performing Team. Normally, we would work with no more than 30-35 people in one place.
The good news is, we can set up a High Performing Team for much more than one team. For instance, sales, marketing, finance and operations. All individuals and teams will complete the diagnosis. That gives a very clear picture how each team is performing. We then give an integrated report which shows the state of both teams and the whole company. This along with give governance a very accurate picture of the business.
What Is The One Piece of Advice You’d Give To A Manager Looking at High Performing Team?
The whole purpose around HPT is to make every day teams excellent. That is achieved by openness, honesty and a willingness to capitalise on good aspects of team performance and attend to areas where work is needed. I would advise any manager to tell staff to keep an open mind, point out the benefits of becoming an outstanding team and tell them there is fun and unique “hands on” activities” woven into the Experience which initially normally lasts 3 Hours. Managers always report an immediate improvement in team behaviour and productivity.
