Team Development and Group Facilitation

Excellent teamwork is the key to superior organisational performance. We believe in the power of teamwork. We work with teams at all
levels: Boardroom, executive team, middle managers, work teams, dispersed teams and project teams.

When properly managed and developed, teamwork improves processes, performance and produces results quickly and economically
through the free exchange of ideas, information, knowledge and data.

Teamwork is essential for a sustainability: building trust, improving communication and developing a culture of interdependence, learning
and support.

Teamwork just does not happen. It needs to be planned and developed.

All teams experience highs and lows. Structured “time out” to review performance, clarify goals and roles, think and plan for the future,
problem solve and to foster an esprit de corps is essential.

Our approach to team development is based on experience and evidence which shows that effective team performance requires the
following:

  • A clearly defined and understood team purpose
  • Agreed vision, values and goals
  • Good leadership and complementarity between members
  • Clear boundaries and ground-rules
  • Clarity about roles, responsibilities and accountabilities
  • Good communication systems within the team and its external stakeholders
  • Respect and trust to enable mutual challenge and support
  • Knowledge and skills to complete the tasks and achieve team goals
  • Agreed action plans and steps to achieve the goals

We design bespoke team development programmes for clients, using a selection of the following methods:

  • Teamwork assessment using MBTI, Team Effectiveness Inventory, Belbin or other appropriate instruments to understand the diversity and dynamics in the team.
  • Clarifying the team’s purpose, vision and values and creating a team charter to guide how it operates.
  • Working on the team’s “work” using problem solving, creativity, goal setting and action planning.
  • Overcoming obstacles to teamwork by resolving conflict, building respect and trust, planning effective team meeting and communication processes.
  • Clarifying roles, responsibilities and key connections – internally and with others.
  • Action Learning to tackle actual work and “on the job” challenges, to transfer knowledge and to exchange ideas.
  • Assisting the team through its ‘life cycle’ transitions: forming, storming, norming, performing – and closing;
  • Injecting new energy and constructively addressing issues especially if teams feel they are “stuck”
  • Use of the outdoors, creative challenges or other methods to build a positive team culture, push out past limits and increase trust, support and feedback.

Team development is not a one-off event. It is a continuous process.

Group Facilitation

Often it is necessary to bring together large groups to engage in shared thinking and planning processes.

We offer creative design and expert facilitation using methods such as the World Cafe, Challenge Workshop design or Enquiry Sessions
which are successful and dynamic ways of capturing the “wisdom of crowds” and generating shared commitment to taking forward
strategies and plans.

Recent examples

Public Health Agency, Enable Ireland, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Western Health and Social Services Trust.