If the use of virtual teams to tackle complex organisation challenges is inevitably on the rise following the COVID19 pandemic, 50% of them fail to reach their objectives due to the inability to manage a distributed workforce. With work processes in virtual teams characterised as cognitively loaded and highly interdependent, performing at a distance can be a lot harder for certain teams and their team leader unless certain conditions in place.

Our approach to team effectiveness:

• Is based on a robust model of the “mechanics” (i.e. systems, processes, roles, agendas, actions, etc) and “organics” (i.e. the less tangible aspects such as relationships, trust, conflict, meaning, connection, etc).
• Encompasses the end-to-end process of team effectiveness: contracting/definition, discovery, facilitation, workplace integration and review/impact
• Recognises team trends, such as prevalence of virtual and co-located teams, short- and long-tenured teams, and inter-team collaboration
• Navigates issues of confidentiality between HRBPs and team members where this issue arises
• Provides incisive diagnosis and feedback, supported by sensitive facilitation and robust challenge if required
• Appreciates the existence of common team effectiveness / development scenarios, whilst avoiding a “one size fits all” approach
• Adopts a ‘marginal gains’ approach to team development, identifying a handful of incremental ‘small wins’ which have the biggest impact on team culture and performance
• Team effectiveness is just as likely to entail ad hoc intervention in business-as-usual processes and conversations as facilitated meetings

The purpose of the team development process we take is to develop the team and the individuals within it by enhancing whole team and individual performance through greater interdependency, mutual understanding, a clear purpose and clear goals, all based on a foundation of trust.

Interventions can be online, in person or via a blended approach that combines actual human interaction with the use of technology.

• Collaboration with the team leader and HR
• A thorough independent diagnosis of HPT factors
• A Team Insights report and a dashboard.
• A facilitated review of the findings and Action Planning
• Marginal gains philosophy
• Embedding changes in the rhythm of the team’s work
• Reviewing results
• Coaching team Leader and/or HRBP on ad-hoc basis

Our interventions begin by diagnosing the team’s unique operating circumstances and characteristics. We then partner with the team leader to develop a context appropriate team development strategy, emphasizing the personal growth of team members as well as collective development of the team.