Team Building

Mingle Think about a team that you’ve been a part of - either from your personal or professional life. In your experience, what’s been the best thing about working in a team? What’s been the most challenging?

Learning Objectives Describe the importance of effectively functioning teams as an essential element to successful public health programs. Describe how to create more effective working relationships among team members. Create positive and productive team agreements and norms. Select specific skills and tools when creating alignment within diverse teams. Choose effective responses to resolve common problem behaviors present in teams

Definitions A team can be defined as two or more people coming together to accomplish a specific task. Examples: –Project teams –Coalitions –Management teams

Opportunities - Teams Leverage diversity Harness individual knowledge/wisdom Increase participation Gain organizational buy-in Generate more creative responses/solutions Can be more productive

Common Team Challenges Don’t measure up to potential Problem behaviors Lack of clarity/shared accountability for goals Ineffective decision making Poor implementation and follow through Lack empowerment and organizational support

Team Strengths Source: Team Diagnostic International Relationships Camaraderie Communication Constructive Interaction Optimism Respect Trust Values Diversity Results Accountability Alignment Decision Making Goals & Strategies Proactive Resources Team Leadership

Methods for Building Effective Teams Team assessment Team design Creating alignment Working with problem behaviors

Team Assessment and Design What might you want to assess about a team? How might you assess an existing or new team? What might you want to know in order to design positive and productive working relationships within a team? What would you want to explicitly design with a team?

Assessment: What? Team structure, members, history Results strengths: accountability, alignment, decision making, goals and strategies, ability to be proactive, resources, team leadership Relationships strengths: camaraderie, communication, constructive interaction, optimism, respect, trust, values diversity

Assessment: How? Interviews Surveys Review of existing team materials (agendas, minutes, ground rules, products) Observation

Potential Questions Strengths/challenges of team Priorities/goals of team Roles/responsibilities Ground rules Decision making process Meeting structure, minutes, agenda Leadership Resources Means of rewarding achievement/success How team functions under stress Vision of team What team is tolerating

Design/Planning Priorities/goals/vision of team Team agreements/ground rules Roles/responsibilities/leadership Decision making process/accountability

Antidotes for Common Team Problem Behaviors Notice your own patterns. Call behaviors when you see them. Look for the request behind the complaint. Don’t make it/take it personally. Build positivity within the team.