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TEAM BUILDING

We work with teams in many capacities, including “traditional” team building and improving dysfunctional team performance, as well as helping our clients to more effectively manage the cross-cultural and distance implications of today’s virtual global teams.

Our team interventions are customized to address the needs of the specific group that we are working with. With some teams, we start at the onset with setting a clear direction, creating a vision, obtaining commitment and coordinating the team effort. With those groups who are just forming, we often continue to aid them in creating an effective team climate and managing the stages of team development. In this phase, we may also use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or a similar assessment tool, to provide the team with greater personal insight, as well as skills to accommodate the different styles of others.

With a team in transition or crisis, we help them to improve their performance by overcoming communication barriers, minimizing destructive behaviors, and learning how to conduct more efficient and effective team meetings. With this type of team, we may also administer the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Inventory, teach influence techniques, coach the team in negotiation tactics, or provide other appropriate resources and coaching.

With a global team, especially one that is virtual, we help the team members understand the critical dimensions of cultural differences. We work with them to build relationships while also accomplishing goals, using a variety of approaches. One tool we use in this situation is the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), which key members of our team are certified to administer. Through this tool, we can identify and coach team members through their own personal development toward greater cross-cultural fluency. Our efforts include evaluating and applying techniques to capitalize on the cultural diversity of a team and increase performance.