I present both pre-packaged team development programs, as well as “bespoke” programs developed for a particular team or group to address a specific issue. Both types of workshops can be held in person or, where cost-effective and appropriate, by phone.
Pre-Packaged Programs
ISPI™ for Teams or Groups The ISPI helps a team understand who they have on it, what kind of people resources they need on it, and where the gaps are. It starts with an on-line test that surfaces in 20 minutes (measuring a person’s cognitive, affective, and conative preferences) what it used to take numerous tests and a day’s worth of debriefing to compile. I typically debrief each person on a team in a one-hour session per person, after which there is a minimum of a one- to two-hour session, depending on the size of the team or group and the complexity of the challenge they are facing). We look together at the team’s profile, and use it to begin discussions about what is working, what is not, and how to address the gaps.
Dance of Leadership This brief, experiential look at leadership uses partner dance as a metaphor for leading and following. It is one of my most popular workshops, ideal for groups in academic as well as business settings, to stimulate energy and inspiration when groups have become lethargic or stuck. Dance of Leadership stimulates conversation and new learning, and works well across cultures – some of my most enthusiastic participants have been in China and in Poland, where each time it was offered in translation.
The Mastery of Self-Expression This program is performance-oriented, experiential, and ideally done over a weekend with a group of 8 or more. It is intensive, a deep-dive into emotions and their expression, and the energy which can be generated from them, as well as how to channel that energy in positive ways; very invigorating and freeing. I watched someone literally jump for joy once during a Mastery, and have over and over seen (and had myself) powerfully transformative experiences come out of it.
Power at Work This is a three-day experiential investigation into power and spirituality in the workplace. Where does your power derive from, and how clean is that source? I once offered this at a management college, where it was a catalyst for tutors and staff to bridge the differences in their roles and forge new understandings.
Bigger Game® The Bigger Game (www.thebiggergame.com) is inspirational, aspirational, and powerful. It helps a team focus by identifying their compelling purpose or vision, then breaking that vision down to identify the elements of what it will take them to achieve it. It basically gives people a roadmap to follow, a game board to use as a metaphor for the on-going work that it takes to make big and lasting change happen. We might run an internal Bigger Game process for your executive team, and/or for a few teams with which you and yours interact. The Bigger Game is a powerful approach to innovation and change which has been used by Fortune 500 companies and individuals around the world. Where useful, I can provide follow-on coaching to be sure the changes have fully landed and embedded with the participants.
Bespoke Programs
A sample bespoke program was for a US healthcare organization whose priorities had grown unclear amidst rapid growth. The team lacked cohesiveness. The founder wanted increased commitment to the organization’s founding values and principles. Her vision for the workshop included helping new team members learn the organization’s history, and enabling all team members to identify lessons learned in their three years of working together.
During a series of half-day “on-site retreats”, we identified top-of-list tasks necessary to achieve the next stage of expansion, and clarified the organization’s historical roots. Once the management team all had the same information, it became clear that the rest of the organization also had gaps in historical awareness. The team created a program that conveyed where the organization came from, the values it was built upon, and where it is headed.
We also gathered feedback from the management team around a series of matrices – e.g. inclusivity, organization and structure, openness to change and new ideas from within – which formed the basis for new initiatives and an action plan to be implemented over the next quarter.