Workshop Details

Consider the Self-Guided Option if:

• You have 3 or more years’ successful experience as a small group facilitator;
• You are knowledgeable in team theory and best practices;
• You will NOT be an active member of the team to be launched;
• Your expertise and credibility as a facilitator will be accepted by all participants;
• There are no known significant restraining forces (e.g., one or more unwilling participants, less than total support from management) affecting the probability of success for this team; AND
• You have sufficient time to devote to workshop preparation and follow-up (plan on 3-5 hours of prep for each hour of workshop time; follow-up time varies, based on commitments made).

We recommend the Facilitated option if:

• An experienced facilitator is not readily available;
• Your organization has limited successful experience with teams;
• The organizational culture is such that an outside facilitator will be more readily accepted;
• Specific educational or functional credentials are needed in order for a facilitator to have credibility with participants;
• Specific organizational and/or team dynamics exist which could become a limiting factor to team success; OR
• You do not have sufficient time to devote to workshop preparation and follow-up.

Self-Guided Format:

This workshop is designed as a series of 2-hour modules, in order to provide maximum scheduling flexibility. Possible formats include:

2-day plus follow-up:	Modules 1-6 are delivered as a 2-day launch, with Module 7 delivered as a follow-up 30-60 days later.
4 ½-day workshops:	Modules are offered 2 at a time, with 1 week between sessions.
Series of 2-hour sessions:	Each module is delivered separately. We recommend that at least 2 modules/week be provided.

What you will receive:

Complete Facilitator’s Manual plus 5 Participant's Workbooks. Additional workbooks can be purchased separately in groups of 5.

MODULE 1: Is Teaming Right For You?

• Explores the nature, benefits, and disadvantages of working in teams;
• Clarifies what teams can — and can’t do, time commitments required, and fit with your organizational culture;
• Surfaces group members’ expectations and beliefs regarding teaming.

Primary Outcomes: Clarity regarding potential team members’ understanding of and commitment to working as a team. If there is a UNANIMOUS desire on the part of team members to go forward, proceed to Module 2. If not, please contact us for further guidance.

MODULE 2: Goal & Membership

• Team members create a written statement of purpose (or goal statement);
• Team members clarify their individual time commitments to the work of the team vs. time spent performing usual job functions;
• Team members begin to explore skills, expertise, and work styles and relate these to the team purpose.

Primary Outcomes: A written statement of purpose and team member level of commitment. Increased understanding among team members regarding individual levels of expertise and work style preferences.

MODULE 3: Empowerment Levels

• Outlines continuum of empowerment levels, ranging from management makes decision and team implements to team makes decision and implements, keeping management informed;
• Explores target percentages for each point along the empowerment continuum;
• Identifies specific decisions/actions for this team and outlines expected empowerment levels.

Primary Outcomes: Written statement of empowerment levels for each anticipated decision/action type of this team. Statement is then discussed with appropriate management and disagreements are resolved BEFORE proceeding to Module 4.

MODULE 4: Leadership & Norms

• Explores possible models for team leadership, as well as necessary skills and roles;
• Defines leadership process for this team;
• Team establishes behavioral norms contributing to team success.

Primary Outcomes: Clear understanding of leadership role implementation for this team. Written statement of behavioral norms and expectations.

MODULE 5: Meeting Roles & Meeting Management

• Outlines variety of meeting agenda formats — team chooses format appropriate to its work and culture;
• Clarifies content and process roles leading to successful meeting outcomes;
• Team defines how meeting roles will be handled and establishes meeting schedule.

Primary Outcomes: Team meeting agenda template. Written statement of responsibility for primary meeting roles.

MODULE 6: Team Decision-Making

• Reviews various approaches to decision-making (e.g., consensus, one person decides) and when each may be most appropriate;
• Clarifies team members’ understanding of the consensus process;
• Provides several facilitation tools for reaching team decisions.

Primary Outcomes: Shared understanding of variety of decision-making approaches. Tools for developing consensus.

MODULE 7: Team Facilitation Tools

• Builds team members’ skills in managing group process;
• Provides tools for specific team situations (e.g., encouraging creativity, gathering information).

Primary Outcomes: Enhanced tool-kit for all team members.