TEAM BUILDING STRATEGIES
The Daily Dozen

Basketball team analogy - diversity and unity

Input from all; grappling with and synthesizing difference enhances creativity

Leadership potential resides in everyone depending on task, context, skills, motivation and experience; leaders help members wrestle with "big picture" mission and vision

Leader as team facilitator, information resource or catalyst not hierarchical manager

Meetings that accommodate process, emotions and relations as wen as goals, task and data

Matrix teams or small task groups with facilitator

Openly and appropriately handle conflict; active listening and constructive feedback

Avoid "Win/Lose" problem-solving and search for intra- and inter-team consensus

Expect family transference; pros and cons of subgroup alliances

Grapple with loss and change; group grieving or "Forms Funeral"

Recognize stages of group development; ebb and flow between mutuality and autonomy, cohesion and conflict

Use "Organizational IRAs" - Incentives, Recognition and Advancement Opportunities - and cross training or task variety

A SYSTEM IS WISE WHEN IT...
IS DIVERSELY TALENTED
HAS INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS
IS HIGHLY MOBILE IS ACUTELY RESPONSIVE TO ITS ENVIRONMENT
IS ERROR AND OPPORTUNITY DRIVEN AND
IS SELF-ORGANIZING!