Contributors
Publisher Interactive Workshops
Writers
Jonna Sercombe
Emily Link
Rachel Cise
Milly Gladstone
Megan Roberts
Sanda Vieru
Mimi Werdegar
Cody Rowland
Simone Sullivan
Chris Lissaman
Lizzie Finch
Editors Chris Lissaman
Lizzie Finch
Design Sanda Vieru
Photography Sam Elwin
Illustration
Gaby Bran
Sanda Vieru
Stock Imagery
Shutterstock Unsplash
Printed in the UK by Blissetts Unit 1, Shield Drive, West Cross Industrial Park, Great West Road, Brentford, TW8 9EX
Teams. Organisations across the world deal in this basic unit. But what does it take to make a great one? In this Imagine Magazine by Interactive Workshops, we get to the heart of the effective team.
From groups to partnerships to collectives, our ability to work together towards our goals is the difference between success and failure. High performance vs getting by.
This issue’s theme is Brighter Teams. From team leadership strategy and structure (p.10), team performance through physiognomics (p.6), bright ideas to supercharge a team building (p.18), or the route to becoming a high-performing team, this magazine is a collection of stories, insights and case studies about teams, written by a team.
Enjoy,
Jonna Sercombe CEO & Founder Interactive Workshops
Copyright Interactive Workshops © 2024
All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to achieve total accuracy, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions within this magazine.
To work with us please contact: info@interactiveworkshops.com or call Chris Lissaman on +44 (0)20 3318 5753 interactiveworkshops.com
Is
Is
Diversity
Clearing
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All teams are made up of different, complementary parts with different functions. Milly Gladstone draws from physiognomy to go beyond the inner workings and see how those functions contribute to high performance.
The anatomy of a team is, of course, important. How we structure a group of individuals, create cohesion, establish working rhythms, and celebrate success is crucially important to how effectively this team functions. Whilst there are times and places to remind ourselves of best practice or to sharpen our team rituals, broadly I think we all know what we need to do to run a great team. We must set clear goals, listen to new ideas and meet deadlines. Communication is key.
In fact, many of the components of an effective team map neatly onto anatomy:
Ears – Empathetic listening. Not thinking about what’s on the menu for dinner tonight while a teammate talks but listening ‘between the lines’ and paying attention to body language. Ask clarifying questions. Nod the head.
Brain – Knowledge and skills. Often complementary, and high-performing teams find ways to share their knowledge, too.
Mouth – Clear communication. Crucial for high-performing teams. Who is doing what and by when? Who’s leading the charge?
Heart – Personal Care. Building genuine connections with teammates is a hallmark of a great and cohesive team. Dynamic relationships = magic.
Feet – Walk the walk. Make sure we’re staying accountable, and actually doing what we said we would do.
Anatomy in team building is – dare we say it – the easy part. But what about physiognomy? That’s a bit harder. If the anatomy of a team refers to the inner workings and structure of a team, the physiognomy is how it looks to the outside world.
Internal team structure and processes. Team Anatomy
Team appearance and behaviours that showcase values. Team Physiognomy
This is the really interesting part. Internally, within the team, we could be the slickest unit ever. But if we don’t shout about wins or present ourselves professionally, how would anyone else ever know? In other words: how can we build the physiognomy of our team?
Physiognomy is the study of physical features to determine the characteristics of a person. It’s a term that I first came across at university, and initially dismissed as wishy-washy and potentially offensive. I studied Classics, and the ancient historian Suetonius used physiognomy in his work The Twelve Caesars – a biography of 12 Roman leaders from Julius Caesar to Domitian. The end of each biography features a vivid description of the ruler, correlating their physical appearance to their characteristics. The Romans made an organised science of physiognomy: a high nose bridge (aptly known as a ‘Roman nose’ today) was a sign of strength; slouched posture a sign of weakness. And for Suetonius, physiognomy was another tool to separate the ‘good’ emperors from the ‘bad’.
It’s a concept that maps well to teams. Team physiognomy represents the values and traits we have as a collective. So, the ‘bad’ teams that demonstrate habits like arriving late are showing us that they haven’t figured out how to reach high performance just yet. The ‘good’ teams that show up on time are demonstrating they have organised working practices.
We spend a lot of time working on the team – building our skills and perfecting our regular internal meeting agendas (all anatomy) – but rarely consider how we take the next step and present that to others (the physiognomy).
So, how can we nail the physiognomy of our teams?
In the same way that we, as individuals, can establish a personal brand, taking some time to consider how our team wants to brand itself is important. Encourage the team to think about what it wants to be known for. Is it turning work around quickly? Always being friendly and approachable? Figure out the team’s USP and build from there.
Even the best teams forget to tell everyone else in their business what they’re up to. Creating a comms plan to share the team’s successes is a good place to start. If we’re a client-facing team, it’s also worth setting up clear points of contact for each client. No one wants three people from the team replying to the same email.
We can think about how we as a team want to show up – to calls and in meetings – and create a set of standards. Do we want to bring energy to every client meeting? Do we want to show up with neatly printed resources, ready to wow? Agreeing these practices as a team will help everyone stay accountable, too.
Of course, anatomy and physiognomy are intrinsically linked. In this context, physiognomy only works if it’s genuine. Teams can’t pretend to be organised if, in reality, they are not. So, the anatomy of the team cannot be ignored in favour of the physiognomy.
Sorting out the anatomy of a team is the first step. Figuring the physiognomy of a team is the more advanced second step. Only when we have a smooth operation and way of working internally can we present who we want to be outwardly.
Drink it in. Diversity amongst teams isn’t merely a checkbox for companies, but can foster growth, inclusion, and ultimately, belonging in teams. Simone Sullivan shares three insights on team diversity.
Diverse teams can perform better.
Diversify your team, diversify your thinking. Companies with diverse teams consistently outperform their counterparts across various metrics. Let’s have a look at some key stats.
A McKinsey report found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. For ethnic and cultural diversity, this number was 36% 1
Companies with more diverse management teams have 19% higher revenue due to innovation2
Diversity and Inclusion (D&I): Global Strategic Business Report asserts that diverse companies earn 2.5x higher cash flow per employee.
CIO reports that 83% of millennials are more actively engaged in their work when their employees support D&I initiatives 3 .
There’s growth in the discomfort.
Diverse teams don’t just drive revenue growth they foster organisational and personal growth as well. While the research undoubtedly demonstrates the financial benefits of diversity, it’s crucial to acknowledge that diverse teams always have a little bit of discomfort. This discomfort, however, is where personal growth thrives. By bringing together a variety of perspectives and experiences, diverse teams can enhance problem-solving processes, challenge assumptions, and foster creativity. This discomfort becomes a crucible for competitive advantage, fostering growth at both organisational and individual levels.
Psychological safety benefits the organisation, not just the individual.
Inclusive practices are essential to support diversity to ensure that every team member feels valued, respected, and heard. The concept of psychological safety is paramount in creating an environment where diverse voices feel comfortable expressing themselves.
When employees feel valued, respected, and included, they are more engaged, motivated, and productive. This positive work environment not only benefits individuals but also contributes to the overall success and sustainability of the organisation.
Is there such a thing as too much diversity?
While diversity is generally beneficial, it’s important to recognise that diversity can sometimes lead to challenges. Diversity may create difficulties in communication, cohesion, and decision-making processes. Aim for a mix of capacities and perspectives to ensure optimal team performance.
Diversity in teams is not merely a buzzword or a means to an end, it’s a fundamental driver to success. By embracing diversity and fostering inclusivity, companies can unlock new avenues of growth, innovation, and success. However, achieving true diversity requires a commitment beyond surface level. It requires creating a culture where every voice is valued, respected, and included. In an increasingly complex world, diversity isn’t optional; it’s essential for navigating challenges and seizing opportunities.
Sources: 1McKinsey & Company, 2020; 2McKinsey & Company, 2021; 3 CIO, 2023
Does a team really need a leader? Chris Lissaman explores what it looks like to take an alternative approach to team leadership.
Not so long ago, on one very normal day at a very famous, global organisation, something unique happened. A group went to add their newly formed team to the system, a formality that every team at the company completes. Yet, despite the fact they were a real team, the system rejected them.
Why?
No leader name given.
The issue?
They didn’t have one.
Given their skills, experience, and ability to lead themselves and each other, they’d decided to take an all-play approach and not designate a formal leader.
It’s not just our IT systems that struggle with the concept of a leaderless team, but our own internal wirings. Who’s going to lead the thing? We’re familiar with how it tends to look with one leader at the top, responsible for leading the way and bringing any number of team members with them.
Leaderless teams, on the other hand, aren’t a new concept. The idea of ‘self-managing’ teams without a formal leader responsible for team output has been a talking point since the idea of “the self-managing unit” emerged in the 80s. Yet, the concept remains counter-cultural and counter-intuitive. Could it really be that teams could perform better without someone in charge?
Let’s consider some different approaches to the leaderless team.
An all-play team is propelled by taking its own initiative, casting its own vision, and finding its own inspiration and ambition. No more “that’s my team leader’s job”. Each member knows how they play into the leadership of the whole. Accountability for the team’s outputs is shared. Hierarchy dissolves, bringing total agility.
We champion teamwork and close collaboration, often wanting teams to move away from siloed working. So why should the leader get a free pass at doing a solo job? Pairing up leaders can halve burdens, give an effective sounding board to both parties, and – perhaps most importantly – allow two people with complementary skillsets to utilise two sets of strengths and cover each other’s development areas.
A complete script flip from the traditional leader, the servant leader lets team members lead in the owning of responsibility and execution. Rather than getting vision, drive, and inspiration from the one, it comes from the many. The one (or two, or many) that we would have called the leader(s), become the servants or workers of their more junior colleagues.
Every now and again, it becomes a talking point that a football team hasn’t appointed one formal club captain and is instead ‘sharing the captaincy’. Sometimes this works via a leadership pool, with a number of leaders able to step in, especially when others are out injured, suspended, etc. Other times there isn’t even a specified leadership cohort, and the club expects leadership to come from the team.
In taking one of the bold approaches above, our teams might be able to do without – or even thrive – in a leaderless land. But whilst we might not need a leader, we do need vision, wisdom, empowerment, celebration, and direction. We need leadership. Leadership can come from the top. Or it can come from the team.
Team Days go beyond a work social to inform and instil strategy. Whilst a social element is vital, it’s the focus on impact that separates a great team day from a glorified social. Megan Roberts brings us out of the team daze…
Ranging from Escape Rooms to after-work happy hours, team socials are integral in creating a sense of belonging and camaraderie among colleagues. According to one study, employees with close friendships at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs, highlighting the importance of social connections in the workplace. So it’s important to recognise the value of work socials goes beyond mere enjoyment. That shouldn’t be forgotten. Work socials serve as catalysts for building trust, establishing a common language, and enhancing team morale, all of which are vital for a cohesive and productive work environment.
But how do you create a high-performing team? One that’s aligned. Accountable. Motivated. Effective. Sadly it isn’t just by taking the team to Flight Club.
While both work socials and teambuilding strategy days are valuable, problems can arise when the lines between the two become blurred. When teambuilding strategy days morph into social gatherings devoid of purposeful activities, the intended outcomes may be compromised. We can be mindful of this pitfall and ensure that teambuilding strategy days remain focused on achieving tangible outcomes aligned with organisational objectives. While social interaction is an essential component of team development, it should complement rather than overshadow the primary goals of skill enhancement and performance improvement.
Work socials and team-building strategy days each play unique roles in fostering high-performing teams. By understanding the differences between the two and leveraging their respective strengths, we can create a synergistic approach to team development that maximises engagement, collaboration, and performance amongst our teams.
If we fail to appreciate the power of an effective strategy day, we might miss the opportunity to map out the year ahead and reflect on the challenges and successes of the previous. Instead, let’s maximise impact. Although the focus can be completely bespoke, we tend to maximise impact in one of four areas:
We are all carriers of culture within our teams. Take a deeper dive to explore the features of the team culture and consider where the culture can be shaped going forward.
We all know performance drives results. Acknowledge the wins and losses, but think about what can be improved through focused attention and effort to be better.
We must be motivated individually and collectively. Reflect on drivers and desires to achieve success and work out how we can leverage these to produce outcomes.
We must stay one step ahead. Encourage disruption by taking a look at what we could be doing faster and better for ourselves and for our clients.
We help some of the world’s most exciting organisations boost their teams with outstanding strategy days. Got a team? In a team? Get in touch via our website to find out what we could do together.
We’re opening a very particular coffee shop serving a selection of workshop energisers.
What can we get you?
Blind drawing
Everyone is in one line with no talking allowed. Sorted by birthday month, length of tenure, or knowledge on a topic, or alphabetically by middle name… (Decide the level of challenge accordingly). Our frappuccino, it’s fun and frivolous.
Teams must flipchart something (the previous day of the workshop, their job, a topic) using only drawings and no words. Then present back. Amateur artists encouraged.
A classic. Form a line and ‘write’ (lid on) on the back of the person in front. At the front of the line, the artist does their best to accurately draw the image onto a flipchart. Wakes us up, at least. 1, 2, 3
Anything but flat actually. Everone pairs up. Round One, Person A says “One”, Person B says “Two” and Person A says “Three.” Person B continues: “One.” Repeat. Easy. Round Two replaces “One” with a clap. Round Three keeps the clap and swaps “Two” with an animal noise. Raucous. Finally, a mayhem fourth round adds in a personally chosen dance move for “Three”. Carnage.
Inspired by a traditional cooking stove. First, participants are briefed to greet each other at a 1 out of 10 level. A low energy like they secretly hate their colleague. Gradually, they are briefed to turn the heat up on their greetings, first to a simmering 6 (handshakes and big facial expressions), eventually to a boiling over 10 (hugs, high fives, cheering).
An Interactive Workshops custombuilt icebreaker, Who Shares Wins uses the phones in everyone’s pockets to make connections and create a cacophony. Participants answer questions honestly before being given an answer to a question and seeking out who shared it. All for points…who can top the leaderboard?
We all know the game. Any size group can be turned into a World Cup style tournament, starting by competing with a neighbour. Here’s the twist. The loser must become an avid and vocal supporter of their victor as they play the next round. In the end, two finalists remain, each with a die-hard following of half the room. Knock-out.
Often graphic design is delegated to a freelancer. But what if it could be the catalyst for a partnership? Graphic designer, Sanda Vieru, and learning designer, Milly Gladstone, share the power of working together to brighten each other’s output.
How did you meet and when did you decide to work in partnership?
Sanda: It must have been during my assessment day, but because I was a bit anxious, I can’t recall the exact moment I first encountered Milly. It’s a shame, of course, but it allowed me to get to know Milly on a calmer day and truly get to know her and appreciate her brilliance. I vividly remember thinking, “Wow, she’s the calmest genius I’ve ever met.” This opinion has only solidified over our two years of collaboration, leading me to eagerly seek opportunities to work with her. Our partnership began naturally, driven by admiration and a desire to collaborate.
Milly: Yes it was your interview day, I remember. She impressed all of us in the office, and safe to say she’s continued to impress us every day since! I don’t think there’s a set moment that we ‘decided’ to work in partnership as it’s just a way we naturally work at Interactive Workshops. But I always know some amazing work will be produced when I get to work with Sanda.
What makes your partnership work?
S: Our partnership thrives on mutual respect, accountability, and a complementary set of skills. We recognise each other’s strengths, hold ourselves accountable, and foster trust and collaboration. This balance is crucial; my expertise in visual communication and Milly’s flair for languages and written communication blend seamlessly, creating compelling narratives that captivate audiences. Our passion fuels this dynamic, pushing us to develop our skills with every new challenge. Seeing the passion in each other’s eyes when sketching a new idea or discussing an insight is both satisfying and inspiring.
M: I truly believe that the Interactive Workshops’ Studio is our superpower, and we’re very lucky to have Sanda in our design team. The best thing about working with Sanda is the questions she asks. Before she designs anything, Sanda likes to get to the heart and the meaning of what she’s about to put together and why – going beyond the brief to create something stunning.
Is your relationship stable or unstable?
M: Definitely stable. And I’m glad about that! Sanda is a safe pair of hands. She’s dependable, creates fantastic designs, is great with clients, and is always calm. The epitome of stability. And that translates into how we work as partners.
S: Our partnership is akin to chaos theory in design, where underlying patterns and interconnections emerge from apparent randomness. While the project’s uncertainties and different viewpoints create periodic instability, this instability is essential for stability, development, and success. We embrace this dynamic, recognizing that it drives us toward perfection. We keep our relationship stable, so it can balance the unstable nature of work.
How do you push each other to be brighter?
M: I’m not sure I push Sanda all that much. She’s the one who challenges me through all the great questions she asks and gives me different perspectives and ways of looking at projects. She and the Studio team always elevate the work that we Producers do and take it to the next level.
S: Our partnership is a steady anchor amidst creative uncertainty. We challenge each other to innovate and exceed expectations, exploring new techniques, experimenting with styles, and pushing our creative boundaries. By learning from each other, we inspire one another to reach new heights, constantly striving to be brighter and better in our endeavours.
Finally, would you survive together on a desert island?
S: On a desert island, we would not only survive — we would thrive. Our passion for our craft and our critical skills of resourcefulness, adaptability, and creativity would be our greatest assets. These skills, coupled with a bit of panic, would transform the barren landscape into a canvas of endless possibilities. I mean, it can’t be harder than raising a whole garden on Mars as Mark Watney did in The Martian, can it? Together, we are a dynamic duo ready to face any adversity.
M: 100%. I said earlier that Sanda is calm, and that would work in our favour. Sanda is also super intelligent and likes hiking, so I can imagine that she would have some hidden knowledge about how to filter water, build a shelter, or make a compass so we know what direction to should head in to save ourselves.
The best team offsites wrap valuable strategic thinking around a highly memorable and expertly facilitated experience. We worked with a global property company to transform their internal team day proposition.
Our client was being overwhelmed by requests like the following:
“Just come and help out at our team day.”
“It’s no biggie, but could someone from the L&D team pop along for an hour or two and run something?”
“We’ve got a slot in the agenda to fill before we hit the social, any ideas?”
A bursting inbox and a sense of curiosity led our client to get in touch with us to see if there was a way Interactive Workshops could help. Not only did our client want to support these teams with facilitating their sessions but they wanted to create real value for them. It was clear that the current mindset of those organising the ‘obligatory’ team away day was to fill an afternoon of ‘team stuff’ and then make their way to the all-important social activity. But what if the afternoon was engaging, valuable and impactful for the business? Now that would be worth exploring.
Collaborating closely with our client and several of their teams, we scoped out our approach. We discovered that it was important for teams to share their specific context before offering a solution, yet this needed to be coupled with a streamlined design process to make it easy to implement. We set out crafting a menu of carefully selected topics that met the typical needs of the teams, alongside a bespoke option for those who had the appetite for deeper discovery and design. Sessions were modularised and could be delivered in different formats and over different amounts of time, with clear costing to make it super simple for a team to select what they wanted and minimise the back and forth of proposals. Couple this with a specific marketing campaign; videos, flyers and email banners to raise awareness of the offering and we were ready.
Mindset Shift
Team sessions can be seen by organisers as a tick box activity before socialising. We needed to challenge the teams’ and their leaders’ mindsets to encourage them to recognise the value they could get from a well-spent day together.
Go live. We launched a beautifully designed and wellthought-through brochure showcasing the ways to engage with us on strategy sessions. The process was clearly defined: start off with a chemistry call, share the context of the team and the strategy, and then either select a masterclass to facilitate this or create a bespoke experience. Each package included a feedback mechanism and a shorter, sharper workshop holding the team to account for the actions they had defined.
Time Poor
Not only are teams stretched to make these sessions happen alongside business as usual, but the L&D team servicing the business can also be under pressure. With a million other priorities on the list, spending time understanding a team’s specific strategy and subsequently designing and delivering sessions to support this can end up deprioritised.
One-off
Team sessions are often full of good intent but considered for a day and then quickly forgotten. The real value is in making actions stick and inspire change so that teams improve their impact in the long run.
Our client still had a bursting inbox, but now it was because teams were keen to get connected with us and share their context. Rather than just asking for a slot to be filled, they were coming up with specific requests to maximise their time together. In return, our client could share a Calendly invite directly back, and we could pick up the conversation immediately. This created a whole new meaning to ‘team days’, ‘strategy sessions’ and ‘offsites’. No longer was it just about socialising (albeit that was still an important element). It was about creating real value from this time together. Over the course of six months, we delivered 20 team sessions.
Scan the QR code to find out more about strategy days, designed and delivered by Interactive Workshops.
If the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts, what does that mean for individuals and teams? How can we balance the need for individualism and connectivity in our modern age?
Rachel Cise looks for the answers.
As technology redefines how we connect and collaborate, and remote work continues to play a significant part, the success of a traditional teamwork model is under scrutiny. Are teams, once the bedrock of productivity and innovation, becoming outdated relics of a bygone era?
When we think of prominent people of history: from Albert Einstein to Barack Obama to Taylor Swift, we often see them as fiercely independent figureheads; examples of tenacious individualism, willing to go against the grain and pave a new, untrodden path through the history books. But what lies beneath this ostensible independence? The answer is, almost always, a whole team of people working to maintain the façade. In the modern age of technology and remote working the paradigm is shifting.
With the gig economy and remote work common, individuals are carving out their own paths to success. Freelancers and solopreneurs thrive in this environment, leveraging their autonomy to pursue projects tailored to their skills and interests. In fields like software development, individual programmers often excel by tackling complex problems autonomously, free from the constraints of traditional team structures.
Critics argue that the hierarchical nature of many organisations stifles innovation within teams, as power dynamics and bureaucratic red tape often inhibit the free flow of ideas. In contrast, individuals working autonomously have the freedom to explore unconventional solutions without the constraints of groupthink or consensus-seeking. This autonomy fosters a sense of ownership and accountability, driving individuals to take initiative and pursue excellence in their work.
However, dismissing the value of teams entirely would be short-sighted. Take the example of consultancy: one consultant working independently is limited by the hours available in one day and by their own constraints. Sick leave? Lost hours. Holidays? The guilt of neglecting a client. Overworked? Zero capacity to fulfil commitments. What these independent consultants need is a team of people to support them: a pool of resources to draw upon in pinch points.
Examples like sports and nature, the necessity of teamwork is often unquestionable. Consider a relay race, where each runner’s effort contributes to the team’s success. No single individual can win the race alone; it’s the coordinated effort of the team that propels them across the finish line. Similarly, in the intricate ecosystems of nature, species rely on symbiotic relationships and collective behaviours for survival. Take the example of a bee colony, where each member plays a crucial role in pollination and hive maintenance. Without teamwork, these individuals would flounder.
While the traditional model of teams may be evolving, the essence of collaboration remains relevant across various domains. In research, for instance, breakthroughs often result from interdisciplinary teams pooling their expertise to tackle complex problems. Similarly, in industries like healthcare, effective teamwork among doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals is essential for delivering quality patient care.
Moreover, teams provide vital social support and camaraderie in the workplace, fostering a sense of belonging and collective identity among employees. This social cohesion can enhance morale, motivation, and job satisfaction, ultimately contributing to higher levels of productivity and employee retention.
Ultimately, the debate over teamwork versus individual work is nuanced and contextdependent. While some tasks necessitate collaboration, others thrive on individual autonomy and creativity. As the nature of work continues to evolve, we must strike a balance between the two, leveraging flexible team structures and fostering a culture that values both collaboration and individual initiative. By doing so, we can allow teams to adapt to the demands of the modern workplace and thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
The word ‘team’ is given to all kinds of committees, collaborations and collectives... But what is it that takes a group to great? Megan Roberts shares five plays from the team effectiveness playbook.
We are far more likely to stick to a goal if we share it with someone who can hold us accountable, whether that means writing goals down, pinning them up, or saying them out loud, again and again. When it comes to setting goals for our team, it is important that every team member has clarity on the goal set and feels an individual sense of responsibility and motivation to achieve it.
Establish regular rituals and rhythms, whether that be a Monday meeting, a quarterly team review meeting or a monthly social, to hold our teams accountable and give them the consistency required to excel as a high-performing team. If rhythms and rituals are encouraged by an effective team leader and bolstered by the rest of the team, they can provide a structure, set clear and high expectations, encourage accountability, and drive the performance of the team.
Regularly bring the team together to focus on achieving success, but also to get to know one another on a deeper level. Encourage in-person team meetings where possible, choose video calls over phone calls and don’t forget the impact that arranging a social activity can have on the connectedness and morale of a team. These small actions can bring teams closer together and have a positive impact on team performance.
Give teams space to discover and create. We are here to inspire our team, not to force motivation – that must be down to them. Not only does this encourage individuals to grow, but it also encourages them to become intrinsically motivated. In the words of Steve Jobs: “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do”.
Recognition sparks motivation. It is highly impactful to celebrate team successes as a collective but also to shout out individuals. Perhaps start with a weekly Friday shoutout routine to praise the team’s success as well as the individual success before giving the floor to the rest of the team to share their praise too. But more simply, ensuring that we remember to give even small praise, can make a big difference to the motivation of our team.
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Design in L&D // Volume 3
The world of visual design has so much to teach us about how business and life work. Sanda Vieru brings this issue’s pearl of wisdom from the creative space.
In the vast landscape of everything L&D, graphic design takes on a behind-the-scenes role. Yet, pulling unseen strings, designers are relentlessly pursuing the easiest way for information to be digested. To make a real impact on the learning experience, each designer is in a constant search for bright design thinking. But how?
Just like in a masterpiece painting, the composition of a team holds the key to success — a perfect balance akin to the arrangement of elements in a captivating painting. The journey that the team is about to take — from concept to creation — relies on the contribution of the unique hue, stroke, or texture, blending together to create a harmonious whole.
Designers collaborate with copywriters to craft compelling narratives that resonate with learners. By harnessing the power of visual communication, one can make complex concepts more digestible, transform technical subjects into interactive experiences, and demystify scientific phenomena through infographics and animations.
What makes this synergy possible? The skills, backgrounds, and personalities of team members add depth to the collaborative process. While diversity sparks creativity, cohesion ensures that the final piece is impactful. The art of team composition lies in striking the perfect balance between diversity and unity.
Effective teamwork transcends mere collaboration. It’s a dynamic process — teams must embrace agility and adaptability. This iterative approach allows for constant refinement and innovation, ensuring that the final product exceeds expectations.
This rollercoaster journey starts with research, brainstorming and ideation, all brought together by sketching. By translating abstract thoughts into tangible sketches, designers bridge the gap between imagination and reality. This lays the foundation for transformative learning experiences.
As a designer myself, it’s easy to say the impact of graphic design on the learning process is profound. However, a great design is usually invisible to the eye, and more than critical to the process of learning. Graphic design serves as a beacon of innovation and a catalyst for transformation. By embracing the principles of effective teamwork and harnessing the power of visual communication, organisations can unlock the full potential of learning, illuminating minds and inspiring brighter ideas.
The Interactive Workshops Studio is made up of graphic designers, animators and illustrators bringing L&D to life. This creative hub provides intelligently crafted, beautifully designed people development and branding resources: graphics, brochures, posters, books, eLearnings, films, animations and more. If there is a hint of creativity involved, our team can get it done at top speed with enviable attention to detail.
Got a short slide deck that needs some visual flair? Send it to Sanda via the QR above and we’ll make it happen — free of charge.
How can companies offering premium services compete with lower cost providers? We partnered with a market leader in US building restoration services to establish a consistent sales process, accelerate sales skills, and drive business growth. Cody Rowland shares how.
Quality building restoration is always in demand. Yet, companies charging premium prices for a high quality service face stiff competition from low-cost providers entering the market. Knowing they can’t compete on price, these firms need to be able to help customers understand and quantify the value of selecting a higher quality product or service. Add in aggressive growth targets, and even sales managers with a good track record need a different approach and mentality and go out and proactively win new business in new market verticals.
Cost is often a sticking point for deals, yet it’s seeing value – not discounts – that help a customer rationally choose a provider more expensive than its competitors.
As sales managers have highly measurable targets, performance is always under scrutiny. Yet many organisations fail to support their salespeople with necessary training.
To achieve commercial success in a competitive industry, sales managers don’t just need to sell faster, but sell smarter.
Our research included 1-1 interviews, focus groups and a custom-built sales diagnostic to assess skill levels. Sales Managers were given an initial self-assessment at the beginning of the programme to form a baseline. The analysis showed that this organization needed a new focus to better match its efforts to its customer’s buying cycle.
Having identified the skills gaps, a custom sales development programme was created to ensure sellers at all levels could effectively accelerate their sales efforts. Together with the client, we established a new sales process, one that was tailored to this industry and visualised both the seller and customer journey. Bespoke workshops, email snippets, quizzes were designed to complement this new selling process.
Over four months, sales managers attended biweekly virtual workshops to engage in discussions on how to realistically apply selling skills in their ever-changing world. Tapping into the competitive nature of a sales manager, our concept put participants into small teams with weekly sales challenges that were scored on completion and contributed to the team’s position on a weekly fantasy sports-style leaderboard. Additionally, leaders were provided with targeted guides on how to continue the conversations started in the workshops with their teams.
Sales managers who completed the program took the same diagnostic after the program to assess how their skills had improved. This chart shows how participants rated their skills higher across all areas after the programme.
What they said:
“Interactive Workshops is doing a spectacular job. Valuable content and lots of takeaways.”
From the FTSE 100 to the most exciting new startups, we help organisations maximise team building. Rather than just focusing on the fun, we’ve curated 50 intriguing team building ideas for your next session.
Get playful with scenarios by bringing in a few people to play the role. Timothée Chalamet might not be available, but we are.
(timeline of the year ahead or 1/2/5 years)
Simply getting time to plan, project and pitch ideas for the future is a hugely valuable moment for the team. Combine with a more frivolous activity to balance brain power.
(put everyone in their actual teams)
Teambuilding sessions might be more geared towards cross-team bonding but don’t underestimate just simply giving teams time together away from their desks.
Sometimes, clearing the backlog with some debriefing and thinking about how we’re working beats an afternoon in an escape room while the inbox piles up.
There are organised activities out there that’ll have you building prosthetic hands or assembling a bike for people who really need them.
A bit closer to home. Why not make it all about the charity your organisation cares most deeply about?
Feedback is essential for our improvement, so taking time to absorb the analysis of 360° feedback, as a team, is a game-changer.
Our AMP tool makes it easy to get a clear picture of an organisation’s pulse and scale of ambition. Using stunning reports with easy-to-understand data, teams can discuss, debate, and decide how to move forward.
Try AMP, our diagnostic tool for taking the pulse of your ambition.
An unplanned team day (yes, that’s right) that starts with a mysterious QR code, a brief, a budget, and a deadline.
Blend targets with support needed and get the commitment of support. “Jenny’s saying she’s going to hit these numbers and needs support with more leads. Will we give her that support?” YES!
Get ideas using a Delphic process and synergise them until there’s a winner.
Athlete. Doctors. Explorers. Business has so much to learn from the stories, approaches and mindsets of leaders with a very different set of goals.
Rather than leaving the teambuilding to a team leader or exec, let the junior team or a new hire drive the agenda, supported by the wider/senior team.
Green spaces, smiling faces. One of the best venues. Picnic, games, contests... and no battle with any air conditioning unit.
Theme the day around the company values and plan activities that align.
A list of shots to take from the sensible (‘one photo for each of our values’) to the silly (‘every team member in a different hat’)...
Moan Zone
Call it what you like, it’s a chance to add frustrations and problems to a virtual or physical board with Post-it notes. Use carefully.
A bold approach in which some of the ‘things we hear people complain about’ are anonymously shared and groups flip the problem statements into commitments within their control. “We always hear from X team last minute…” becomes “I will proactively seek updates from X team and commit to sharing feedback with the team leader.”
Flipcharts for any and all topics/departments/ processes where feedback is desired. Participants roam around the flipcharts to discuss and write their additional comments. Top tip: suggest a tick, star, or sticker on comments participants agree with.
Why invent a scenario to tackle when company life has so many juicy problems to get a team or organisation stuck into for an afternoon?
Write a Book
Now that’s memorable. Writing a book together not only demands true teamwork but also produces a lasting item that can be distributed within the organisation and beyond.
Break into pairs, trios, or small groups, and set a timer for 5–7 minutes. During that time, one member talks on the predefined topic (current challenges, career ambition, journey so far, etc.) completely uninterrupted. No questions, comments, or jibes. Instead, their peers practice listening skills and summarise what they’ve heard, rather than giving advice.
Like the book, a magazine takes real collaboration and a pinch of creativity to bring it all together. Experience the wow factor of having pages designed by the end of the day.
If a leadership book or magazine isn’t quite the vibe, a coffee table book might be. Think ‘how we do things’ that sits in reception or in your department with loads of great photography.
We’ve all got cameras in our pockets, so why not set a challenge to channel the inner Spielberg and direct and shoot a film? It could be about the unique value proposition of the team… a company value…
There are no end of venues to try. Some really functional. Some airy and bright. Some with more digital functionality than Iron Man. Some fancier than Buckingham Palace. (Almost.)
Why try harder than using the space everyone knows how to rock up to? It might be possible to re-purpose rooms or spaces to make it work. Just don’t get dragged back to the desk...
A set of clues or code to crack to discover the venue. Fastest team wins.
In what’s colloquially known as a “Jerome’s Briefcase” activity, there’s an incredible amount of tension, focus, competitiveness and hilarity that can come simply from a locked briefcase, the promise of a prize inside, and a code to crack.
A known format, but what about putting genuine potential funding on the table? Stacks of cash are optional.
Two teams, one business challenge, except no one at risk of being fired.
Furniture to build? Pictures to put up? Moving office? It might not replace dedicated teambuilding time, but it can still be an opportunity to bring a team together with a feasible challenge.
Embrace Virtual
If the team can’t come together in person, tools like Miro, Monday, or another communication tool of choice can bolster the feeling of being connected.
Some light facilitation between courses through some discussion prompts and the team will end up contributing more than they consume.
Whether you have your own psychometric tests completed or want our recommendation (SOVA, since you asked), this analysis can provide enough discussion points for a whole team building. Tip: Use reports that give a ‘whole team’ overview of styles/traits and bring teams together to discuss and strategise.
If not already a seamless part of the calendar, pick up a goalsetting framework (we like OKRs) and get dreaming about what could be achieved.
If bringing the team or organisation together, it’s a great opportunity to tease the launch of an upcoming marketing campaign or spend some time creating content (see ‘Write a Book/Magazine’).
A great excuse to snoop on your industry neighbours. Teams do their research and come ready to present with all their charts, props and even costumes.
Time to get the LEGO out? Who can represent the company values in Play Dough?
The obvious yet underestimated topic for leadership teambuilding.
One (or several) new viable product(s) by the end of the day? Challenge accepted.
They aren’t going to solve the company’s big challenges but they sure are fun.
Virtual room, real teamwork.
Some of our team hated it, actually.
Even better outdoors.
Conveniently, there’s a pub on the river.
For the creative types or those who could be.
Remove the home comforts.
What’s your next big peak?
Magic facilitation. Yep, that’s a thing.
For smaller teams, some cinemas have a smaller private screen on which you can display your own films or content.
We sat down with Toyin Peters, People Partner at Warner Music Group, and our very own Emily Link to talk about investing in teams from the perspective of client and consultant.
Firstly, what do you do?
Toyin: I work as a People Partner at Warner Music Group, collaborating with specialist People teams and line managers to ensure the smooth running of all day-to-day people-related activities and projects, ensuring that we have a high-performing team.
Emily: And I work for interactive Workshops as a Director. I have the privilege of working with lots of clients – like WMG - in lots of industries on lots of different learning and development topics, often on the topic of teams, leadership teams, sales teams, consulting teams etc.
How do you support teams across many organisations?
Toyin: I support teams by partnering with line managers to ensure they are proactively supporting their team so that they are not only developing in their careers but also performing well.
Emily: There are a variety of ways we engage with teams; strategy sessions, up-skilling on sales skills or my personal favourite... defining a goal with a team and building an evolving pathway to enable them to get there. We always start with understanding the ask first through a discovery process and then we can concept a variety of approaches to achieve the outcome.
What impact do you see on teams when they spend time investing in their performance?
Toyin: Those who invest in performance see much better collaboration, as everyone is clear on what role they play to ensure the team is performing well. Also, there are fewer performance issues that need addressing, as everyone’s performance is always being discussed openly.
Emily: Improved relationships, clarity of their roles and contributions and how to benefit from working together. There are so many outputs from spending time together. Of course, it’s sometimes difficult to justify time out of the ‘day job’ to be together but genuinely when teams do ‘slow down to speed up’ that’s when the magic happens. It’s worth it. Not only for the business outputs, but we spend so much time with our work colleagues. Why not have some fun along the way too?!
Tell us your best piece of advice to other L&D professionals helping teams to succeed.
Toyin: I’d say just taking the time to listen and understand the nuances, dynamics and challenges that businesses are facing, particularly in a post-pandemic era.
Emily: Really try to clarify what the team is trying to achieve. If the goal is unclear, then it will be difficult to help them get there, plus it probably means that it’s unclear for the people working in that team too, so start there.
Warner Music Group (WMG) is a global music entertainment company across recorded music, music publishing, and artist services. Headquartered in New York City, WMG are at the forefront of the music industry.
Over the past year, L&D teams from organisations such as Salesforce, LEGO and Meta have gained insights and ideas from SpeakEasy. Lizzie Finch shares an opportunity to grow the network and spark the next big idea.
SpeakEasy, our brand of networking events, goes beyond the traditional networking experience to create something special - a space where collaboration thrives and ideas spark. Whether a brunch event or workshop, attendees can connect with a diverse range of professionals from across the industry, sharing their own experiences and challenges on a different L&D topic every time – all whilst eating avocado on toast.
Topics we’ve chewed over:
// Microlearning vs Macrolearning
// Stronger Commercial Capabilities
// AI vs HI (Artificial Intelligence vs Human Intelligence)
// The Era of Flexibility
// L&D: Art or Science
We find one of the most exciting (and rewarding) aspects of networking events is the opportunity to learn from each other. Something special happens when you gather a group of passionate individuals, in person, who are all dedicated, inspired by, and engaged in the same idea of providing brilliant L&D.. This sort of collaboration helps good ideas become great ideas, allowing space for fresh perspectives.
From the moment you walk through the door, you can feel the energy of a SpeakEasy. Whether it’s discussing the latest trends in the industry, or sharing success stories, everyone is a ‘people person’; the kind we love working with.
To us, SpeakEasy is more than just an opportunity to exchange LinkedIn details; it’s a catalyst for the next L&D idea that works.
Come and see for yourself…
Register for two free places per organisation at Interactive Workshops’ next SpeakEasy event.
“At Interactive Workshops we are passionate believers that theory is great, but learning by doing is blockbuster.”
Jonna, CEO, Interactive Workshops
“Really great to network with people within the industry, outside the industry.”
– Steph Creaner, Sales Enablement Manager, Salesforce
“It stretched my views, learning from how different organisations and sectors approach things.”
– Rachel Myres, HR and Business Manager, Rede Partners
Is AI here to replace the power of human teams? It might not be so stark. Yet there are some important things to consider as AI takes centre stage. Rachel Cise shares her perspective on the delicate relationship between technology and humanity.
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the buzz surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reverberate, provoking discussions about its transformative potential for individuals and teams. Among the most intriguing debates is whether AI could ever match the essence of human collaboration and teamwork.
When we talk about AI in this context, we don’t mean uncannily human-looking robots, sitting at our desks, making us coffees, unparalleled productivity that has us looking over our shoulders all day, wondering who’s next in the firing line so that AI Jane can swoop in and double the output of the entire organisation. We definitely don’t mean the Ex Machina kind of robot, capable of reflecting human emotion and then using it to manipulate us.
Instead, picture this: a seamlessly synchronised team, working together, but propelled by the digital dexterity of AI.
Advocates championing AI-driven collaboration paint a picture of unparalleled efficiency and productivity. Imagine AI-powered tools seamlessly orchestrating communication, knowledge sharing, and task automation, all while optimising team workflows. According to McKinsey, such tools have the potential to catapult productivity by up to 30%, freeing individuals from mundane administrative tasks.
There are several AI-powered tools and platforms designed to facilitate collaboration within teams…
These AI-powered tools and platforms play a crucial role in enhancing team collaboration by automating repetitive tasks, improving communication, and facilitating seamless workflow integration.
P roject Management Tools: Platforms like Asana, Trello, and Monday.com utilise AI for task prioritisation, scheduling, and resource allocation, streamlining team collaboration and project tracking.
C ommunication Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace offer AI-driven features such as smart notifications, automated responses, and chatbots to enhance team communication and collaboration.
But amid the digital euphoria, sceptics question the true extent of AI’s power in the realm of collaboration. There’s a lingering concern: could AI inadvertently stifle the very essence of human creativity? After all, while AI algorithms excel at crunching data, they lack the human touch – the intuition, empathy, and imagination that drive innovation and true collaboration.
Moreover, there’s the prickly issue of inequality. As AI takes centre stage, there’s a risk of exacerbating existing disparities within teams and organisations. The International Labour Organization (ILO) warns of potential job displacement and widening income gaps, particularly for those lacking in digital fluency. It’s a wake-up call to ensure that the AI revolution doesn’t leave anyone behind.
V irtual Assistants: AI assistants like Microsoft’s Cortana, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa can help teams manage calendars, set reminders, and access relevant information, improving productivity and collaboration.
C ollaborative Editing Tools: Google Docs, Microsoft Office 365, and Dropbox Paper use AI to provide real-time editing, version control, and content suggestions, enabling seamless collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations
Then there’s the ethical conundrum. As AI algorithms gain autonomy, there’s a pressing need for ethical guardrails to prevent unintended consequences. Biases lurking in datasets could inadvertently seep into decision-making processes, perpetuating discrimination and exacerbating social divides. It’s a stark reminder that the quest for technological advancement must be tempered by ethical considerations.
Amid these debates, one thing becomes clear: the future of collaboration lies not in AI alone but in the delicate relationship between technology and humanity. Rather than viewing AI as a rival, it’s time to embrace it as a partner, or a tool, amplifying human capabilities and collective intelligence.
V ideo Conferencing Tools: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet incorporate AI features such as noise cancellation, background blur, and automatic transcription to enhance remote collaboration.
V irtual Collaboration Spaces: Tools like Miro and MURAL employ AI for brainstorming, ideation, and visual collaboration, enabling teams to collaborate on digital whiteboards and virtual canvases in real time.
The key lies in striking a delicate balance – leveraging AI to enhance collaboration while preserving the essence of human interaction and creativity. It’s about fostering inclusive and empowering environments where humans coalesce with their machines.
So, what does the future hold? I expect a blend of innovation and humanity, where AI serves not as a replacement but as a catalyst for transformation. By embracing this synergy, organizations can unlock the full potential of collaborative endeavours, propelling us into a new era of digital enlightenment.
Is communication really all that complicated? Mimi Werdegar tries to get her message across.
<body>
At a glance, the different modes of communication seem pretty straightforward. Need to ask a colleague a quick question? Go over to their desk. Need to send out a lengthy update? Send an email. Need to reach someone immediately? Call them.
But communication is a far more complex beast than just choosing the correct format. Each person communicates and receives communication in a different way. Some people need to talk through every detail of a project, some only want to know the bigger picture. Some prefer to start every conversation with small talk, some prefer to dive straight in. There is no one-sizefits-all approach for determining the most effective way we can communicate with our team. So, how can we figure out the best way to communicate with our team while maximising relationship building, efficiency, time, convenience, and honesty?
Luckily, there’s a simple answer to this perplexing question. The key to successful team communication comes down to understanding each person’s working and communication style. This does not mean doing a round-robin at the start of each workday (and describing what type of cloud we feel like today… yikes). What it does mean is taking the time to understand our own style and our teammates’ styles, and then finding the strategy that works best for our team’s unique group of people.
This can be done with psychometrics. Psychometric assessments provide a deep understanding of how someone’s personality preferences relate to their work style and approach to teamwork. They do not measure capability. Teams can benefit from doing psychometrics because each person will have insight into every individual’s motivations, priorities, fears, and limitations. While it’s usually difficult to first understand and then explain to others why we function the way we function, psychometrics translate complicated human behaviours into a common language that others can understand.
A psychometric tool we use with many clients is called DISC. Whilst it involves some generalisations, we find it’s broadly accurate and can be remembered and utilised beyond the few hours spent thinking about it in a workshop.
The DISC model presents four primary personality styles 1010110101000011011001
0101010100001010100001111001010101010
0001010101010000110110010101010100001
0101000011110010110101000011011001010
10101000 DOMINANCE 01010100001111001 0110101000011011001010101010000101010
0001111001011010100001101100101010101 0000101010000111100101101010000110110
01010101010000101010000 INFLUENCE 11 110010110101000011011001010101010000 101010000111100101101010000110110010 101010100001010100001111001011010100 0011011001010101010000101010000111100 101101010000110110010101010100001010 100001111001011010100001101100100001 STEADINESS 0111100101101010000110110 0101010101000010101000011110010110101 0000110110010101010100001010100001111 0010110101000011011001010101010000101 0100001111001011010100001101100101010 1010000101010000111100101101010000110 1100101010101000010101000011110010110 101000 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS 1010101010 0001010100001111001011010100001101100 1010101010000101010000111100101101010 0001101100101010101000010101000011110 0101101010000110110010010000111100101
D s are typically direct and firm, motivated by winning and success. DOMINANCE
Is are usually outgoing and enthusiastic. They’re great at building relationships and want others to know it.
Ss tend to be patient and even-tempered; they will be our calm during a storm. STEADINESS
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
Cs are known for being analytical and precise. They enjoy taking opportunities to use expertise or gain knowledge.
Do any of those already sound familiar, for ourselves or a colleague?
It’s important to note that each profile type is equally valuable. Teams will always have a diverse range of profile types, which is actually beneficial — diverse teams have been proven to solve problems faster,[1] are better at decision-making,[2] and produce higher revenue[3].
Knowing which category our teammates fall into allows us to tactfully tailor any information we need to relay to them. For instance, let’s say a project came up unexpectedly and we need to delegate it to someone to finish by the end of the week.
<p class= For a D, frame it as a hot opportunity. Hint at how much praise they’ll get from the rest of the team for doing this project.
<p class= For I, present it as an opportunity to forge new relationships with people in other departments to track down the information they need.
<p class= For a S, emphasize that they are monumentally helping to keep all our other daily operations steady by taking this off our plate.
<p class= For a C, frame the project as the perfect chance to learn new skills.
Once we know what someone else values and prioritises, we can communicate with them in a way that resonates. Both parties can cut through the noise and talk about what truly matters and what they care about. Taking the time to get to know our team on this deeper level will lead to stronger relationships, improved collaboration, and brighter successes. </body> </html>
How does an Accident and Emergency Doctor, currently working in Intensive Care lead a team when the stakes are so high? What can we learn? Let’s find out. Emily Link chats to Kim Stallard, an A&E Doctor, to draw lessons for our teams from the Intensive Care unit.
We work with lots of teams within many organisations: commercial teams, marketing teams, managerial teams, leadership teams and executive teams. Teams not only operate in these contexts but in many parts of society: sports, educational, musical, the forces and of course the emergency services. We can learn so much from these contexts and bring those lessons back to the business context.
Kim, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us this afternoon, especially after a night shift and a trip to Lido, we really appreciate it (we promise this will be quick so you can get some sleep).
Tell us about the work you do and how teamwork comes into play?
Every day I’m working in a different team. Different individuals. Different expertise. Different skill sets. Different personalities. Not only on the ‘day job’ where I’m in A&E but also on the ‘crash bleep’ team, this is where the bleep goes off and a team has to quickly respond to a medical emergency somewhere on site, on the wards, in triage or even in the car park. A team full of people that might not know each other, or have ever worked together, never mind responded to an emergency together. Quickly we must assemble, assess the situation, find out skillsets and react to the situation.
So what happens in those situations?
Obviously, these can be quite chaotic situations.
A few things help. Firstly, taking charge. This isn’t necessarily always me, but we need to understand who we have in the team and the expertise they can bring; what do we need to do and what can they specifically do (confidently)?
Secondly, setting the tone from the off. Asking and listening carefully to what people say. Clear communication that allows people to feel psychologically safe enough to say if they feel comfortable doing something. “Are you happy to take bloods?” is very different to “Can you take the bloods?” It elicits a different response, it gives people the option to say “No, but I can do [X]”.
And finally, we have a shared language. In time-sensitive situations being able to quickly understand what needs to be done. There are assessment models we use and are familiar with, so that helps as a plan of action.
Can you prepare for those situations?
We do practice through simulation courses; they are really good actually. Obviously, the stakes are lower here and you can make mistakes and learn from them. This is where you get very specific feedback on things like communication, for example how you ask someone to do something, or how important closed loop communication is. It could be the case that someone has done the bloods but hasn’t shared information back which means doing it was pointless as the results can’t help us.
as a team afterwards?
The best practice is to debrief afterwards because it’s a learning moment, of course. This isn’t always possible. Perhaps we don’t have the headspace, or the crash bleeper goes off again. We ideally have a hot debrief, straight after the event; this is good because everything is fresh, but there is also a lot of adrenaline coursing through the veins and people have not fully decompressed. If the event is a ‘big one’ or particularly confronting, then a cold debrief is also recommended where you might even ask someone to facilitate it – this can be quite challenging with life and work commitments, but we try to get it in where we can.
Not everyone can do what you can do, intellectually and emotionally, how do you do it?
At the start of my career, it was overwhelming as you’re not technically skilled and everything is more difficult, even navigating the hospital to find the patient, never mind the terror of what you’re about to encounter. Now I’m six years in I’m often the one leading crash calls and I feel more skilled, competent and have been exposed to a few situations, all these things are important. I also teach in the Advanced Life Support programme, keeping my skills up to date and helping others learn. When the crash bleep goes off now of course I still get the adrenaline rush but feel more comfortable responding.
I also try to decompress, whether that’s with colleagues, going swimming at the Lido, playing football, and talking about it when I want to, not when someone else wants to.
And how do you support each other on the team?
People can feel individually responsible when things go wrong, but it’s important to remember it’s a shared responsibility as a team, we must remind each other of that.
Of course, lots of the people reading this are doing jobs where life and death aren’t on the line, what would you like to say to them on this topic of teamwork?
You don’t necessarily have to know each other really well to perform together. Of course, after-work drinks and bean bags in the office are all really nice, but if you have a clear aim and good communication, then within 30 seconds you can determine people’s strengths and work together really effectively. Those first 30 seconds influence how you work together as a team; when it’s done well, it’s amazing, when it’s done terribly, it’s obvious.
Thank you so much, we really appreciate it. Now please go and get some rest!
Thanks!
Instead of worrying about being replaced by technology, it’s better to proactively learn how to utilise the vast breadth of technology that’s available at our fingertips. Mimi Werdegar gives us the download on five of our favourite tools for brighter team thinking, working, selling, collaborating and creating.
Monday.com is an online project management platform. It has seemingly unlimited options for customisation — including colour coding, tags, automation, and app integrations, among others — all on a minimalistic UI. It’s the first project management tool we didn’t hate. We use Monday.com for anything from individual task management to large, multifaceted team project management. It’s all on Monday. (And Tuesday, and Wednesday, and on Th…).
Copper is a CRM tool for the entire sales funnel and pipeline — from the very first time stage of a lead, all the way to, hopefully, an exciting project. Copper’s foolproof UI makes it simple to drag and drop opportunities further in the pipeline in just seconds. As far as CRM tools go, Copper is the perfect combination of simplistic and functional. Just make sure to bookmark the link so you don’t keep Google searching and seeing a bunch of copper pipes.
Miro is a digital collaboration platform, known for truly transforming collaboration for virtual meetings, by providing a visual workspace. Brainstorm sessions, project roadmap development, sketching out a design…you name it. The biggest debate with Miro is pronunciation: is it My-ro or Mee-ro?*
Slack is a business communication platform (standing for Searchable Log of All Communication and Knowledge). And boy is that search function helpful. It easily beats other communication apps such as WhatsApp, GroupMe, and good old-fashioned email or texting, all because of its Channel feature. Dedicated spaces, called channels, organise project groups, workplace clubs or threads on any given topic. ‘Slacking’ is a good thing now.
*To put this debate to rest: Miro has confirmed that the correct pronunciation is Mee-ro.
Anyone in L&D for more than a few months knows about 360 assessments, a feedback tool designed to obtain a complete picture of someone’s performance by collecting feedback from their line reports, peers, and manager. This provides a unique insight into how someone’s working behaviour is perceived by others. All with stunning visual reports. Interactive Workshops offers a unique 360 tool, for which details can be found on the Interactive Workshops website. (Scan the QR code).
Dear Jonna,
Despite a ton of effort over several years, the team which I run constantly unbuilds itself. We get closer and closer to being high-performing, and then, we move away again. In each new phase I get optimism and excitement that we are nearly there, and then frustration and disappointment that we are not. Can you help?
Dear Senior Team Lead,
Thanks for getting in touch. At age 22, my world shattered to read the statistic in some book “You only ever work in a high-performing team a few times in your career, so when it happens, enjoy it”.
When we conceive of ‘a team’ it sounds pretty concrete. The reality in big companies is that teams are organic. People talk about “my team” and “our team”, but these terms are misleading because they lack a date stamp. “My Team 2024”, will be quite different from “My Team 2028”. In the same way that the cells in our blood come and go and get rejuvenated, our team will morph and change.
This is not just happening with regard to the key people. Those people themselves are growing, changing, evolving, going through life’s seasons and life’s events. At moments they will be more or less motivated, more or less careerfocused, and more or less determined to work well together.
This multidimensional nature is why growing a team and knitting it together is very much an art. This year’s new and keen-to-learn graduate may be next year’s frustrated and keen-to-switch-roles executive. This year’s outstanding high performer might well get promoted and moved elsewhere. To understand what is happening in your team I’d consider three factors that cause teams to change.
If a team is high-performing, in the end, it can’t last. The performance will get noticed, and the great work done will mean those excellent team members will be invited to take their next step, either internally, or through the dreaded headhunters. One way or the other, you must celebrate as you succession plan your way through this season. Reset, rebuild, reallocate, recruit, make roles clear again, and then see if you can go again and take Team 2.0 back to the next level.
A good culture can be hard to sustain. Teams can start to unbuild themselves when good stuff turns bad. For example, building strong friendships can turn into cliques. Sharing honest feedback can turn into conflict. Driving hard to achieve results can turn into resentful long hours. Similar to the concept of strengths overdone. Even if you can keep the same people, keeping the culture alive and positive is a lifelong work, of intricate care and tending. Like a garden, you may have to take the pruning shears to some behaviours, or situations, and try to cut back something to promote new growth.
External pressures such as change, a changing economy, M&A activity, reshuffles, cuts, growth, new products, sunsets, etc all impact the team we are building today, and its role in our organisation tomorrow. Unlike sports teams where the “game” is pretty much codified and will be the same next season, corporate teams operate in a constantly evolving world. As a team leader, we must both plan for today and prepare for tomorrow. Great teams thrive as events unfold, using and embracing change to support each other. But events can also cause teams to fracture and lose focus.
In summary, dear Senior Team Lead, the constant tending is partly why you get paid the big bucks. As a senior leader, you will always be working on this, in your current organisation and team, or in any other senior role you move into.
Try to park any frustration stoically, remembering that this constant work to bring out the best in the collective is ultimately what leadership is.
Good luck!
Innovators. Agitators. Designers. Disruptors. Normal yet brilliant people. Our diverse range of backgrounds bring together teachers, marketeers, psychologists, anthropologists, sellers and creatives.
Jonna Sercombe
CEO
Entrepreneur, philosopher, logician, psychologist.
Megan Roberts
Producer
Crafting bespoke, impactful training with professionalism and relatability.
Sam Elwin
Producer
Producing films and podcasts for world-famous companies.
Emily Link
Director
Leading the leaders of world-leading companies.
Milly Gladstone
Producer
Designing and delivering global sales programmes, enablement and onboarding.
Sanda Vieru
Producer
Creating stunning visuals for organisations all over the world.
Cody Rowland
NY President
Leading Interactive Workshops in the United States.
Rachel Cise
Producer
Running global projects in Early Careers, Onboarding, Management and Leadership.
Lizzie Finch
Producer
Bringing L&D leaders together for outstanding networking events.
Mimi Werdegar
Producer
Lighting the way on high performance teams and people skills development.
Simone Sullivan
Producer
Equipping teams and leaders through insightful content and engaging facilitation.
Chris Lissaman
Producer
Hosting the show at our global clients’ biggest gigs.
Gaby Bran
Producer
Crafting excellent animated films for organisations the world over.
Leadership and Management // Sales Enablement // Podcast Development Programme // New Employee Onboarding //
Management Away Day // Story Academy // Digital Learning Day // Career Development Programme // New Employee Onboarding // Animation // Programme Branding // Junior Leadership Programme // Sales Leadership // Talent Development
Gamification // Core Upskilling // Sales Methodology // Magazine
Design // Book Hack // TeamBooster // Train the Trainer // Workshops // Graphic Design // Capability // Manager Development
Hybrid Working // PlayBook // Leadership and Management
Enablement // Senior Leadership Programme // Sales Leadership
Talent Programme // Sales Leadership // Talent Development
Design // Book Hack // TeamBooster // Train the Trainer // Workshops // Graphic Design // Sales Capability // Podcast
Management Away Day // Story Academy // Digital Learning
Strategy Day // Career Development Programme // Branding
Junior Leadership Programme // Sales Leaders // Talent Development // Gamification // Core Upskilling // Sales Methodology // Magazine Design // Book Hack // TeamBooster // Train the // Virtual Workshops // Graphic Design // Sales Capability
Management Development // Hybrid Working // PlayBook
Leadership and Management // Sales Enablement // Podcast
Management Away Day // Story Academy // Digital Learning
Strategy Day // New Employee Onboarding // Animation // Development Programme // New Employee Onboarding // // Programme Branding // Senior Leadership // Gamification
Upskilling // Sales Methodology // Magazine Design // Book TeamBooster // Train the Trainer // Virtual Workshops // Graphic Design // Sales Capability // Manager Development // Hybrid