Team identity

Team identity

‘Team identity’ refers to a team’s vision, purpose, values, objectives and approach – everything that makes it unique.

Overview

A high-performing team will be able to articulate its identity. A low-performing or dysfunctional team probably won’t. Which is yours?

If you struggle with this, you’re not alone. Very few teams describe themselves as high-performing. Most are aware that they have scope for improvement. A team identity day is a tried-and-tested first step on the journey to a higher performing team. It helps enhance commitment, trust, synergy and collaboration within the team.

This workshop provides an opportunity for your team to work together as one team and begin the journey of creating a team identity. It enables participants to reflect on where the team has been, where it is going and how the team is perceived by the rest of the organisation. It highlights existing strengths within the team, builds on and reinforces other initiatives being undertaken and supports the team in identifying practical steps that will help improve team effectiveness, create a team charter and enhance the value the team adds to the organisation.

Underpinning the event is an analysis of how effectively the team is currently working together. This is typically achieved through the completion of a Team Effectiveness Survey before the event or a SWOT analysis on the day. If the survey is used, participants are asked to complete the survey before the event and the feedback is collated by us and anonymised before being fed back on the day. It provides insight into ten key elements of teamwork and asks participants to respond to a series of open questions designed to get a view of team strengths and weaknesses as well as identifying what participants value about working within the team, what they find frustrating, and their ideas for improving team effectiveness. The questions can be tailored to individual client requirements.

Key outcomes for the day typically include a draft ‘Team Charter’ in the form of vision and mission statements, work on establishing a common approach and / or values and an action plan designed to build on the success of the team and enhance its effectiveness.

Learning objectives

Our team identity days are always tailored to the needs of the client organisation and deliver not so much ‘learning’ as ‘programme’ outcomes. Depending on the requirements of the team, these can include:

A greater sense of team spirit
A clearer focus
Fresh impetus behind the vision and mission
An agreed set of next steps

Audience

For most organisations, it is important that the entire team attends and actively participates.

Format

A very participative day, tailored to the needs of the particular group. This usually means a facilitated workshop rather than a formal training session. The format, agenda and approximate timetable for the day are agreed on a bespoke basis with each client organisation. The event can be adapted to suit teams of varying sizes and elements successfully incorporated into a team conference format with additional facilitated activities and team development activities as appropriate.

Special feature

This is a very fluid programme. The outline below is intended as a starting point for a conversation with the expert trainer / facilitator, not as a final agenda.

Feedback

‘A great programme to allow reflection and the opportunity to re-group.’
‘Structured and well presented.’
‘Liked the pace and structure. ‘
‘Good at providing focus on adding value and determining your vision.’
‘Good way to analyse current approach and establish how we can change and improve. ‘
‘Very informative – eye opener.’
‘Encourages the mind to think differently, was innovative and creative way to think about creating a mission statement and vision.’
‘Excellent discussion based event, forward focused.’
‘Great facilitator, teased things out of the group, fostered good working relationship.’
‘Excellent and knowledgeable facilitator.’
‘Kept us on track and under control. A great pace and structure.’
‘It bought the group together as a team.’
‘Course delivery was well judged to suit the personalities of the attendees.’
‘This course brings teams together and gives them the chance to take stock and see how they want to be different.’
‘Great event to engage a full and varied team.’
‘Great way to bond / find out more about fellow team members and ensure we are all on the same page re our vision for HR.’
‘A good selection of activities to challenge thinking within the group.’
‘Good for team building and morale.’
‘Good to use an outside facilitator & helps all team focus on the issues.’
‘Fantastic, raised some great questions around process improvements, knowledge, team work positions and understandings. A clear team objective moving forward for a future 2016 and 2017 with a common goal!’
‘Rosanne really understood the aim for us as a team and kept us on track throughout the day.’

Sample workshop outline

1. Introductions / scene setting

2. Understanding team identity

3. Your team

4. Team perception

The importance of perception
How do others perceive us? How does the organisation perceive us? Linked to any internal measures such as customers surveys, feedback given, etc.
How is this similar to, or different from, how we perceive ourselves?
How do we see ourselves in the future?

5. Added value

What do we mean by added value?
What do we do already that adds value?
What do we spend time and energy doing that doesn’t add value?
Are we focusing on the right things? How can we improve the value we add?
The need for continuous improvement. Aggregation of marginal gains.

6. Developing a team identity / team charter

What is a team vision?
Creative exercise in developing a team vision and vision statement.
Understanding our team purpose. Ultimately, why does our team exist?
Developing a mission statement (optional)
Determining how we want to work together. What values and behaviours are important to us? (optional)
Actions: What will we start, continue and stop doing?

7. Closing the gap

How clear are we on the vision for our team?
Where are we now in relation to this vision, on a scale of 1-10?
What are the next steps / actions we will take?
What will help or hinder us? Forcefield analysis approach
What will we do to strengthen the helping forces and minimise the hindering forces?
Identifying resources and support