Adapting and Thriving: A Case Study on Leading New Teams

Another cohort of a 3-day training for one of our clients has been successfully completed.A significant strategic transformation at an industrial company resulted in the establishment of new teams and new leaders.

The goal was clear: Empower new managers with the tools needed to succeed in this new era and guide their teams through this period of transformation and change.

The RollOut: Guiding New Teams

A 3-day training program was designed completely tailored to the organization’s needs, based on the stages of new teams development in order to present participants with clear methodologies and behavior focused tools.

The Forming Stage

As the initial step in a team's transformation, assessing each member's optimal contribution style and potential is what comes first.

With the help of specific tools the new manager must determine the optimal fit of each member in the team's performance and identify the sweet spot of each individual when paired with the team's critical statistics, objectives, and raison d'être. The new manager assigns new responsibilities, roles, and duties.

This is the well-known phase of Forming. In addition, the new manager must consider the systemic chemistry between their team's members.

- During our training sessions, participants - new managers - were prepared to design this initial phase of team formation by utilizing a set of practical tools, exercises and real-plays that accelerated the learning curve providing clarity and ensuring the comprehension of the methodologies presented.

During this process, the manager has an excellent opportunity to foster a collaborative culture within their new team. It is the time to emphasize the importance of establishing a culture of mutual understanding and support when resolving conflicts that may arise during the assignment of new roles.

The Storming Stage

It is now time for the new manager to undertake a more strategic role in which preventing conflicts, misunderstandings, and antagonizing behaviors is essential to the team's survival. This is known as the Storming phase, during which each team member attempts to comprehend and alter their presence and contribution.

In this storming phase, it is essential for the new manager to reassure performance and create a secure environment in which all team members feel fulfilled by their newly assigned tasks.

- During our training sessions, participants were prepared for the “storm” of the...storming phase by testing performance management tools, communication tools, and team planning methodologies through real-plays and practical simulations.

The Norming Stage

As the team finds its footing, the manager must first monitor the team's day-to-day operations, align team performance, and provide 1:1 feedback or team alignment. The team's performance begins to improve, and initial accomplishments are in the works.

- Participants got the chance to practice a set of communication skills and practical tools for sharing and asking for feedback, organizing team meetings and praising team members for accomplishments.

Embracing every member at a high level of productivity and a sense of self-accomplishment and success is essential to guaranteeing the Norming phase. With automations in place, the team begins functioning better, and the manager begins designing procedures to fine-tune the group's performance.

The Performing Stage

As the team is now operating independently and efficiently, it is the manager's responsibility to propel the team to its peak performance.

- Participants are now putting a set of practical coaching tools and methodologies to the test through interactive role plays and exercises in order to create “the manager coach”, the person who motivates his team members to achieve and exceed their maximum potential.

This is well known as the Performance phase of a team.

Your Partner Every Step of the Way

As a next step to this 3-day course for managers of new teams, we have planned and begun implementing a series of workshops for new teams in which team members will accelerate the aforementioned process by employing service design and other agile teams methodologies.

Join us if you plan on creating a new organizational structure that will generate a set of new teams, or if your organization is undergoing a transformation, and let us design for you the best developmental framework and a unique, impactful curriculum.

Also, allow us to introduce you to our partner in cultural and organizational assessment, a unique Greek based ScaleUp assessment company. Drop us a line for more!