Team Development Programmes and Team Building

In the late 19th and early 20th century the gateway into America - the Statue of Liberty - was, and is still, a famous iconic emblem that articulated: - "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

So it is that the Business Coaching Foundation is carrying on that legacy on behalf of teams that are, 'tired', performing poorly or yearning for some respite.

Most teams benefit enormously and improve their performance through team development, starting with a review of their strengths and correcting as many of their weaknesses as they can. However, after 30 years of experience in the field of team development and team coaching, we have recognised that the majority of management and leadership teams that commit to this process are those that are already in a fairly or very healthy state and performing well.

Ironically those teams that need it the most - the groups that are underperforming or downright dysfunctional - rarely commit to such an intervention as commissioning a team development programme or leadership team review. The cause of this is likely due to high task orientation and a lack of leadership training. But the net outcome only too often is poor performance, loss of money/profits, a miserable culture and a sense of futility within the team members.

Also, when a merger takes place or a new team is formed, the value of conducting a team development programme bespoke to any scenario or circumstance is always enormous. A prime example of this is a specific category leader at Unilever who insists on commissioning a high impact and very focussed team development programme when he takes charge of a new team; and always every year as a refresher to ensure they are robust enough to deal with the upcoming pressures and challenges they face. The net result is that his current team of 2 years has won the Unilever 'Growth Award' for those past 2 consecutive years. This is a hugely prestigious accolade in very difficult trading times; and it is of course, a great reflection on excellent leadership skills and superb commercial acumen on behalf of the team members. However, the team are spread throughout the globe and only meet up intermittently; so, they are all quick to agree that by having these bespoke team development programmes, it enhances their performance and keeps them focussed on the priorities.

If only newly formed leadership teams or groups that are not getting on well - due to a lack of cohesion - had the mind-set to look for a remedy in the form of a team development programme; the way a person who is not feeling well will go to the doctor, or at least a pharmacist, in order to alleviate their suffering enough to function effectively.

As well as business coaching, this is an area that we at the Business Coaching Foundation have a great deal of expertise in. If you belong to a leadership or management team that is always falling short of target; losing quality team members or just feels unpleasant to be a part of - then you have everything to gain, and not a lot to lose, by calling in the team development experts.

Our team development programmes are always successful and highly effective, turning a dysfunctional team into a well-coordinated and cohesive unit. It accelerates the expulsion of negativity and ill-feelings within certain groups that inadvertently advertise their distressed state to other departments and, all too often - clients! Our process is very straightforward and enjoyable, as well as being innovative and efficient.

So please bring us a 'tired', dysfunctional, newly-forged, exasperated and/or ineffective leadership team and we will return them exorcised, with new vigour, collaborative and most of all; ready to face down their demons that stop them reaching their full potential for your organisation.