17/10/05
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17/10/05
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17 Oct 2005
“Hello Mr Coates, Graham Rolland here, Senior Executive Officer and team leader of four remote teams each with 5 members. Togetgher we are responsible for personnel administration of the combined armed forces”
Before this call, Graham was introduced via IIR management training, a partner client of NMI. Having outlined the desired training needs “We want to have a fun event, provide a reward for the teams plus give us a chance to all get together and press the flesh and introduce a couple of new team members to the mix"
Graham’s group have military team process drilled in. In fact, many are only with us because their lives depended on such processes!
“Civilian team development training isn’t going to teach us much about teamwork! So don’t worry Mr Coates, we are only expecting you to give us a bit of fun and hopefully show us a good day" I was given a budget of £200.00 per head
“Hello this is Jill Parker Mowbary, how may I help you”. Jill explained more about the teams specific demands and performance indicators. Today's business proceses require speedy results, sometimes at the expense of team / individual wellbeing.
‘No one of us is as good as all of us’ can get lost under the need to get the business done!
Teams quickly become harassed individuals running between events, phone calls, e-mails and ineffectual meetings. Compounding the problem is working in remote / home / office settings.
With just a little time away from the coal face, some fun based learning better team performance yields real results
Blending team process awareness with experiential learning that was tailored to the whole groups 'play potential' guaranteed that we didnt have any humiliating surprises and that everyone commited to the event.
All 26 delegates arrived at Pennard Hill Farm. This is a magical setting and location thats reasonably central to the 5 regional offices.
Starting from a most valuable experience platform, they all knew the value of teamwork. Everyone knows what it really feels like to be part of a team that both depends upon one another, and can be depended upon.
Prolonged issolation and the freelance nature of work didnt allow sufficient investment in quality time together, had blocked their ability to value each other as 3 Dimensional people.
Our 1st game highlighted exactly how everyone valued thier individual and collective contributions (strengths and weaknesses) and what values and behavours they fundamentlly wanted to cherrish in future interactions. This was addressed in a muddy field driving land rovers and paddling accross lakes.
Next we explored conflict, (a subject I was a little nervous off with highly trained soldiers). This we covered blidfolded and searching for a teddy bear in a forest. Using 'low risk' ground based activities we energised and experienced playful team tasks that could be linked to process at work “You find more out about a person in an hour of play than you will in a day of talk”
The day highlighted many strengths and weaknesses that concequently led to real steps forward in working team performance.
Results.
“I thought a civilian based team development day was going to be pants Frankly – but I take my hat of to you - that was the best course I have been on both civilian and military” - Graham Rolland Snr.XO.
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