Building Better Teams: 70 Tools and Techniques for Strengthening Performance Within and Across Teams	5
	Table of Contents	7
	List of Tools	9
	List of Figures and Tables	13
	Figures	13
	Tables	14
	Acknowledgments	15
	About the Authors	17
	About the Contributors	21
	Ken Cloke & Joan Goldsmith	21
	Samir Gupte	22
	Ken Ideus	22
	Jonas Janebrant & Johanna Steen	23
	Jim O'Neil	23
	Chuck Palus and David Magellan Horth	25
	Daniel Rainey	26
	Mary Stall	26
	John Sturrock	27
	Introduction: Why Is This Book Important?	29
	Who Will Benefit from This Book?	30
	How Can You Apply This Book?	30
	Section One: A Systematic Approach to Team Building	33
	Chapter 1: Getting Started	35
	Building Better Teams: An Evolution in Thinking	35
	The First Change: Rethinking the Idea of "Teams"	36
	The Second Change: From Fixing to Building	36
	The Third Change: From Conflict Management to Collaboration	37
	Some Underlying Assumptions Regarding Teams	38
	Individuals Can Affect Team Performance	39
	Team Members Require an Active Voice in the Process	39
	Up-Front Assessment Is Key to Success in Team Building	40
	True Change Comes Through Direct Application	40
	Additional Reading on Appreciative Inquiry	41
	Additional Reading on Positive Psychology	41
	Chapter 2: Planning the Team-Building Session	43
	The Building Better Teams Model	43
	Overview of Five Steps of the Team-Building Process	44
	Step 1: Introduce the Team-Building Concept	45
	Step 2: Plan the Facilitation Process	49
	Step 3: Assess Team-Building Needs	50
	Additional Reading	56
	Chapter 3: Implementation, Action Planning, and Follow-Up	57
	Steps Four and Five of the Team-Building Process	57
	Step 4: Implementing the Team-Building Session	57
	Step 5: Action Planning and Follow-Up	64
	Chapter 4: Selecting the Right Team-Building Tools	71
	Guidelines for Selecting Tools	71
	Guideline 1: Match Tools to Team-Building Scenarios	71
	Guideline 2: Select Tools by Stages in the Facilitation Process	72
	Guideline 3: Match Tools to Team-Building Requirements	72
	Guideline 4: Match Tools to the Demands of Your Session	75
	Section Two: Managing Team-Building Challenges	79
	Chapter 5: Clarifying Future Direction	81
	The Importance of Establishing Future Direction	81
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	82
	Failure to See the Big Picture	82
	Organizational Uncertainty	82
	Change Resistance	83
	Diffused Efforts	83
	Passivity	84
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	84
	Stronger Engagement	84
	Increased Resilience	85
	Developing "Next-level Thinking"	85
	Stakeholder Alignment	86
	Timely Midcourse Corrections	86
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	87
	Introducing the Team-Building Topic	87
	Team-Building Activities That Support Future Vision	88
	How to Take Supportive Actions	89
	Scan the Horizon	89
	Identify Industry-Wide Trends and Changes	90
	Help Your Team Construct a Vision Summary	91
	Set Clear Priorities for Action	92
	Additional Reading	93
	Chapter 6: Fostering Team Innovation	95
	The Importance of Sustaining Team Innovation	95
	Insular Views	96
	Consequences That Discourage Risk Taking	97
	Censorship	97
	Lack of Challenge	98
	Isolation	98
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	99
	Lack of Confidence in Ability to Meet New Challenges	99
	Ignorance of Cutting-Edge Technology and Work Methods	99
	Mundane Solutions and Missed Opportunities	100
	Defections in the Ranks	100
	Case in Point: The Marketing Team	101
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	101
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	102
	How to Take Supportive Actions	104
	Set the Stage for Creative Thinking	104
	Conduct a Structured Brainstorming Session	104
	Suspend Limitations	105
	Develop Graphic Solutions	106
	Make Use of Creative Software	106
	Import a Fresh Pair of Eyes	106
	Conduct Best Practice Reviews	107
	Extend Your Reach Through Social Networking	109
	Chapter 7: Establishing Mutual Trust and Collaboration	111
	The Importance of Building Trust and Collaboration	111
	On Conflict and Collaboration	111
	The Team Leader's Role in Supporting Collaboration	113
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	114
	Missed Opportunities	114
	Self-Imposed Isolation and Communication Breakdowns	115
	Formation of Cliques	115
	Limited Accessibility	116
	Lack of Alignment on Goals and Priorities	116
	Ambiguous Roles and Responsibilities	117
	Lack of Collaboration and Conflict Management Skills	117
	Different Communication Styles	118
	Use of Intimidation and Manipulation	119
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	119
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	121
	How to Take Supportive Actions	123
	Gain Alignment on Goals and Expectations	123
	Discuss the Need for Support and Assistance	125
	Ask Participants to Reflect on Each Others' Strengths	126
	Recall Collaborative Successes	127
	Build Trust by Increasing Transparency	127
	Identify Communication Hot Spots	128
	Encourage Members to Understand Each Other's Perspectives	129
	Create Opportunities for Sharing Feedback	129
	Use Maps and Metaphors	130
	Establish Ground Rules for Managing Conflicts	131
	Act Immediately to Control Conflict	133
	Take Steps to Manage and Contain Conflicts	134
	Provide Coaching for Conflict-Prone Individuals	136
	Additional Reading	137
	Chapter 8: Managing Change	139
	The Importance of Becoming a Competent Change Manager	139
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	141
	Anxiety About the Unknown Future	141
	Lack of Foresight and Denial	142
	Information Vacuums	142
	Slow or Poorly Coordinated Responses to Change	143
	Defensive Attachment to the Past	144
	Ignorance of the Mechanics of Change	144
	Failure to Understand the Ripple Effects of Change	145
	No External Sensing Array	146
	Victim Mentality	146
	Resistance to New Information	147
	Static Planning	147
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	147
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	149
	How to Take Supportive Actions	151
	Create an Early Warning System	151
	Expose Your Team to Other Points of View	153
	Implement a Thorough Troubleshooting Process	153
	Avoid Creating Unnecessary Stress	154
	Make the Unknown Manageable	155
	Learn from Others Who Have Been There	155
	Learn to Identify the Signs of Organizational Change	156
	Consider the Potential Long-Term Effects of Change	157
	Lower Resistance to Change	157
	Additional Reading	161
	Chapter 9: Building Commitment	163
	The Challenge of Building Commitment	163
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	164
	A Focus on Activities, Not Results	164
	Moving Targets and Slipped Commitments	165
	Dissatisfied Customers	165
	Vague Accountabilities	166
	Safe Bets	167
	Nasty Surprises	167
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	167
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	169
	How to Take Supportive Actions	171
	Help the Team Visualize Their Desired Future	171
	Create a Team Scorecard	171
	Draw Out Others' Concerns and Reservations	173
	Clearly Communicate Team Commitments	174
	Identify Commitment Gaps	175
	Identify Commitment Challenges in Advance	177
	Follow Up to Ensure Success	177
	Chapter 10: Managing Organizational Boundaries	183
	Changes That Can Lead to Boundary Tensions	183
	Managing Boundary Issues with Customers and Stakeholders	185
	How to Tell When Boundary Management Is a Challenge	186
	Restricted or Antagonistic Forms of Communication	186
	Interteam Conflict Escalation	187
	Conflicting Goals	187
	Ineffective Work Processes	188
	Blurred Boundaries	188
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	189
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	190
	Leading off a Discussion on Boundary Management	190
	Leading off a Discussion on Meeting Customer Expectations	192
	Leading off a Team-Building Discussion on Securing Stakeholder Support	193
	How to Take Supportive Actions	194
	Educate Others About Your Team's Organization	194
	Improve Underlying Work Processes	195
	Focus on Superordinate Goals	195
	Separate Behavior from Intentions	196
	Stay out of the Line of Fire	197
	Tear Down the Walls	197
	Construct Service-Level Agreements	198
	Use Your Best Negotiators	199
	Conduct a Diplomatic Exchange	200
	Identify Your Key Stakeholders	200
	Additional Reading	201
	Chapter 11: Working Virtually	203
	The Challenge of Working Virtually	203
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	204
	Newly Formed Virtual Teams	205
	Lack of a Core Identity	206
	Unique Communication Challenges	206
	Second Class Citizenship	208
	Transparency of Team Activities	209
	Diverse Makeup of Teams	209
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	210
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	211
	Initiating Team Building for a Newly Formed Virtual Team	211
	Initiating Team Building for an Established Virtual Team	212
	How to Take Supportive Actions	213
	Build a Team Identity	213
	Establish Criteria for Team Membership	215
	Clarify Team Goals, Outcomes, and Success Measures	216
	Share the Pain	217
	Clarify Expectations with Members' Managers	217
	Address Potential Communication Issues	218
	Establish Guidelines for Managing Communication	218
	Make Optimal Use of Communication Avenues	220
	Establish Ground Rules on Member Accountability	221
	Use Electronic Tools to Maximize Team Efficiency	223
	Develop Electronic Facilitation Skills	225
	Extend Your Reach Through Social Networking	226
	Make Use of Bonding Experiences	229
	Additional Reading	230
	Chapter 12: Overcoming Setbacks	231
	The Challenge of Team Setbacks	231
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	232
	Risk Avoidance	232
	Focusing on Blame Instead of Solutions	233
	Preoccupation on the Past	234
	A Short-Term Perspective	235
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	235
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	236
	Why It Is Important to Move Quickly	236
	Open the Door to Discussion	237
	Develop a Plan for Reversing the Setback	238
	Plan to Anticipate and Meet Future Setbacks	239
	How to Take Supportive Actions	239
	Assess the Damage	239
	Place the Setback in the Context of Success	241
	Agree on How to Discuss the Setback Outside the Team	242
	Position the Setback as a Learning Experience	242
	Temporarily Suspend Limitations	243
	Act to Regain Momentum	243
	Additional Reading	248
	Chapter 13: Managing Across Cultures	249
	The Challenge of Cross-Cultural Teaming	249
	How We Interpret Communication Cues	250
	The Degree to Which We Attend to Context	251
	How We View Power Differences	252
	How We View Time	252
	How We Make Decisions	253
	How to Tell When This Is a Challenge	254
	Global Team Structures	254
	Lack of Cross-Cultural Experience	255
	Us Versus Them	256
	Organizational Fault Lines	257
	The Opportunities Embedded in This Challenge	257
	How to Initiate a Team-Building Session on This Topic	258
	Planning for the Session	258
	Conduct a Pre-Meeting Social Event	260
	Initiating the Team-Building Session on This Topic	260
	Exploring the Team's Task Issues	261
	Exploring the Team's Process Issues	262
	How to Take Supportive Actions	266
	Make Language Accommodations	266
	Apply Cross-Cultural Collaboration Methods	266
	Develop Cross-Cultural Competencies	268
	Decide on How to Decide	269
	Manage Organizational Fault Lines	270
	Additional Reading	270
	Section Three: Tools and Techniques for Team Building	273
	Chapter 14: The Tool Kit	275
	Action Planning Chart	276
	After Action Reviews	278
	What Is an After Action Review (AAR)?	278
	The Advantages of Completing an AAR	278
	How to Conduct an AAR	280
	Additional Reading on AARs	281
	Alternative Communication Options	282
	Asynchronous Work Spaces	284
	General Advantages	286
	Intercultural Advantages	286
	Tools and Resources	287
	Baby and Bathwater Technique	289
	Change Analysis Chart	291
	Change Events Technique	293
	Change Management Grid	295
	Closing the Gap Chart	297
	Creative Whack Pack®	298
	Customer Assessment Matrix	300
	Customer Relationship Audit	303
	Customer Requirements Rating Table	306
	Customer Satisfaction/Importance Matrix	310
	Decision Matrix	313
	Early Warning Chart	315
	Follow-Up Team Building Questionnaire	318
	Open-Ended Questions	318
	Three Implementation Options	318
	Forecast Grid	321
	Forecast Guide	323
	Gallery Technique	325
	"Getting Naked" Session or New Team Assimilation	327
	Welcome	328
	Facilitation	329
	Debrief	330
	Team Leader Discussion	330
	Team Celebration	330
	The Goals-Values Matrix: A Framework and Tool for Building Collaboration	331
	What Is Collaboration?	331
	Collaboration and Alignment	331
	Collaboration and Competition	331
	Setting the Collaboration Context	332
	The Axes of Alignment for Collaboration	332
	Facilitating a Collaboration Session	334
	Group Brainwriting and Electronic Brainstorming	337
	Additional Reading	339
	Group Interaction Matix	340
	Guide for Balancing Team Participation	343
	Draw out Team Members	343
	Rein in Team Members	344
	Guidelines and Questions for Engaging Dialogue	345
	Dialogues	345
	Importance of Ground Rules and Guidelines	346
	Case Studies of Community Dialogue	348
	The Human Due Diligence Audit	352
	The Advantages of Conducting an Audit	352
	How to Complete the Audit	354
	Idea Rotation	357
	Purpose	357
	Intended Aims and Outcomes	357
	Description of a Hypothetical Case	357
	Kill the Critic Exercise	361
	Listening Post Chart	363
	Microanalysis Technique	365
	Mind Maps	367
	Variations in Creating Mind Maps	367
	Mix and Max	370
	Preparation and Roles	371
	Facilitation Process	373
	Case	376
	Additional Reading	376
	Multivoting Technique	378
	Needs Checklists for Team Members and Team Leaders	379
	Nominal Group Technique	382
	One-to-Ten Technique	383
	Opportunities Assessment	384
	Opportunities/Threat Matrix	386
	Instructions	386
	Organizational Social Networking	389
	Common Applications	389
	Plus/Delta Technique	391
	Preventive and Corrective Action Plans	393
	Process Check Sheet	394
	Provocative Questions for Encouraging Dialogue	396
	Applications for Provocative Questions	396
	Real-Time Implementation Planning	398
	One Final Note	400
	Reframing Technique	401
	Relationship Audit	403
	Relationship Map	406
	Running the Gauntlet Technique	409
	Scenario Forecast	411
	Illustration	413
	Selection Matrix for Virtual Team Members	415
	Stakeholder Analysis Chart	417
	Background to the Model	417
	Stakeholder Hats	421
	Purpose	421
	Intended Aims and Outcomes	421
	Description of a Hypothetical Case	421
	Instructions—Part 1	422
	Instructions—Part 2	422
	Conclusion	423
	Team Adaptation Diagram	424
	Team Alignment Pyramid	426
	Team Building Assessment Questionnaire	430
	Team Commitment Audit	433
	Team Decision Style Chart	436
	Instructions	436
	Team Leader Feedback Questionnaire	438
	Team Scoping Document	442
	The Advantages of Creating a Scoping Document	442
	How to Prepare a Team Scoping Document	443
	Team Sponsor Evaluation Form	445
	Team Sponsor Identification Form	446
	Team Support Chart	448
	Team Vision Summary	449
	Constructing a Team Vision Summary	449
	Telecommuting Check Sheet	456
	ThoughtOffice™	458
	Threats Analysis	459
	The Traffic Light Technique	461
	Applying the Technique	461
	Additional Thoughts	465
	Turnaround Feedback	466
	Identifying Behaviors That Block and Support Team Process	466
	Ten Reasons for Communicating Honestly	468
	The Risks of Feedback	469
	How to Give Team Feedback	470
	Visual Explorer™	474
	A Tool for Enabling Creative Conversations	474
	Visual Explorer™ Defined	474
	Examples of VE Applications	475
	Conducting a Visual Explorer Session	477
	Case: Visual Explorer™ in Afghan National Army Leadership Development	477
	Additional Reading	479
	Index	481