Teams
Teams – realising the potential of teamwork in the workplace
Teams don’t just happen – they need to be built!
I love your e-guides.
I’m teaching team leaders and team members … and found your site very enlightening and useful for my classes!!!
Kenneth, United States
Teams matter. On this page you’ll find our teamwork articles, tips, tools, activities and resources on the art and science of leading teams.
Releasing your team’s potential to perform isn’t always easy. So we’re here to help. In these pages we examine what makes teams more effective. We explain teamwork theories, provide helpful tips and tools, and post links to other useful resources.
Teams don’t just happen they need to be built!
We have delivered team leadership and team development to managers and leaders across a wide range of organisations. It means we have gained crucial experience about what works and what helps. It is from this background of good practice that we have now developed a comprehensive set of resources to help leaders get their teams performing.
Many team development models provide nice and neat steps and stages, but say little about the messy context of the workplace where teams are often stuck, or bogged down in problems. We have developed our resources to help you get a new team performing quickly, equip you to take over an existing team and crucially to identify and rectify team problems and revitalise teams that seem stuck.
You’ll find advice, tips, tools and new models you won’t find elsewhere, all designed to really make teamwork work.
Why not take a look at this great range of e-guides before you read on. The complete set is now available at half price! You can find out about the complete teams bundle in our team building activities article.
In addition to general articles and tips, this section contains three, information-packed mini-series:
Teams are too important to let them develop by accident – use these pages to help you find out how to build teams that perform. Whatever your position, whether you are:
- Starting a new team,
- Taking over an existing one,
- Feel you have a team that is stuck
- Want to avoid common pitfalls with teams
- Looking for team building activities
- Want to carry out a team health check
- Looking for tools to help you develop your team leadership skills
You’ll find great high quality resources in our TEAMS series. Find out more about the resources here: team building activities
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.
Andrew Carnegie
Ideas
Featured Define Teamwork
Define Teamwork – a teamwork definition that works! If you were asked to define teamwork what would you say and where would you start? In this... read moreFeatured Teamwork Theory
Teamwork Theory: Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development Probably the most famous teamwork theory is Bruce Tuckman’s “team stages model”. First developed in 1965, Tuckman’s model is... read moreFeatured Why is Teamwork Important?
Why is teamwork important? Well it’s one thing to create a team, but quite another to create teamwork. Just as it’s one thing to join a team,... read moreFeatured Team Building Activities
Team building activities – our complete set of team building resources Our Teams resources are packed with team building activities, ideas,tips and tools. Most organisations see... read moreMini Series The STAR Team Building Model
Our STAR team model combines teamwork theories and the principles for creating a happier workplace. Read these articles to help you build effective teams by aligning Strengths, Teamwork and Resources. Show Series- Teamwork Theories - Teamwork Theories: the STAR Team Model There are numerous teamwork theories all with features to commend them, but how do... read more
- Teamwork Defined - … by Strengths Teamwork defined by a strengths based approach provides a different perspective to how you define teamwork. In... read more
- Teamwork in the Workplace: Creating the Conditions - How do you create the conditions for effective teamwork in the workplace? Good team leadership is about creating the conditions... read more
- Stages of Team Development - Understanding the stages of team development is essential for any manager trying to build an effective team. Recognising that teams... read more
- Teamwork Concept - The STAR Team Model Developing a teamwork concept involves bringing together ideas and insights to inform and shape the concept.... read more
- Team Building Activities - Team building activities – our complete set of team building resources Our Teams resources are packed with team building activities,... read more
Mini Series Teamwork Through the Stages
This is our series of teamwork articles on how to lead the development of a team. These articles provide an essential guide to developing teams that perform, and highlight some of the main pitfalls to avoid.Show Series
- Characteristics of Effective Teamwork - Building and sustaining high-performing teams One of the crucial characteristics of effective teamwork is synergy. When synergy is achieved then... read more
- Lack of Teamwork - Lack of Teamwork – Forcing Rather Than Forming a Team Lack of teamwork can be a problem for a number... read more
- Poor Teamwork - Poor Teamwork – When Teams Become Exhausting Poor teamwork can be a major drain on energy in any team. It... read more
- Team Building Concepts - Developing a Team Central to most team building concepts is the ability to take a group of individuals with a... read more
- Team Building in the Workplace - Team Building in the Workplace – Building a Performing Team Effective team building in the workplace relies on a counter-intuitive... read more
- Team Building Question - Team Building Question: How Do You Disband a Team? An overlooked team building question is how you disband a team.... read more
- Team Building Techniques - How to Start-up a Team One of the most important team building techniques is that of starting up a team.... read more
- Teamwork Tips - Taking over an Existing Team Here we outline some teamwork tips for taking over an existing team, or reforming a... read more
- When Teamwork at Work Fails - Too Much “Team” and Not Enough “Work”? Teamwork at work can often fail, not because people don’t get on, but... read more
Mini Series Facilitating Team Development
The ability to facilitate is one crucial skill required of team leaders, especially if they want to deliver STAR performance. This mini series provides useful tools and tips on team facilitation, including: the facilitation approach; the structure and steps used to facilitate team meetings; and the skills needed to facilitate effectively. Show Series- Structured Facilitation - A Crucial Role for Team Leaders Using a structured facilitation approach is one way to ensure team meetings are effective – a... read more
- Team Facilitation - A Crucial Role for Team Leaders Good team facilitation starts with being clear about the content of the meeting or... read more
- Structured Workshops - Getting the Process Right Structured workshops provide a clear framework within which to facilitate. To structure a workshop effectively... read more
- Workshop Facilitation Skills - Getting the Process Right Workshop facilitation skills are needed to bring together the content of meetings and workshops with essential... read more
