When you think of a sporting team you admire, you probably call to mind a few star players. If you're a devoted fan, you might be able to name the whole squad and the coach. But elite teams have an entourage of professionals working out of the spotlight who provide psychological support, physiotherapy, tactical planning and analysis, physical training routines, nutrition advice, and medical attention when its needed.
Elite teams don't become elite overnight. As members leave and new members join, the dynamics change and clubs can go through a new round of growing pains. They rely, not only on the prowess of their playing staff, but also on the background staff who help to build the team up to become a cohesive and skilful unit.
Effective business teams have cottoned on to this. That's why they bring in team coaches to facilitate powerful events designed to exploit the potential that exists within the team. That's why and how they become effective. But too few teams choose to take advantage of this support. Why is this?
It isn't easy to gather the whole team together to engage in team learning and development. It can be highly disruptive, especially if team members are dispersed, as many of our client teams are. And it can be costly to both the planet and the company purse. So, even those teams that do invest in themselves and acquire the services of a coach, may do so only infrequently. Until now, they've had limited options.
This is why we think that our Muster toolkit will transform the way teams access team development: making it more routinely available, easier to accommodate within the normal pattern of team interactions, and affordable to teams that have previously felt such support to be out of their financial reach.
Working on the team is a vital activity that leads to raised levels of performance. It involves improving the way that diverse team members work together; making sure everyone is truly aligned behind the same goals and ambition; ensuring that all team members can use their strengths fully in an integrated way; establishing the principles, protocols and processes that contribute to smooth working; clarifying priorities; planning how best to interact with stakeholders outside the team; generating a culture where everyone feels safe and that they belong. If teams forgo this work, the hit on their productivity can be devastating. It's estimated that performance can be 25% below that of teams that take their development seriously.
Our ambition is for teams all over the world, to have access to quality tools and experiences that stimulate team effectiveness. And with travel becoming impossible or more difficult, we think that Muster is the vehicle that will make that happen. This digital, networked toolkit really is a must for teams that want to grow, become more productive, and save the planet whilst doing so.
Contact us at info@kay-lambertassociates to find out more.