What We Did
Deep C partnered with the Product leader, who was accountable for the product strategy and management of a portfolio of products in a fast and competitive environment. His new team comprised 14 people, located across five countries. Amidst noted tensions in the team, we jointly planned the implementation of a comprehensive team development and coaching programme that would provide the ‘right’ level of stability for the team to achieve high performance.
In the first phase of the intervention, a Deep C team coach participated as an observer in two virtual team meetings to grasp the specific dynamics and tension points of the team (e.g. conflicts and levels of trust between newcomers and established team members). Following this phase, a two-day offsite development & coaching session was designed and run for the team, aimed at working on a specific team mindset, new behaviour and expected results. It included re-establishing team norms, formulating a shared vision and achieving greater clarity about expected results e.g. the deliverables of the whole team – as well as how to speed up processes for decision making. Noteworthy was a 180-degree feedback exercise conducted during the offsite, with feedback to the team leader and an open ‘laboratory session’ about several ‘undiscussables’, such as tensions between established staff and new team members.
Two- four- and six-month virtual follow-ups were conducted in order to monitor progress on the agreed action steps. The follow-ups also ensured the newly developed norms were being adhered to – and to further explore the team’s potential to grow and build its capability to compete in a demanding environment
The Leadership Advantage
- The team developed a clear roadmap for success, creating the stability and clarity needed to ‘act as one’
- Agreement on a new team structure involving a core sub-team of seven to make faster decisions and act with greater alacrity
- An increase in the sense of collective responsibility within the team, along with an improvement in team identity
- Enhancements in the reputation of the team in the wider business in terms of strategic focus and agility.