Interaction Associates

Most organizations recognize the importance of teamwork, but simply launching teams does not guarantee success. Teams require clear direction, strong commitment, and a variety of capabilities to perform well. Without a solid foundation of decisionmaking and interpersonal skills, teams can be ineffective and dysfunctional.

Interaction Associates brings over 35 years of research, training, and consulting expertise to its Teams in Action® workshop.

Teams in Action® is a two-day learning laboratory that teaches participants the concepts and behaviors that result in outstanding team performance. Teams in Action™ provides the knowledge and skills to help teams become self-correcting and self-maintaining, and — most importantly — high-performing.

Who should attend

This workshop strengthens the performance of all teams, including:

• Project teams
• Cross-functional work groups
• Work process redesign teams
• Quality improvement teams
• Ongoing work groups
• Ad hoc teams
• Task forces
• Self-directed work teams

Benefits for participants

Teams in Action™ builds competence in team leaders as well as team members. Participants will learn how to:

• Prepare and set up teams for success
• Determine where teams typically go wrong and learn effective preventions
• Resolve conflict
• Give and receive feedback in a way that builds trust and improves performance
• Facilitate team discussions so work is done efficiently and each member participates fully
• Overcome obstacles to effective teamwork
• Make high-quality decisions quickly and effectively
• Evaluate team performance in a way that supports continuous improvement

Benefits for the organization

Focused, effective teamwork has numerous benefits for the organization, including:

• Improved productivity
• Faster implementation of higher-quality decisions
• Team members' increased commitment to organizational goals
• Fewer project breakdowns and cost overruns
• A common approach and structure for teams throughout the organization, facilitating cross-functional interaction
• Accelerated implementation of continuous process improvement
• A smoother transition to a team-based organization
• Increased collaborative capability throughout the company

How participants learn

Teams in Action® is a highly interactive workshop where participants learn and practice powerful techniques for achieving results.

During the training, they work on teams that have concrete performance goals. This collaborative approach encourages team members to take responsibility for their own — and each other's — learning. Short presentations, a videotaped case study, group practice, one-on-one coaching, and interactive exercises make learning immediate and fun.

To complement the Teams in Action® workshop and increase your capabilities in this important area, we also offer two one-day companion workshops:

Team Sponsorship™ — Team sponsors play a central role in forming teams and setting them up for success. Team Sponsorship™ teaches senior leaders eight key responsibilities to effectively set up and support teams.

Team Meetings™ — Team Meetings™ teaches team members how to maximize the results of their meetings. Participants learn how to establish objectives, keep meetings focused, handle difficult situations and follow through on decisions with committed action. Team Meetings™ is offered as an adjunct to Teams in Action®.