Success Case
Organisational Group Dynamics
Cultural Alignment
Team’s Challenge
Team members operated in silos. The lack of communication was starting to affect the bottom line; however, after conducting individual investigative interviews, it became apparent that there was a desire to share information across functions, a willingness to contribute and assist others. Underlying was an apparent lack of trust in each other resulting in strained communication and no real sense of a common purpose. As they were all measured on results, the business tasks were seen as essential and little time was invested in the relationships between them. Boundaries around roles and expectations were blurred.
Background
HQ identified that a regional subsidiary was stretched to meet year end targets and, most importantly, there was tension amongst team members. The company was going through restructuring which added strain to the dynamics.
The leader decided to initiate a change management process and determined Helena Livingston at Heart Living Pte Ltd as the ideal partner for this initiative.
The Goal
The objective of the 1 day program was to co-create an environment that invited the team members to step away from their day to day and gain perspective of their dynamics in a more objective way. Participants would have an opportunity to observe their patterns unfold through a series of experiential and reflective exercises, giving them an opportunity to start to share more openly and honestly what is true for them. The aim, over time, is for the members to gain a deeper understanding and acceptance of each other’s leadership styles and personal preferences.
By the end of the day, having elicited shared values over the course of the program, the team would design a collective working relationship commitment and identify an individual behavioural change that could contribute towards a more authentic way of being in the workplace.
The Process
Working in a small group of 6, Helena led the team through a series of experiential exercises so the team could explore their working dynamics, giving room for reflection about the impact of their actions in relation to their overall effectiveness.
Participants started the day with a mixed range of feelings. Progressively the team opened up to each other with sincere and genuine conversations about their dynamics. The safe space created enabled members to address sensitive topics that they had been avoiding for some time. The team became aware of some of the key behavioural patterns as a group and their individual influence in that particular situation. At the end of the session, with the new awareness, the team identified several behavioural changes they could make that would have a positive impact on the working relationships and committed to starting to test them in their day to day and especially in their monthly meetings. Everyone agreed to hold each other accountable to their improvement goals. In addition, the group shared their views of the office culture they wanted to co-create.
The Results According to the Client
In addition to creating more awareness and making commitments to the team and themselves, participants said the following about the experience:
“I feel a renewed motivation to continue contributing beyond my job description and the success of the business.”
“I gained a different insight of how we can work more effectively together, understanding the team member’s leadership styles. The session certainly helped me create greater trust with my colleagues.”
“I became aware of our blind spots and what we can do to make improvements thanks to this day of discovery. Having an external party who could facilitate open conversations and keep us on task helped make this possible.”
“This day showed us that conflict resolution is possible with more transparency. Addressing the elephant in the room in a non-judgmental environment creates real value.”
Following up with the client several months after the work, the team was continuing to relate better to each other, meeting KPIs and exceeding the annual target. The initial experience off-site was the catalyst to the change. Ultimately, the healthier cultural norm that was starting to emerge was largely due to the commitment of the team to hold each other accountable, their continued self-reflection and dedication to their own professional development journey.