Client Success Stories

Challenge:  A cross-functional team was responsible for delivering a key project against an aggressive deadline, and needed more efficiency in how they were working together.  Misunderstandings, lack of communication and misaligned roles had them “stuck”, and they were not getting the traction they needed.  They were re-cycling decisions, and losing precious time.

Solution:  Data was gathered from several key team members to fully understand the underlying issues.  In partnership with the team leader, a one day offsite was designed to establish a clear understanding of roles and authority for each team member, see clearly where the interdependencies across the team lie, and identify redundancies and gaps in moving toward the project goal.  The result:   The “log-jam” was released, the team created a clear path for moving forward.

Challenge:  A new team was starting up, and needed clarity on the fundamentals of their work together – roles and responsibilities, short and long term goals, operational team norms, and leadership expectations.

Solution:  A one-day team launch was designed to help the team “begin with the end in mind”.  Using research-based tools and processes, the launch included roles, responsibilities, team operating norms and goal setting. As a result, the team was clear about what to expect from their leader and each other moving forward.

Challenge:  An organization was about to embark on a co-development agreement with a partner. The relationship had a rocky start, and mixed signals and misaligned expectations were causing confusion and frustration for both sides of the partnership.

Solution:  After conducting interviews with both partners, it was obvious to both that they needed to clear the air regarding several aspects of the relationship having to do with power, accountability, decision making and expectations.  One full day was devoted to ensuring the team on one side of the partnership was aligned internally.  On the second day, the both partners were brought together, and facilitated discussions led to alignment within and across the partnership. A shared future vision was created, and action plans put in place for their first major milestone.

Challenge:  A team just completed a difficult, complex milestone, with a near impossible deadline.  Although they made their date, lots of things went wrong, and they were left exhausted and frustrated.   And within weeks, they were scheduled to repeat the process again for another project. They needed to capture and apply lessons learned to prevent the same problems from happening again.

Solution:   A targeted session uncovered $5 to 6 million in savings by identifying specific actions to prevent the team from re-living the same problems in the future.

Challenge:  A new Team Leader was assigned to a team, and needed to quickly get up to speed on the project, the team, the current challenges and issues she was walking into.

Solution:  Data was gathered from current and past team members. In a facilitated work session, the team cleared the air on current issues, and helped the new Leader understand each individual's perspective and concerns.  The new Team Leader gained credibility and acceptance by quickly resolving some problems right away, and putting action plans in place for the larger issues.

Challenge:   A priority Compound Product Development Team was challenged with an accelerated timeline, for a complex project, using processes never tried before. They needed to fully understand everything on their critical path, and to map the interdependencies, to clarify how one person’s deliverables would impact another’s timeline.

Solution:  A highly interactive one-day meeting was designed. Using a facilitated process, a large room with plenty of space, and the full participation of the entire team, we created a visual map outlining all of the moving parts of the project.  Gaps, overlaps, and areas requiring mutual cooperation were identified and discussed.  Specific action planning followed, using the map to guide their thinking.

Challenge:  A growing biotech company needed highly functioning cross functional teams to move their products through the pipeline faster. While “Improving Teamwork” was one of their top five strategic objectives, functional silos were still strongly in place. Their line managers were not accustomed to leading in a matrix environment – and team leaders didn’t have the requisite skills to lead without authority.  They needed a shared understanding and language about high performance teams, with the requisite sponsorship, process, skills and metrics to create, nurture and sustain top performing teams.

Solution:  The project began with a diagnosis of the current team climate, which helped pinpoint the areas of greatest opportunity. Executive alignment was achieved through a series of strategy sessions.  Behavioral team-based competencies were developed, taught and implemented at all levels including managers, team leaders and team members.  Processes and expectations were developed launching a new team.  Criteria were developed and applied for the selection of a Team Leader. Teams got off the ground quickly, were able to navigate projects more smoothly, and had the organizational support that helped, rather than hindered, their performance.

Challenge:  A talented group of individuals were given the opportunity to create a new business unit.  They needed to clarify their fit into the overall organization, define their purpose, scope, boundaries and organizational goals, and develop a means of communicating their mission to their key stakeholders.

Solution:  A highly interactive program was developed to help the new business unit fully articulate the value they would add to the organization, the people their work would impact, and the meaning of their contribution to the health care industry.   Key company stakeholders were invited to the program, giving the group an opportunity to present their work, invite feedback and exchange ideas. The program was repeated in subsequent years as the team expanded their responsibility, scope and size.

Challenge:  A Training Needs Analysis indicated a need for improved skills in basic and advanced teamwork.

Solution:  On-site, customized training workshops were developed to build Basic and Advanced team skills.  Topics included understanding the organizational expectations for departmental and cross-functional teams, organizational team structures, the fundamentals of teamwork and collaboration, working in a team matrix,  setting team goals, establishing role clarity, team decision making, team facilitation, working with virtual teams and effective meeting management.