Team Formation

Highly Predictable Teams begin on the right foundation.

Performance starts as a structural issue. Poorly performing teams often attract attention when issues of trust and cohesion arise — and remedies are sought.

However, these problems cannot be solved by addressing the symptoms alone. The real work lies in examining the foundational structure of how a team functions.

The process we follow in Team Formation involves defining the following:

• Team mapping
• Vision
• Values and behaviours
• Goals
• Decision-making processes
• Roles
• Routines
• Communication framework and tools
• Team name

The formation process therefore establishes the ground rules for the team. It helps team members understand where others are coming from and how they are wired — right from the start.

All outputs from the team formation process are documented. This is then built into a broader process that covers everything from the onboarding of new team members to the offboarding of team members (whether through promotion, reassignment, resignation, etc.).

Once the team has completed the formation process, we look at a few key starting points:

• How to conduct one-on-ones
• How to establish team cadence
• The five levels of meeting maturity

From there, we begin the process of getting the team operational.

We work with the team regularly to address people-related challenges, adopt effective ways of working, and make the best use of productivity toolsets.

Next, we move into more complex work — using these tools to explore areas such as velocity, team road mapping, dependency mapping, and beyond.