THE POWER OF TEAMS
. . . through TEAM BUILDING

A team that works well together is not a chance event. The challenge is how to build relationships within the team to unleash team power.

Power teams develop with:

• Insight about one’s self and the team;
• Shared experience;
• Learning together;
• A compelling vision of the team at its best;
• A road map for progress; and
• Ongoing dialogue.
  

The TEAM BUILDING PROGRAM moves the relationship building into high gear!

Program Outline

1. Who am I and Who are We?

Using the Myers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) and possibly other instruments, participants gain insight into their own styles as well as the collective team profile.

This insight can help identify potential strengths and needs of individuals and the team. Through this knowledge, differences are valued, resulting in more effective communication and decision-making.

2. Where Are We?

Through pre-meeting interviews or surveys, team members’ views, needs, and expectations are collected. A summary of findings is presented at the meeting. Team challenges and experiential activities provide an opportunity for self / team observation and action learning.

3. Where Are We Going?

Through facilitated exercises and discussions, the group develops a shared vision of the team's purpose and potential. If needed, attention is paid to clarifying team roles and responsibilities and developing team norms and agreements.

4. How Are We Going to Get There?

Specific action plans and next steps are clearly defined for the team’s ongoing effectiveness. On going coaching for team leader or team members is available to ensure results.

Other Information

· The program content and length are custom developed to address the group’s needs. Sessions can be from 1, 2, or 3 days.
· Special areas of focus may include communication, innovation, change, leadership, and / or conflict resolution.

Outcomes

Participants report that now their team’s experience:

• More openness
• Less blame and judgement
• Improved communication
• Shared meaning
• Mutual problem solving
• Improved decision making
• Shared vision
• Less stress
• More humor and fun
• Higher productivity
• Stronger results!
  
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STRATEGY PLANNING MEETINGS

What are unproductive meetings costing your Company in time - money - energy - frustration - burnout?

Kells Associates are experts at planning sessions and strategy meetings that work; and innovation sessions that stretch group thinking. We can provide you with experienced process consultants trained in creative problem solving who can facilitate these sessions in your organization. In half the time, we lead the meeting process while you focus on the content and action plans. We coach your groups and lead you to new thinking around your Organization’s vision, mission and strategy. And, we facilitate ongoing strategy sessions to ensure execution. We guarantee concrete meeting results!

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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING / INNOVATION SESSIONS

C/I = f (Quality + Quantity of Thinking) x Climate

Creativity and Innovation requires process facilitation that inspires quality thinking and elicits quantity of ideas ~ all set in an open, supportive, creative climate / environment. Kells Associates will design an Innovation Meeting to meet the needs of your team. We are experienced in leading creative sessions to follow up on Employee Satisfaction Surveys, for New Product Development ideas, and for Work / Cost Improvement Strategies.

CREATIVITY IN ACTION: Creative Problem Solving Techniques

Changing perspective, shifting paradigms, and visioning are all tools for future thinking. The creative problem solving process uses these tools for facilitating change. It enables people rethink and recreate everyday challenges into interesting, viable opportunities. It gives them the tools to be proactive and reengineer their areas going forward. Sid Parnes describes the process by suggesting . . . "we first speculate on what 'might be' . . . we sense and anticipate all conceivable consequences or repercussions . . . and we choose and develop our best alternative in full awareness".

This action learning initiative will do just that. This two-three day program will be designed in a workshop format using experiential activities, small group discussions, case initiatives, and facilitation applications. The group will select relevant work related issues to illustrate "creativity in action."

Topics for the program will include the following:

• What is creativity?
• Assessing individual problem solving processes / styles
• Myths, mind sets, and blocks to new thinking
• Climates for innovation
• Overview of the Creative Problem Solving (cps) process:

Data-finding: Searching for data and questions to help better understand goals and priorities.

Problem-finding: Formulating specific questions (statements of problems or sub problems) the group might want to use to seek new and potentially useful ideas.

Idea-finding: Generating as many possible ideas which could offer solutions to the problem, and then selecting the most promising or interesting ones.

Solution-finding: Identifying key criteria and using that criteria for evaluating ideas to find the ones with the most potential. Analyzing possibilities.

Acceptance-finding: Creating an action plan for successful implementation.

• Tools and techniques for creative decision making
• Successfully facilitating the process in teams and work groups
• Applications: Opportunity to practice and use the process with targeted work issues

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Located in Boston & San Francisco Bay area