Collaboration is about doing, not talking.
That was the guiding principle of the training Threefront provided to the/experts last month.
the/experts is a leading player in the IT sector, with whom Threefront has been working for a long time. Besides our reputation for unique approach and technical leadership in Software Craftsmanship, what sets us apart in our field is our culture. At the/experts, collaboration and camaraderie are key, based on the belief that the best and most innovative solutions are created through joint effort. This is a mindset that is naturally very recognisable to former Threefront commanders, which is why we find it all the more exciting to support the/experts in strengthening their team dynamics.
Practical work with personality profiles
To properly understand team dynamics, personality profiles are often an important and well-known tool. But again, we can (and often tend to) talk about them at length – but our preference is still for experiential learning. So do it.
That is why Threefront gave the teams (composed with different personality profiles) the task of making a large Lego building within the set time. It doesn’t take long to see the first typical behaviours and role divisions emerge, of course. But in such a setting, especially when people have known each other for longer, behaviour is also often based on routine and desired behaviour. We easily play off each other and often pretend to be a bit better than we are.
As an extra incentive, we therefore always took one team member away from the group for an extra task, a small memory game, the outcome of which he/she had to give back to the group. Meanwhile, the group had to keep working, to finish the construction work on time. When the first person returned, a second person was taken out of the group. By giving multiple tasks at the same time and creating a bit of chaos, people fall into their primary behaviour faster and the natural group dynamics quickly emerge.
The result
By not just discussing this with each other, but actually doing and experiencing it, we create a shared experience that people can refer back to when they are back at work as usual later. They have experienced how group dynamics work under pressure and understand how different styles affect each other. This provides concrete tools to work better together in the future.
Edward van de Pas, Managing Director The Netherlands at the/experts: “By really getting to work with our profiles, colleagues better understand the effect they have on each other. As a result, they can apply it effectively in practice.”
This training was more than a session; it was a shared experience that made the/experts stronger. They not only felt the dynamics under pressure but also learned how to work together effectively while understanding each other’s unique styles.
