GroupsWork!®

GroupsWork!® is an interactive, team-training experience that is proven to build more effective teams. It is delivered in six, four-hour sessions that incorporate both didactic and experiential learning. Each session focuses on a specific team-development skill while reviewing skills of previous sessions. In GroupsWork!® participants learn to understand and manage change, develop effective interpersonal skills and mutual acceptance, and enhance their communication and cooperation with each other. Participants also become accomplished in team problem-solving, decision-making and creative conflict resolution.

Building On Change

During this session participants explore the phenomenon of our changing world, a model for understanding the process of change, and the strategies that are necessary to manage change more effectively.

Appreciating Each Other

In this session participants come to understand and accept their own work behavioral style and that of others. Then by learning how to “bridge” to each other the members enhance their communication and cooperation and thereby also reducing interpersonal conflict.

Including Each Other

By reviewing the phases of group development and the theory of group process the participants gain an understanding of what it takes to become a “high performance team”. Then they learn the skills of inclusion and establish their model for effective meeting management.

Solving Problems Together

Team members are now asked to use the Steps of Problem Solving to work on a problem it is currently responsible for resolving in order to apply these skills to an actual situation.

Making Decisions Together

During this session the group creates a team decision-making matrix that they will use as they work together to make significant decisions. In so doing they will learn the four types of decisions and in what circumstance each is most appropriate.

Resolving Conflict Creatively

In order to achieve dynamic results teams must be able to resolve conflict creatively. In this session the participants will learn how to diagnose conflict, determine the response options, and then resolve the conflict using a collaborative technique.

Team Leader Consultation

The team leader will receive additional consultation as warranted to support her/his effective facilitation of the team’s process and development.

Course Materials

Each participant receives a GroupsWork!® Team Member Manual with the necessary reference information and worksheets for each session.