Calisthenics to Stretch A Team’s Communication Muscles
It takes many different mindsets, behaviors, and abilities for a team to collectively move the ball downfield towards great outcomes. However, people often show up with a default behavior – “Their Thing” – leveraging the strengths of that style, while blissfully unaware of its downsides. Low and behold, they are surprised by the conflicts and collaboration problems that result.
Join Andy Cleff in combo talk / hands-on session to learn a team kickoff and retrospective technique, using Kantor’s Four Player Model, as a way to hold up a mirror to a team and help them exercise, stretch and improve their collective muscles. When sustained, this practice leads to greater individual awareness, better health and adaptability for the team, the system they operate in and positively impacts the achievement of business goals.
Outline/Structure of the Talk
Do We (Really) Have a Problem Here?
2 mins
- A few artifacts of dysfunction
What’s Your Thing?
3 mins
- Behavior models
- Baseline assessment tools
Bright Sides, Dark Sides and Limiting Fears
10 mins
- Movers
- Followers
- Opposers
- Bystanders
Game Play (Hands-On)
35 mins
Teams formed by table group. Play 3 rounds ~10 mins each
Mission: Table groups are going to collectively plan an after-party, with one person starting by making a suggesting (time, place, theme, etc.)
Individuals of the group then role-play using the "bright side" of their role
- Round 1: Each player silently selects one of the four roles - Mover, Follower, Opposer, or Bystander; Debrief: Guess which role each person played?
- Round 2: Assign one of the four roles to each table group, everyone assumes that role, play again; Debrief: What happened?
- Round 3: Distribute the four roles evenly among the table group. Debrief: How effective was the collaboration compared to other rounds?
- Collective discussion and sharing
Sustaining Change
10 mins
- Immunity to change?
- You, me, and us
- 360 Feedback
- Wrap Up
Learning Outcome
- Gain insight into practices that will help teams overcome default patterns of behavior and interaction
- Explore and appreciate the diversity and capabilities of all the roles of Kantor’s four-player model
- Develop new ways of listening, understanding, and communicating
- Learn how to become a better observer of one's self
Target Audience
Leaders, Managers, Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, People Operations, Team Members. You want to help catalyze an environment filled with deeply effective ways of listening, understanding and communicating, one that enables joy, collaboration, and innovation.
Prerequisites for Attendees
Some experience working as part of a team.
