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Toolkit for Team Building

Learn about the Toolkit for Team Building and how managers can use it to encourage open communication and the active inclusion of all voices.

Overview

Learn how the toolkit is designed to help you. 

The Toolkit for Team Building lives on Google Drive and this Blink page will help you understand how the toolkit is organized. The toolkit provides a framework for team leaders to guide your team in engaging in the important work of building structures rooted in empathy, ideation and iteration. In using this toolkit you will create a tailored plan using an intentional and strategic approach.

START USING THE TOOLKIT

Any team can use this toolkit regardless of career field, team size, or how long the team has worked together. As the leader of a team, the manager is best positioned to guide this team building work as they are responsible for identifying the team priorities and creating a strategic vision for the group.

Begin interacting with the Toolkit for Team Building by becoming familiar with the Overview. Use the Overview to learn about the house model, toolkit framework, the purpose of the team building activities, and the table of contents to get started.

  Document outline

 

You can quickly navigate through each document by viewing the “Document Outline” feature located to the left of the text. You can learn more about using the Outline to move around in the document.

Pillars

Explore how the toolkit is organized.  

The Toolkit for Team Building is organized into three primary managerial responsibilities, known as the “three pillars.” Within each pillar you will explore that specific area, why it matters, as well as optional resources for learning more. From there you can explore affiliated activities that you can do with your team. The three pillars of responsibility are:

the number 1 in a circle

Pillar 1: Building Inclusive Teams that Foster Psychological Safety, pillar 1 pillar 1

Build and reinforce an environment for your team that encourages the active inclusion of every team member.

the number 2 in a circle

Pillar 2: Setting Norms and Clear Expectations, pillar 2 pillar 2 pillar 2 pillar 2

Support your team in having explicit conversations about how they can effectively work together.

the number 3 in a circle

Pillar 3: Matching Communication and Collaboration Needs to Structures and Tools

Customize your collaboration tools and establish structures to meet your team's communication needs.

Activities

Learn about specific actions you can take with your team.

For a full menu of activities click on the blue headings below.

Pillar 1: Building Inclusive Teams that Foster Psychological Safety

  • Pulse Survey: Check in with your team to get a sense or “pulse” of the team regarding a specific topic.
  • Ice Breakers: Get people talking during a meeting or team engagement.

Pillar 2: Setting Norms and Clear Expectations

  • Rules of Engagement: Define shared agreements about how your team works together and collaborates.
  • Team Values: Define your team’s values and identify examples of these values in action.

Pillar 3: Matching Communication and Collaboration Needs to Structures and Tools

  • 360 Feedback Assessment: Use this performance management and coaching tool to generate a report from an online survey questionnaire and draft a professional development and career plan
  • Current State Assessment Plan: Devise an approach for exploring the degree to which your current communication and collaboration structures work and do not work for your team. (coming soon)
  • Current State Assessment Implementation: Facilitate a discussion to learn about the current state of the communication and collaboration structures from the perspective of your team. (coming soon)