Case Study - All things Team
We're extremely proud of this piece of work but because the details of this particular client and project are highly confidential, we can only share topline facts.
We were asked by a long standing advocate at a globally recognised IT and software development company based in the State of Washington USA to support a three-day offsite at their HQ.
The brief
To design a meeting to bring a global team of 30 people together for an inspiring, fun event which would give them a clear view of ‘how’ they needed to work if they were to deliver against challenging annual targets. Oh and blow them away with a sense of camaraderie. No easy feat.
Due to travel restrictions, this meeting was turned into an online event with everyone dialling in from their desks – we spanned 15 timezones.
Before the meeting
We worked with the client and key leaders in her team to understand their business and the characteristics of the team. We spoke to a cross section of the team to identify issues, challenges and expectations, and fed these back confidentially.
With these insights in focus, we designed a 6-week project, where sub-groups in similar time zones worked offline together and then came together for whole-team, online touch-points. This approach was welcomed as an efficient, focussed, energy-friendly way to work together.
We created atmosphere and a feeling of a ‘safe-space to talk’ by using the metaphor of a walled garden.
Preparation
We worked with our friends at Lim to map spaces on a Miro board and ensured everyone had password protected access. We liaised with speakers and helped prepare their sessions in detail.
We worked out the logistics of working groups, time zones, and planned slots in their diaries. We designed every conversation and prepared for every minute of the sessions, even preparing a plan B for certain tech issues.
To bring the garden theme directly to each team member, everyone physically received a ‘build your own bonsai’ kit.
During
We used the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model to help the team identify shifts they needed to make in the way they worked and how they showed up together.
We referred the discussions back to the walled garden theme regularly to support thinking and elevate the reflections and insights.
We used online and offline working sessions to assist participants in collaborating with unfamiliar team members.
We celebrated the individuality of team members and the need to support each other through a fun bonsai potting activity.
Outcomes
We fulfilled the client’s wishes for a memorable offsite which truly brought the team together, with a shared vocabulary and a rapport they could smile about. The team designed a Team Charter which contains 10 Team Values, is referred to regularly and also includes a bonus Spotify playlist.
Working Groups were set up to establish and operationalise major shifts in the way the team worked – these working groups continue with new actions being completed.
Oh, and most Bonsai trees live on, being cared for regularly all over the world and have become important artefacts reminding remote workers of the need to stay connected, look out for each other and stay hydrated.