We hear a lot about team building but often what is on offer is little more than a shared adrenalin rush. Getting excited together or sharing adversity can develop a kind of bonding.  However, this seems far short of what is needed for high performance teamwork and far short of what can be achieved.

High performance at work requires high levels of mutual support and trust but also requires high levels of attuned awareness and mental capability.  How well can members of the team think together?  To what extent are they sensitive to what is happening outside the team and within it?  How well are they able to learn as they go, re-inventing their mental models to match emerging changes in their environment? How is each team member able to contribute and develop their potential?

This suggests the need for a kind of team development that is much more subtle and sophisticated than most providers aspire to.  Such team development is not about having a good time together (though that might be a by-product). It will enable people to relate better, to think better, to better grasp complex issues, to see the forest as well as the trees, to respond creatively to challenge.

Teamwork