We were standing on stage after our children’s holiday concert; it was mid-year and our school was closing for good. In a dangerous rush of enthusiasm and desperation six of us made a decision within about five minutes. We would start our own school. Damn the odds and the obstacles, it was December and our kids needed a place to go by January. Careful what you wish for – we did manage to start and run a school for several years, until it just about killed me and the other founders! I learned that a group formed in crisis, while being good at managing a crisis, is not always well-suited to manage and grow an organization.
Planning for Team Success
What a contrast the Nashville Right Brain All-Stars(NRBAS) planning retreat was this week. Lots of quality time with energy and thoughtfulness to explore what we stand for, what we’d like to accomplish, what we have to offer and how to deliver our expertise to potential clients. Of course, NRBAS is made up of business consultants, learning experts and coaches so you’d expect us to be intentional. But still, it’s easy for any potential team to dive into action without planning for success.
Team Building for New Teams
Most of my clients are existing organizations who want a tune-up or need a fun, engaging and creative team building experience. But it’s also valid and even vital for teams that are still in the formational stages to allocate resources for team building activities. The four traditional descriptors of team stages are: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. That natural development of team requires a clear sense of goals, direction and expectations to thrive.
The Right Brain All-Stars
Okay – I admit, I just like saying that, right brain all-stars…it sounds cool. But in reality it is very cool. And when we get passed the forming stage and get into the performing stage of our own team development, I’ll let you all know. In addition to music team building you’ll have more choices to help your organization, engage and innovate for success. If you’re curious to learn a bit more about NRBAS founders, visit David’s site and Jody’s site. This is gonna be fun!
Teams formed in crisis don’t always manage well