|
|
| Effective managemen - Teamwork |
|
|
|
|
First among equals (Leading a team)  |
|
 The aim
To give managers the leadership skills they need to enable individuals to work more effectively as part of a team.
About the programme
There are three steps managers should take to inspire their teams: give them confidence in the value of their specific role in the team, confidence in their value as individuals and confidence in their value as part of a team.
The video tells the story of George, who is given the role of leading a team. With the help of Harry and his team at his local pub, George learns that being in charge doesn't mean having all the answers, but means involving the team and using their skills, experience and initiative to find them.
The benefits
- Suitable for all managers and team leaders.
- Engaging format with clear and memorable messages.
- Useful for either ad-hoc project teams or permanent teams.
- As well as the core video, you'll receive comprehensive support materials that add value to the way trainers and managers address learning needs, including self-study materials and a meeting break video. |
| |
| The motley crew (Working together) |
|
The aim
To demonstrate the importance of teamwork.
About the programme
Working effectively as a team is essential in almost every area of business - but how many people understand how to be members of a team?
The motley crew features a gang of bank robbers, led by Jack 'The Hat' Motley (Griff Rhys Jones), who learns the lessons of teamwork the hard way. After a bungled bankjob lands Jack in jail, he tells his sorry story to his ex-boss and gangland leader Bernie (Mel Smith) from behind bars.
'Know your team, know their strengths and weaknesses, then give the right job to the right person.'
Jack starts with a group of professionals - each an expert in their particular field of crime. But he failed to allow them to introduce themselves, spoke in a language half the team did not understand and neglected to give people clearly defined tasks that matched their abilities.
By trial and error, the team gradually learned some of the basic skills of good teamwork - such as creating a common purpose, learning from experience, speaking a common language, working in stages, ensuring everyone knows what is expected of them and supporting team contributions, while not allowing anyone to dominate the proceedings.
But as Bernie points out, they did not learn enough. Bernie, on the other hand, has learnt all these lessons so well that he is looking forward to a comfortable retirement...with more than a little help from the bank.
Key messages
- Have a common goal
- Learn from experience
- Speak a common language
- Work in stages
- Support and develop
- Listen and contribute
The benefits
- Ideal for any teambuilding programme.
- Helps everyone to understand the value of a focussed team.
Working together (session starter)
Formulating a success strategy for a team is a matter of planning things in advance and making sure everyone knows what is happening.
In this video, Mel and Griff plan the redecoration of Mel's house. Both Mel and Griff think they're a team, both think they know what each other is doing and both think they have planned to perfection.
Although they think they have the theory right, the reality is not quite what Griff had in mind.
|
| |
| Think or sink (Professional team decision thinking) |
|
The aim
To enable managers to appreciate and use the team's knowledge in the decision-making process.
About the programme
A manager has made some poor decisions - making them himself, rather than using his team's experience. He learns the four stages of professional team decision thinking: asking the right questions, creating a choice of answers, looking at the dangers of each particular option and then weighing up the chances of success. The video is based on the book The Professional Decision Thinker by Ben Heirs, included with each purchase.
The benefits
- Engaging drama with wrong-way, right-way scenarios
- Suitable for any manager or team leader
- Four structured stages of practical decision thinking |
| |
| Team spirit? (How to be an effective team member) |
|
 The aim
To enable people to see themselves as part of the team, not just as individuals.
About the programme
People who have their own job to do often fail to see themselves as part of a team. Team spirit? is a light-hearted, but high-impact way of showing them the importance of teamwork. It looks at three examples of people whose failure to appreciate this need has disastrous effects on their colleagues and customers.
One individual does not understand how her administration job fits in with others, and because she fails to provide them with information they cannot do their jobs properly and customers become dissatisfied. She is shown how to share information and become part of the team.
A mechanic is good at his job but fails to communicate and accept responsibility. This affects the service his garage provides, until he learns how to adopt a proactive attitude, helping workmates and taking the initiative. This results in satisfied internal and external customers.
Colleagues in a tourist information centre differ. One is studious and meticulous, while the other is dynamic and full of ideas. They learn that they can achieve much more by co-operating and sharing skills, and benefit from greater motivation at the same time.
The benefits
- Ideal for customer care, teamwork and new-starter training
- Engaging, humorous and realistic format
- Three structured team-working scenarios
|
| |
| Building the perfect team (Belbin's team role theory in action) |
|
 The aim
To appreciate the nine key team roles, and balance an effective team accordingly.
About the programme
Managers must understand that people bring more than their skills and experience to a team; they bring their personalities as well. Utilising people's behavioural strengths to create a balanced team adds immensely to both group and personal performance.
This video dramatises Dr Meredith Belbin's team-role theory, and explains how to identify nine key team roles for a balanced team. It shows that although each team member in an example team has a functional role in, for example, marketing in accounts, they also have team roles. These are critical to the team's success. Each of the nine roles is defined and shown in action.
Belbin explains that teams with fewer members may need people to perform dual roles. He shows how behavioural skills can be assessed and how, with care, teams can be constructed that take account of hierarchies as well as personal interaction.
The benefits
- Illustrates skills for team building, meetings and project management
- True-to-life scenario backed by Belbin's credibility
- Clearly explained structure to understanding the theory |
| |
| Selecting the perfect team (Utilising internal and external resources) |
|
The aim
To learn the skills that ensure candidates are selected who are a perfect fit for both a functional position and an existing team role.
About the programme
Selecting the perfect team is based upon the theory of Dr Meredith Belbin, and provides support for managers involved in selection.
Belbin's research indicates that fewer recruitment disasters arise when managers search for people within their own organisation, since these people are likely to fit more readily into existing teams.
As the drama unfolds, it highlights that eligibility of candidates is no substitute for suitability - that is, whether candidates will fit into the team. Impressive qualifications, sparkling track records, glowing references and dynamic interview techniques may be red herrings.
Managers will learn to identify the team role required to balance the team. This means looking at internal, as well as external candidates, even though they may not at first appear eligible. Following the theory will help managers avoid costly recruitment decisions, and select better, more suitable candidates.
The benefits
- Complements recruitment and management skills training
- Credibility of Dr Meredith Belbin's team-role theory
- Simple to follow and memorable technique
- Part of a three-programme series
|
| |
| Does the team work? (Improving effectiveness through teamwork) |
|
The aim
To ensure staff know the job they're doing, why they're doing it and how the work affects their colleagues.
About the programme
In today's competitive environment people are busier than ever before, which is why it is essential that they really understand their role. This video, based on Belbin's new workset model, looks at the performance of the team aboard a science fiction-style space freighter which, like many businesses, is inexplicably heading off target. Belbin's unique system of colour coding tasks makes it easier for teams to understand the nature of their work and how it contributes towards their objectives.
Managers must look at the team and identify 'pink' work - work which is unproductive and either mistakenly allocated or assumed to be part of the job. People must be encouraged to analyse what they are doing compared to what they are achieving - which should be the core results expected of the team.
Then staff, where appropriate, will be able to discard job descriptions and redefine themselves. The programme highlights that they should pay special attention to the parts of their job which are classed as tasks (structured blue and reactive green work), and those which carry responsibilities (yellow decision-making and, more complex, orange work). These can be further classified as work best undertaken by individuals or shared efforts.
The result is a better organised team that completes its task, makes better use of time, and delivers more in terms of productivity and service. They're getting the freighter back on target.
The benefits
- Suitable for both teams and their managers
- Proven techniques based upon Belbin's team role theory
- Clear, structured approach, ideal for coursework and role-play
|
| |
| Talent management (How to retain your best people) |
|
|
The aim
To give managers practical solutions for spotting, and keeping hold of, people planning to leave.
About the programme
Someone resigning often comes as a complete shock. Even if you saw the warning signs, and just didn't do anything about them, the number of thoughts that simultaneously rush into your head is immense. Why are they leaving? Could I have stopped it? How much is it going to cost to find a replacement? How will we manage without them? How to stop them leaving: talent management can help prevent all of this from happening in the first place.
There are many different reasons why employees might want to leave, and money isn't usually one of them. How to stop them leaving: talent management highlights the 3 key reasons why employees might want to leave ' stress, feeling undervalued or just plain boredom - and gives managers the practical solutions for spotting, and keeping hold of, people planning to.
The programme demonstrates how to spot when employees might be thinking of going, how to find out what has caused the situation and how to prevent it from turning into a resignation.
The learning points are easy to understand and new, all too recognisable characters have been introduced to make them even more memorable.
Spot the warning signs highlights how you can tell when employees might by contemplating leaving, and why it's imperative these signs aren't ignored.
Ask questions shows how easy it can be to get to the bottom of someone's problem, simply by talking to them and listening to what they have to say.
Look for solutions demonstrates how you can formulate a plan to stop the problem escalating and ultimately stop someone from leaving.
The benefits
- Reduces costs by showing managers how to retain staff
I- mproves morale
- Covers the 3 key reasons for people wanting to leave
- Suitable for all levels
- Memorable characters and learning points
|
|
|
