On the working together at VU Amsterdam page you will find examples that you can use as a starting point for a team discussion. You can also ask yourself or your team one or more of the questions below and keep the Art of Engagement Principles card on the table to discuss what you could do differently and what effects that might have.
Tips on how to prepare:
- Ensure that everyone clearly knows in advance what you want to discuss so that everyone can prepare beforehand.
- Plan enough time (at least one hour, preferably one and a half to two hours). You should not have these kinds of discussions in the last five minutes of a meeting.
- Make it clear before the meeting that it’s important that everyone is actually present; you cannot discuss team collaboration with half a team.
- Think of way to make sure that everyone can contribute to the discussion, rather than having just the usual contributors have their say.
Thought-provoking team questions about the interaction:
- Do you help create a safe environment where colleagues have the courage to speak up or give feedback?
- Do you give others enough room to act on and put decisions made into practice in their own way?
- Do you feel that your work plays an important part in the work of your colleagues?
- Can you resign yourself to a decision that is different to what you would have wanted and still be able to carry it out dutifully and without cynical comments or grumbling?
- Can you be open about the various interests involved in a decision and how you weigh them?
- Do you feel confident about calmly following up on an intimidating discussion with a colleague? And can you then manage to discuss the issue from your point of view rather than from the other person’s point of view?
- Did you know that to be effective you have to give four times as many compliments as criticism? It is precisely the combination of ‘Approaching, confronting and speaking out’ that is so powerful when expressing appreciation.
- How often have you given a colleague a compliment in the past months?
- How many times in the past three months have you admitted openly that you were wrong, or that you had misjudged something and that that was not very wise?
- As a manager, do you not only reward positive results, but also the constructive behaviour that led to those results?
TeamUp workshop
Team talks can be a good start. In addition, it is often worth following up on the team talk with an external certified trainer as well about what you can still improve with the team.
Does this also apply to your team? Then sign up for the TeamUp workshop. VU trainers will help your team take mutual effectiveness and communication to the next level in three three-hour sessions (spread over six weeks). In these sessions, you will jointly map out team goals, reflect on everyone's contribution and the diversity balance, work on mutual connection and formulate concrete themes you want to work on as a team.
Go to the TeamUp workshop page for more information.