TEAM Talk Guide

Whatit is

TEAM Talk helps team leaders have a discussion with their team about the impact and value of adopting TEAM behaviors as a way to enhance team effectiveness and project outcomes. The intent is to have the team leader initiate a discussion that guides the team to evaluate those behaviors that are done well and identify where and how improvements can be made.

Whyit’s useful

Engaging the team in a discussion about the value of TEAM behaviors allows all team members to identify and discuss best practices and lessons learned to support healthy team dynamics. This is a terrific opportunity to share previous experiences, including experiences that resulted in both positive and negative outcomes. Team leaders who have this input from team members early in team formation are more likely to identify team strengths and team weaknesses, which will allow team leaders to best leverage team members to serve project needs.

Howto use it

TEAM Talk helps you set the context with your team on the importance of team dynamics, particularly from your (the team leader’s) perspective. By setting the stage as the team leader, you also need to engage all team members, so all voices are heard. The process contains four steps:

  1. Set the stage with a preliminary team discussion: Why are we talking about our team?
  2. Assess TEAM behaviors: How are we doing as a team?
  3. Identify which behavior(s) will be chosen for improvement, and gain team commitment: How can we improve?
  4. Identify an improvement approach and improvement timelines and metrics: How do we make our team stronger, more effective?

Topic / Comments
  1. Set the stage
Why are we talking about our team? / Set the context by reinforcing the value of TEAMwork from your perspective.
  • As team leader, you should express your belief that strong teams produce better outcomes.
  • State your commitment to demonstrate TEAM behaviors, and acknowledge that you won’t always follow through perfectly and will expect the team to hold you accountable.
  • State that you want everyone to hold each other accountable for demonstrating these behaviors, too.

  1. Asses TEAM behaviors
How are we doing as a team? / Explain the process so all team members understand how the group will promote team dynamics.
  • Allow each member the opportunity to state his or her position on the value of teamwork and why it is/is not important.
  • Each member takes the TEAM assessment survey.

  1. Identify behavior(s) for improvement, gain team commitment
How can we improve? / Based upon the team survey, identify you team’s strengths and opportunities.
  • Identify which behavior(s) are currently practiced well.
  • Identify which behavior(s) will be chosen for improvements and discuss improvement strategies.

  1. Identify an improvement approach
How do we make our team stronger and more efficient? / Review associated tools in the tool kit and determine whether any are appropriate for the team’s use.
  • Identify action items, owners, and due dates.
  • Determine performance metrics.

Copyright © 2010 by Management Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved. This material appears in Project Team Dynamics: Enhancing Performance, Improving Results, by Lisa DiTullio (Vienna, VA: Management Concepts, 2010). For more resources from the author, see also