Team Development Program using DiSC Team and Personality Profile
Situation Summary
Create-Learning-Team Building to develop a one day (six hour) team building program for staff members. The organization consists of 50 team members – all with various responsibilities within the organization.
The Program will include use of DiSC Team and Individual Dimensions Profiles
Approach
Overlapping hands-on initiatives with lecture and workbook based materials to ensure a high return on investment (to maximize the investment). At the end of the program the team members will have 3 definitive goals that will be incorporated into the Team Culture. Additionally the team members will gain new tools and sharpen their skills to gain effectiveness as a team by increasing trust within their team…..
Create-Learning-Team Building believes great teams are built when people do really fun activities together – activities that have:
- Specific challenges to overcome
- Significant interaction between team members
- Surprises and new obstacles
- Motivating, empathetic, and relevant facilitation of the group
- A relationship to work and life activities, allowing functional tie-backs
Team Building Format
Each Team Building initiative follows a similar pattern. Teams are briefed on a set of guidelines for the initiative with immediately measurable results. Initiatives are usually a large scale team puzzle or challenge. Teams are then given limited resources and set amount of time to plan the action steps for the initiative. Finally, the facilitator adds unanticipated obstacles – and they are still challenged to be successful – mirroring a work environment. During the Team Building initiatives team members often exhibit the same behaviors as when they are in work teams. It is in these moments when the team members become their true selves that the opportunity for success and failure becomes evident – and provides relevant material for reflection and learning. Through the Create-Learning-Team Building processing techniques and the open communication created in the Team Building programs teams create shared memories and beneficial habits that lead to long term positive results within their work place and lives.
Facilitation
Create-Learning-Team Building facilitators will lead processing and reflection sessions after each activity. This session may include the use of Metaphor cards, group drawing, Socratic question and answers, small group presentations of learning, personal reflection, as well as creating concrete plans of how the skills gained will be used in the work environment personally and professionally.
Create-Learning-Team Building has shown results using a variety of processing activities to actively engage each participant. Create-Learning-Team Building uses processing techniques and activities to give each individual participant the greatest learning possible for the time. Individuals and teams will learn about the different personalities and skills of their peers. This is learned through the hands on nature of the activities and the highly interactive processing session after each activity. Create-Learning-Team Building enables the group to take credit and responsibility for their own learning, and gives them tools that can be used immediately in the work environment and home lives.
Special Notes
Team Training Day with DiSC
Participant will have already taken the DiSC profile on-line prior to the Program. They will know their results (Create-Learning Team Building will also be knowledgeable of the team results)
Program Team Training: Team Training with DiSC 2.0 Personality Profile
Opening: Establish Team Program Atmosphere
-Introduction of Michael Cardus.
-Agenda of the Program
-Expectations of team for the program
-What the team expects from Mike for the success of the program
Icebreakers and De-inhibitizers
Overview: Participants are led through a series of initiatives that will open them the team building experience.
Outcomes: Participants will have fun and begin to open up to others. The initiatives are all low risk, low physical and minimal touch. By creating an atmosphere of a slow introduction to the more challenging initiatives to come, the participants are part of the experience and take greater personal responsibility in the success of the program. These initiatives will also allow for the group to get to know Mike, and allow Mike to gain a greater idea of how to progress with the Team programs.
DiSC 2.0 Personality Profile Overview
Participant will have already taken the DiSC profile on-line prior to the Program. They will know their results (Mike Cardus will also be knowledgeable of the team results)
Overview: This program empowers team members to understand individual styles of behavior and group dynamics. Each participate will have taken a DiSC personality profile on line, that highlights their specific DiSC profile. Participants will receive information that illustrates their styles and other useful information on how to create productive relationships. The team will also be able to view and discuss the groups’ dominant style highlighting strengths and possible blind spots.
Through dynamic and highly interactive activities participants will experience their DiSC styles, as they are involved in a variety of teambuilding initiatives. Additionally they will have the opportunity to adjust behaviors to improve individual and team effectiveness. Fun, powerful and immediately applicable in the workplace, this program provides a foundation for further organizational development. The respect, teamwork, and trust created by this approach develops a framework in which all team members can excel. This is an investment in the true power of diversity and how it can be leveraged for organizational growth and success!
Outcomes:
-Trust and respect between individuals
-Greater understanding of individual behavior and its impact on personal and group productivity and morale of the group
-Improved Communication by breaking down communication barriers
-New techniques for adapting behaviors based on individuals they work with
-Key challenges that inhibit optimal team performance
What’s Your Style
Overview: Participants choose several different cards that list behaviors that correlate to DiSC profile words. They place these behavior cards on posters with their names written on them. Following a public showing of which team members are dominant in which dimension of the DiSC profile, the participants are placed into teams according to their dominant DiSC, and lead through some challenges.
Outcomes: The participants will know the results of the DiSC profile. The “What’s Your Style” activity helps reinforce the participants in DiSC language. Additionally it gives the participants the opportunity to see how they relate to other team members. With the processing session of “What’s Your Style” team members will greater awareness of each other and the foundation for a collaborative atmosphere created.
Rope ‘Cuffs
Overview: Partners with the same dominant DiSC profile stand facing each other. One person places the rope loops over both their wrists. The second person places one hand into their loop, and before placing the loop on the other wrist loop, they pass the middle of their rope through the other person’s rope. The two are now connected together. The challenge is for all the partners to become separated, causing a companywide success.
Outcome: The concept of working through a problem that seems to have no obvious solution is a valuable work skill. Creative, outside the box thinking is required. Retracing the steps between the initial formation of the puzzle, and finally solving the puzzle, provides a roadmap for future investigations and solutions to other problems. Finding the answer as part of a group investigation and then sharing the solution is also a living lesson of an abundance mentality towards sharing information that can grow the organization. An exploration of the DiSC profile in relationship to working through this initiative will be discussed.
LUNCH
Cooperative Ricochet
Overview: The team chooses a game closing score then is challenged to reach this score in the given game time (usually about 10 minutes). Each player chooses a thrower and while standing in a large circle must catch a “ricochet ball” off its first bounce. FUN!!
Outcomes: Having fun after lunch and energizing the group.
PVC - Leadership Network
Overview: Participants are split into four mixed sub-groups according to their dominant DiSC. Each group must work together to accomplish a challenging goal with a tight time deadline. Each team is given a collection of PVC pipes with connectors and must assemble a single, interconnected structure so that no holes are left open. Each sub-group will work independently on this project.
Outcomes: This activity is rich in outcomes. Reading for comprehension and following the rules, organizing your workspace and equipment, taking inventory (of items and team talents), working as a team, using all the available information, taking care of the team vs. getting the job done, starting over if necessary, empowering other team members, and celebrating a job well done are some of the possibilities.
Barnga
Overview: Barnga explores communication challenges across cultures and teams. While playing this simulation game, players realize that despite good intentions, people interpret things differently in profound ways. Players learn that they must understand and reconcile these differences in order to become a functioning team.
Outcomes: By highlighting how different teams, cultures and individuals interpret their culture as the “correct” culture – Barnga leads to discussions on cultural beliefs and behaviors that teams and individuals regress into when stress increases.
Goals, Learning and Blockers Discussion
Overview: The team will be split into four sub-groups to discuss what was gained from the team training, what they wish to take back to the workplace and what will block the team from actualizing their goals. They will be asked to write these Goals, Leanings and blockers on various objects.
Corona of Convergence
Overview: The subgroups will be lead to an area with a focus ring (one for each group). They will be asked to rest their Learning ball on a piece of PVC pipe. The teams are challenged with transferring their learning ball off the PVC pipe and placing it on the other teams’ pipe.
Outcomes: the group will focus of communicating goals and processes to completion. By transferring the learning goals into actualization this creates a stronger transference of knowledge to the team skills.
Recap and Now What?
Overview: Participants are shown a series of pictures on cards. Participants are then asked to choose three cards with a picture that metaphorically symbolize their individual past, present and future of the team.
The group will then discuss and choose a final three cards that represent the past, present and future of the entire organization.
Outcomes: This is an excellent closing activity as each person declares their personal insight from the day and states their commitment on what they will do to take their team to the next level. The team deciding their future gives them ownership over the outcomes and supports a team community.
...This DiSC 2.0 corporate team building agenda is to serve only as a sample. Create-Learning Team Building creates a customized Team Development program for your team. We realize that your team is unique and deserves a unique team building program.
- Michael Cardus serves as an Adventure Consultant for Create-Learning Team Building. Mike facilitates, trains, and speaks to groups in a variety of settings including Fortune 500 Companies, small business, universities and classrooms. Currently he lives in Buffalo NY, he travels to serve your groups needs - where and when your group desires.
