Introduction
The core tenet of social capital is the belief that well-developed relationships are invaluable assets to an organization. When people understand not just themselves but their interdependence with one another, teams function at an elevated level.
People commonly come to workplaces based on their content knowledge and skillsets, but what about their ability to work with others? It is up to good leadership to move individuals out of their respective, specialized foci and into greater awareness of the social system of the organization.
Our Team Harmonics program offers workgroups an opportunity to explore various dimensions of their group dynamics with the goal of elevating their social capital. It begins by allowing individuals to more fully understand themselves and then broadens outward into the development of team dynamics.
From Me To We
Self-awareness is the starting point for any personal development. If we want to improve performance, as individuals, in teams, or as leaders, we’ve got to know who we are and how we function.
The MBTI framework gives people a simple and accessible way to become more self-aware. It helps them identify their personality preferences and understand their potential strengths and development areas. In that way, the MBTI begins with ME.
And because it provides a common language for everyone to talk about commonalities and differences, it puts everyone at the same level. With that equal footing established, the tool can then be used to explore common challenges to team dynamics, including:
- communications
- leadership
- decision making
- change management
- stress and resilience
- conflict
Such is the flexibility and usefulness of the MBTI - it begins with ME and evolves to WE.
Program Structure
There are three distinct phases to the Team Harmonics program.
- Scaffolding - an introductory learning of the context of the organization such that the program can be most suitably targeted to organizational needs
- Assessment - a certified, standardized process to help team members clearly determine their MBTI type preferences
- Dynamics - as targeted in the Scaffolding, an analysis of the assessment phase on team dynamics and exploration of implications
Each of the program phases is explained in more detail below.
Phase 1 - Scaffolding
The program will begin with an initial meeting by which:
- the purpose, scope and sequence of the program are explained
- the nature of the client's enterprise and needs of the team are shared
Following this time of establishing context and goals, a full project framework document will be sent to the coordinator(s) within the client organization. Once that document is agreed upon and signed, the program will continue into the Assessment phase.
SETTING: One session, structured either virtually or, optimally, in person
TIMING: Typically 30-45 minutes
Phase 2 - Assessment
The Assessment phase provides each member of the participating team with an opportunity to engage in the established three-step process of MBTI type preferencing. This process employs official Myers-Briggs instruments and materials and is overseen by a certified MBTI practitioner at Find Your Hum.
STEP 1
Time will be spent in this first step providing participants with a clear understanding of the purpose of the program as well as the MBTI tool itself.
This is an important first step to make sure everybody is fully ready to engage in the process so as to ensure the full benefits of it.
SETTING: In person or virtual, with an initial gathering of all participants for context setting and logistics. Online assessments are then taken individually.
TIMING: The orientation meeting requires 30-45 minutes depending on the group size. Participants should expect online assessments to take 15-20 minutes.
Each participant within the group will be emailed instructional materials and a link by which to complete their online assessment.
Once instructions and links have been emailed to participants, Find Your Hum will monitor assessment completions and communicate with the client organization coordinator.
STEP 2
In this second step, the group will have an opportunity to learn about the MBTI model and each of the four preference pairs. Once the model is explained, participants will be asked to identify their predicted preferences.
When individual predicted types are established, each participant will receive a printed copy of their assessed type. Time will then be provided in which to explore these results and compare them to predicted type.
This step proves to be both enlightening and enjoyable for participants, as it is a time of self discovery.
SETTING: In person, with space for presentation
TIMING: 90-120 minutes, depending on group size
STEP 3
The final step of the Assessment phase is the critical determination of each participant's best fit type, which is determined after the consideration of both predicted and assessed type. Ambiguities and clarity shortcomings are worked through so that each participant can proceed confidently with their type and its implications for the next program phase.
In cases where the clarity index for one or more type preference is low, participants will be provided with supplementary materials by which to further sharpen their type clarity.
This final step is both challenging and rewarding to participants, as it brings deeper and more assured self awareness.
SETTING: In person, directly following the previous step
TIMING: 30-60 minutes depending on group size
Following the assessment phase, Find Your Hum will begin to extrapolate individual preferences into an aggregated group profile. Once these materials have been developed the program can continue into its third and final phase. An intermediate conversation with the program point person(s) may be necessary to most fully prepare the final Dynamics phase.
Phase 3 - Dynamics
The scope and structure of this final "payoff" phase will be determined with from plans established in the Scaffolding as well as any important learnings during the Assessment phase.
A key launch point for the Dynamic phase is the presentation of the Type Table, which identifies preference commonalities and differences across the entire group.
SETTING: In person with room for presentation and group discussion
TIMING: Typically 90-120 minutes, depending on structure and group size
Development Areas
Once individual preferences are understood, the MBTI tool provides great flexibility for further exploration into team dynamics. The following section suggests areas for investigation that can be enlightened by the MBTI.
Communication
All four type pairs contribute to preferences for communication. The MBTI lets you explore how to:
- manage in-person discussions
- balance written and verbal communication
- be cognizant of conceptual and practical parts of communication
- recognize and manage convergent and divergent thinking
Change Management
How change is initiated within and then adopted across organizations is heavily influenced by the Sensing function (S/N) and the Outer World Orientation attitude (P/J) of the MBTI.
It can be hugely impactful to know how each group might contribute to or act in opposition to organizational change, and the MBTI helps identify how different type preferences respond to change.
Stress and Resilience
Because of its inherent structure, the MBTI model has opposites within it. Therefore, what works for some people is going to be more challenging for others.
Identifying these differences and bringing them to light within a team can help reduce a "one size fits all" mentality and alleviate stress for all types.
Conflict
The Judging function (T/F) can help illuminate differences in how people prefer to manage conflict. For some, conflict is a problem to be solved. For others, it is an environment to be avoided altogether.
There is a companion tool to the MBTI entitled the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) that can be used to more thoroughly explore people's tendencies for managing conflict.
Onboarding
Organizational growth and turnover mean that new employees will be coming aboard. Some will want detailed, established job descriptions while others will prefer to learn from peers or mentors. The MBTI tool helps leaders and hiring personnel best tune onboarding experiences and resources to different personality types.
Work Environment
Comfort, satisfaction and productivity are all impacted by work environment. Like with communications, one size does not fit all across MBTI preferences.
The MBTI tool provides an excellent basis by which to discuss work spaces and their impacts on employees. Remote, hybrid, on-site - different types respond to these working environments differently.
Provided Materials and Resources
Find Your Hum will provide the following materials to support the Team Harmonics program:
Participant Level
In coordination with the program Scaffolding, each team member will receive:
- Instructions and links for completing their online MBTI assessment
- A personalized Interpretive Report, along with the interactive MBTI app
- Links to reference materials for further study and clarification
Coordinator Level
The client program coordinator will be provided:
- A customized program design, provided after the Scaffolding
- A completed Team Type Table, provided after the Step 2 interpretation
- An Executive Summary, highlighting key points of consideration and implication
Program Time and Cost
The Team Harmonics program is fully customizable and scalable. An initial cost-free consultation can help establish the desired scope and structure of the program. Program time can extend across a number of months or be abbreviated down to a combination of condensed virtual and in-person sessions.
A full cost estimate will be provided following the initial consultation.
Let's Get Started!
Find Your Hum is ready to help you custom design your Team Harmonics program. It promises to be a great investment in your people - knowing them better and more fully aligning them to your mission. Please use the contact options below to get the possibilities started!
Email Tim Sassen - tim@findyourhum.com