Content:
The Team Learning Coach introduces team members to group skills: reflection, exploring each others' views, coming to consensus and brainstorming. Team members are introduced to 10 statements as they begin their journey to becoming a High Performance Team:

In our team/work groups:

1. people speak openly and honestly, without fear of criticism
2. people honestly believe that it's okay to disagree
3. different points of view are invited and respected
4. we share a common vision of the future
5. people are encouraged to question assumptions - their own and others'
6. mistakes are viewed as valuable learning experiences
7. it's a safe place to take risks
8. people consistently use formal and informal means to share what they learn
9. people are encouraged, even rewarded, for eliminating policies and practices that inhibit them or others in the organization
10. people are committed to contributing and being actively involved in team activities (attending meetings, being on time, staying the course when things get tough)

Content:
Team members learn the four conflict styles (avoiding, accommodating, competing or collaborating) identified by Thomas-Kilmann and examine their own individual preferences. The Team explores the value of the collaborating mode. Team members also explore their uniqueness and how valuing these differences can benefit the team. The differences between idea and belief conflicts are explored, with team members identifying subjects they agree will not be discussed in the workplace (creating a neutral zone). The team also creates team groundrules for conflict resolution and personal action plans for becoming more collaborative.

Tangible Results:

• The team agrees Neutral Zone-topics the team will not discuss to avoid           conflicts that could arise from differences in fundamental beliefs.
• The team creates its Team Groundrules for addressing conflict.
• Individual team members develop a Personal Action Plan to focus on being           more collaborative with team members, co-workers, clients and suppliers.

Content:
Team members are introduced to the steps necessary for preparing and presenting a proposal as well as an action plan for implementing these new skills. They analyze the listener's needs, determine the conclusions the listener must arrive at and the proofs that will be required to be persuasive. In addition, team members identify work-related situations where they can apply these new skills.

Tangible Results:

• The team develops an Action Plan for presenting its proposal, including action           steps the team will take if the proposal is approved or turned down.
• The team, or one of its members, presents its proposal for improving a           work-related situation to the person with authority to approve or recommend the           proposal.
• Individuals identify another work-related situation where they would benefit by           being persuasive.

Content:
Team members explore the elements of good coaching: objectivity, feedback, respect and sensitivity to the type and timing of coaching. Team members practice the new skills on each other, learn to ask for coaching and develop an action plan to give and receive feedback more often, including a daily performance notebook.

Tangible Results:

Each team member is asked to:

• coach a team member or co-worker.
• ask for coaching from a team member or co-worker.
• develop an Action Plan to give feedback and ask for feedback more often.
• keep a daily performance notebook as a record of his/her personal           accomplishments and plans for improvement.

Content:
Prior to implementing this module, the organization must research the behaviors that WOW their customers. With the "delights" identified, the team uses this program to establish customer service standards to ensure that customers are delighted every time. The Team Learning Coach (using a special Coach Guide) then recaps the output from all teams for team review and evaluation based on whether they meet customer need, would not cause negative reaction, are possible to deliver every time, and are within the team's authority to implement. The standards rated highest are then adopted by the full business unit.

Tangible Results: (The organization researches what delights its customers with respect to service.)

• Each team proposes customer service standards to meet the prescribed           customer delights.
• Each team prioritizes all proposed standards according to guidelines.
• The standards rated highest are the ones the business unit adapts to meet the           various customer delights.

Content:
Team members learn about closed and open questions, active listening and explore physical barriers to listening. Team members learn to use the effective listening worksheet and establish personal action plans for improved learning. The team also agrees on a Listening Contract.

Tangible Results:

• The team establishes a Listening Contract.
• Individual team members develop a Personal Action Plan to set out specific           plans for using the four Effective Listening skills at work:
• Structuring information
• Questioning techniques
• Paraphrasing to confirm understanding
• Empathetic listening to deal with the emotional messages

In addition, the team examines both physical and emotional barriers to good listening in their work environment.

Content:
With the help of the interactive Negotiation Coach software, team members apply the skills taught in this program to an actual on-the-job negotiating situation. The team learns how to generate and analyze the information needed to effectively prepare for a negotiation, including developing a strategy and tactics appropriate to their situation and using interpersonal skills to establish rapport and develop a relationship with their counterpart(s). The team learns the importance of conceding and compromising skills in order to reach a solution that is mutually satisfactory to both parties, and the importance of preserving the relationship when it is not possible to reach agreement.

Computer Software:
An expert system in Windows format that guides your planning through the negotiating process. It asks key questions and creates an outline for your negotiation to ensure you are properly prepared. For demo of negotiating software see: E Coaching Software

Content:
Team members explore the power of giving recognition and identify areas in which they can recognize the performance of their staff. Using the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Worksheet, team members explore the effect their behaviors have on their staff. The team discusses what behaviors merit recognition, discover the most important factors to job satisfaction, discuss how those factors can be achieved and come up with new ideas for giving recognition. Using a Recognition Log, team members develop an action plan for providing recognition and assisting their subordinates to improve their performance.

Tangible Results:

• Drawing on each other's knowledge and creativity, the team develops a list of           ideas and techniques for providing recognition to their employees and each           other.
• Individual team members identify specific people they feel deserve recognition           and using the Recognition Log, develop an action plan.
• Plan to improve the performance of your weakest performer by reviewing your           Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, vis-a-vis that person.

Content:
Team members explore the power of giving recognition and identify areas in which they can recognize the performance of their colleagues. They benchmark their communications skills, discover the team's shared values and learn the guidelines for giving and receiving feedback (which are to be applied in subsequent team learning experiences as well as on the job). The team discusses what behaviors merit recognition, discover the most important factors to job satisfaction, discuss how those factors can be achieved and come up with new ideas for giving recognition. Using a Recognition Log, team members develop an action plan for providing recognition and assisting their colleagues to improve their performance.

Tangible Results:
Individual team members assess their own "active listening" skills and identify areas they need to improve. Drawing on each other's knowledge and creativity, the team develops a list of ideas and techniques for providing recognition to their colleagues and each other. Individual team members identify specific people they feel deserve recognition and using the Opportunities for Giving Recognition Log, develop an action plan.

Content:
Understanding basic business practices and accounting principles can help team members read and evaluate business plans for their unit and the company. Working with actual business unit reports, team members learn basic accounting terms, how to read and analyze a balance sheet and income statement, how to interpret periodic results and how their organization monitors its business practices and measures success. Upon completing the unit, team members are expected to review the business unit's monthly reports to identify significant variances, explain the causes and identify corrective actions. Organizations are encouraged to customize the content of this unit to reflect the key elements of business relevant to their industry or business sector.

Tangible Results:

• With a basic introduction to fundamental accounting principles, the learning           teams begin to practise how they can control or influence the key elements of           your business.
• Working with actual business unit reports and the company's latest annual           report, they interpret periodic results and take corrective action within their           responsibility.



Each person develops plans to review the business unit's monthly reports to:



• identify significant variances within their control.
• explain why those variances occurred.
• take corrective action to reverse negative trends.

Content:
The video in this program presents the difficult decision President Kennedy faced during the Cuban missile crisis. Team members complete each step of the decision-making process as if they were among the President's advisors. Team members learn the six steps to good decision-making: clarify the purpose, define success criteria, generate choices, troubleshoot the choice selected and identify actions to take to implement it (codified in the Go/No-Go Decision Form and the Making Decisions Form).

Tangible Results:

• The team has a choice of a final activity to practice using the six-step           decision-making process. The team can choose to focus on a Work-Related           Decision or to complete The Citizen's Award exercise.
• In either scenario, the team is expected to follow and complete the Making           Decisions Form to arrive at a decision that all can support.

Content:
Being conscious of feelings and reactions to change and understanding that managing change requires deliberate action are vital parts of being in control of change rather than being a victim of it. Team members explore coping techniques to reduce stress and anxiety in each stage of the Transition Process: endings, neutral zone and new beginnings. The team takes concrete steps to help its members take control of their own situation in relation to a specific work-related and/or personal change situations.

Tangible Results:

• The team agrees on a work-related change situation that currently affects most           or all of the team members. The team plots its position on the Transitions           Road Map at the start of the program and measures its progress on the same           map at the end of the program.
• Every person on the team completes a deliberate series of introspective,           thought provoking exercises to analyze his or her reactions and use proven           coping techniques to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Through a series of discussions, brainstorming activities, and decision-making           exercises, the team takes concrete steps to help its members take control of           their own situation, rather than be victims of it.



Specifically, the team:



• decides how the team will mark the ending for its work-related change           situation and then makes it happen.
• decides which techniques to adopt to reduce anxiety during The Neutral           Zone and then implements those deemed best suited.
• decides how the team will symbolize New Beginnings and celebrate           successes and then adopts those practices.

Content:
Designed for Account Teams and individual sales people, this program focuses on the new realities of sales. It examines the fact that the "deal" is not over when the contract is signed but rather requires team support to deliver continuous customer service and partnering with the client to ensure satisfaction. The team will examine all phases of the sales cycle, as well as the customer's decision-making process, develop profiles of its customers, identify additional information needed and brainstorm ways to deliver value-added service

Tangible Results:

• The team establishes an Action Plan for setting an effective sales call, from           pre-call planning, opening the call, investigating customer needs, handling           objections, gaining commitment and establishing a follow-up plan.
• Account teams complete customer profiles in the Sales Call Planner to identify           which conclusions and proofs will meet customer needs.
• Teams review the list of ideas brainstormed and determine ways for the team           to maintain communications with the customer and add value to cement the           relationship.

Content:
Focusing on an existing work routine or practice, the team works to complete a
Plan Protector, identifying people who will be affected by the plan, problems that might arise, solutions for potential problems and contingency plans. In the process, team members explore the elements of a plan, the specific objects that a plan must meet to be successful and how to accomplish those steps.

Tangible Results:

• The team completes an Action Plan for revising an existing work routine or           developing a project plan.
• The team completes a Plan Protector to identify people who will be affected by           the plan and potential problems that might arise.
• The team identifies solutions and defines additional action steps to avoid the           problems or to use as contingency plans.

Content:
Using the Problem Solving Process, the team learns nine steps to successful problem-solving: define the problem in terms of what is happening and what should be happening; do research and conduct a cause and effect analysis; determine the most likely cause of the problem; generate ideas for potential solutions; evaluate solutions systematically; choose the best solution; develop an action plan; implement the plan; and evaluate the results. Team members practice the techniques and new tools on real work issues. The video for this program features a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Watch how the famous Sleuth uses our problem solving techniques to solve " The Mystery of the Morgue".

Tangible Results:

• The team develops an Action Plan for implementing a solution to a           work-related problem.
• The team sets a date to meet again to evaluate the results after the plan has           been implemented.
• Individual team members are instructed to select the personal or work-related           problem that bothers them most and to plan when they will use the Problem           Solving Process to tackle the problem.

Content:
"What a waste of ! arghh??" is an outcome of too many meetings. In this program, team members learn the basics of successful meetings, including preparing an agenda, leading the meeting, handlings disruptions and contributing as a participant.

Tangible Results:

• The team develops an agenda for an upcoming meeting, circulates it to critical           participants, conducts the meeting and evaluates the results.
• Teams that do not have plans to conduct a meeting in the near future are           guided to select one of the following options:


• Plan to meet with the Coach or Manager to discuss what's working, what's not,           and share ideas on resolving problems they're having.
• Plan to report specific measurable results the team members have achieved           on the job by applying skills they have learned through Team Learning.

Content:
Team members learn the basic steps in team development: forming, storming, norming and performing. Using these principles, the team then develops Team Task Groundrules and Team People Groundrules to move their team forward. Team members also revisit the guidelines for Coming to Consensus, in great depth. The team then establishes a Team Goal and Action Plan for achieving the goal. If the learning team is not an intact work team, the Team Learning Coach can coach the team on using the principles to achieve individual goals..

Tangible Results:

• The team establishes a Team Goal that is specific, attainable and           measurable.
• The team develops an Action Plan for achieving the Team Goal.
• The team establishes and documents its own Task Groundrules for working           effectively together.

Content:
This comprehensive program brings the principles of Peter Senge's "The Fifth Discipline" into practice. It is designed to improve group performance and results by bringing the methods and tools of Systems Thinking, Mental Models and Shared Vision into the context of the team's work. Teams learn how to use the Mental Models tools to create open, honest and meaningful conversations. Systems Thinking enables the team to analyze, describe and picture the interrelationships at work in complex situations. Teams create a Shared Vision to get off the problem-solving treadmill. Finally, teams examine how to integrate these tools into their day-to-day work to accomplish their goals..

Tangible Results:

• The team develops a shared vision of the results each member wants to create           and identifies the specific outcomes and daily tasks needed to accomplish           these results.
• Individuals identify ways to change patterns and systemic structures that inhibit           themselves and their team from achieving their vision.
• Team members use specific tools to analyze organizational practices,           work-related situations and their own assumptions and behaviours.           Awareness of their own mental models helps team members to create more           honest, open, meaningful conversations with each other.

For a full description of The Team Learning Lab see: The Team Learning Lab... A Transformational Experience