The Team Building Objectives

• Creative programs for your team, resulting in cohesive care giving teams, and increased employee retention and motivation.
• Break down barriers for greater trust and team inter-dependence.
• Improve interpersonal communication skills and establish dialogue
• Provide a forum for the team to evaluate strengths and weaknesses.
• Determine problems in the team's behavior and suggest corrective actions to be taken.
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities of the members.
• Assess their role in the group and understand how that contributes to the overall group objective.
• Develop specific team processes such as decision-making and conflict management.
• Improve problem-solving strategies.
• Allow the group to engage in a continuous process of self-improvement .

Our Philosophy

The dentist must set a clear vision and direction for his/her practice, effectively influence and motivate others, and work collaboratively to make key strategic business decisions. We work with the dental leader to build a higher level of executive interaction and interdependency for more creative business solutions. These interactions include building:

• Mutual trust, shared beliefs and values;
• Open and direct conflict resolution;
• Common base of information and establishing channels of information and knowledge sharing between executives;
• Flexibility and responsiveness
• Recognition of individual contributions and collective contribution.

Our Approach

Our team-building model is assessment-based, practical, and results-oriented. It combines scientifically valid instruments with interactive exercises and facilitated discussions to enlighten, energize, and motivate team members to develop inter-dependence for business growth. Although there are common elements to our programs, each is customized for the organization’s specific needs.

The Team Building Program is a two-day process. This is an intense time to build the foundation for group cohesion and accountability. Team members learn about their individual style and its impact on the group dynamics. They will explore core competencies that team members need in order to function effectively as a unit. They will identify their mission with specific business metrics. The agenda will allow practice opportunities for skill development. Team activities and simulations provide an understanding of group dynamics and the important elements of effective teamwork. Follow-on meetings, individual coaching, and departmental training are available as needed to sustain the learning from the initial team-building program. The end result is new levels of understanding and cooperation.

Developing Awareness

To build and maintain an effective dental team demands an understanding of individual differences, the general needs of team members, and the dynamics of group process. It also requires an awareness of practice, the goals of the team, and the goals and roles of individual team members.

Team members will complete three assessment instruments prior to the first session. Results will be distributed during the retreat.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and combined results will be analyzed to produce a team profile. This profile provides important insights into the different preferences and behavior tendencies of team members, and establishes a foundation for enhanced team effectiveness. This assessment ensures that members of a team understand different styles of perceiving information, communicating, and making decisions. The test results demonstrate that interpersonal differences are not assaults or conflicts. In fact, these differences are sources of strength for an effective team. These ensure that members of the teamwork together more effectively, leveraging team relationships based upon understanding and respect.

The Seligman Attributional Style Questionnaire (SASQ) measures optimism and persistence under adversity. People with high optimism scores have the drive and energy to persevere against the odds, and to succeed. In essence, the test measures a person’s belief system or explanatory style – how they explain events that they experience and whether they are resilient to setbacks.

The Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B) provides insight into a person's degree of interpersonal understanding on several levels. It measures three fundamental dimensions of interpersonal relationships: inclusion, control and affection. The Inclusion dimension assesses the degree to which a person associates with others, their sociability. The Control dimension reflects the extent to which a person assumes responsibility, makes decisions, or dominates people. The Affection dimension reflects the degree to which a person becomes emotionally involved with others, their openness.

Summary

• A team is a group of people working towards a common goal
• Team building is a process of enabling the team to achieve that goal
• The stages involved in team building including clarifying the goal, identifying the inhibitors and removing them.

Outcome Objectives

• High level of interdependence among members
• Leader has good people skills and is committed to team approach
• Each member is willing to contribute
• A relaxed climate for communication
• Members develop a mutual trust
• The group and individuals are prepared to take risks
• Group is clear about goals and establishes targets
• Member roles are defined
• Members know how to examine errors without personal attacks
• The group has capacity to create new ideas
• Each member knows she/he can influence the agenda