3. when does external team development make sense?

External team consulting always makes sense when team spirit is lacking. Get an outside perspective. A holistic view that looks at the entire value chain, processes and potential as well as the individual resources and points of friction in the team. If you know exactly what will help you the most and which bottlenecks and skills you want to target, you can decide what you can solve with your own resources and what you can get external support for.

3.1 Typical occasions for external team support are

• After a long phase of virtual collaboration, your team is now working in hybrid mode and you are looking for the right balance between online and face-to-face work as well as suitable working methods.
• Your team has changed in terms of personnel, has new team members or the tasks, roles and objectives have changed.
• A new manager takes over a team and wants to invest in team development right from the start.
• A temporary project team is formed and wants to define the temporary collaboration.
• Change processes are imminent in the company and the teams would like to be accompanied.
• A team is under a lot of pressure (e.g. due to prolonged illness, homeschooling or staff shortages) and is looking for relief.
• The team is very diverse and the team members want to benefit from each other.
• Different teams are brought together and are faced with the task of growing well together.
• There are open or hidden conflicts in the team that cannot be resolved alone.
• The management culture is to be made sustainable and competitive.
• Teams should work together in a more agile, flexible and efficient way.

4 What do teams need in times of upheaval and crisis?

 In times of upheaval, teams have the same needs as ever:

Trust, appreciation, collegiality, participation.

It is just much more urgent that cultures also meet these needs, because otherwise employees - feeling left alone - can collapse under the strain.

The pandemic has shone a glaring light on existing problems. Companies with a good culture have hardly suffered any losses as a result of the pressure to digitize and the additional burdens, or have even grown closer together. Companies with problematic or control-based management are now often faced with a shambles. Culture does not grow overnight and cannot be imposed. When a crisis comes, you have either already invested or not.

5 What role does the manager play in the team development process?

Managers should not be role models, managers are role models.

Their behavior is always taken as a guide for mutual interaction. However, managers must not only regulate their own behavior, but also defend the culture in the team. It is a truism that people leave managers and not positions. Leadership is a complex topic that requires regular investment and which, contrary to popular belief, no one has "in their DNA".

Because competencies are shifting further and further into the teams, the "promoted clerk as manager" has almost become obsolete.

Management must give second and third level managers more time for leadership and cannot deploy them 100% (or in reality often more) as administrators "on the side". The costs for the team friction processes come in through the back door

6 Why should companies invest in team coaching?

The highest cost factor in all companies - and one that does not appear on any balance sheet - is interpersonal friction and its consequences: sick days, working to rule, low morale, the departure of frustrated people, internal dismissal, competitive thinking, burnout, bullying.

According to surveys, the three most important criteria for jobseekers are:

If you don't offer that, you disappear from the job market. Salary ranks just 7th.
The good people don't want to put up with sluggish, destructive teams and leave. Other potential applicants don't even come because they read about the experiences employees have had on the review platforms.

7. what mistakes should you avoid when purchasing team development measures?

1. the first mistake is to believe that team development a) is not necessary or b) is not worthwhile.

Team members often have a better insight into requirements than managers. And basing decisions solely on return on investment (ROI), which is only measured in euros, falls short. The value of investment (VOI) is much more decisive precisely because the brand value of the company increases through the culture, talents come and stay and get more involved.

2 The second mistake is to go to the pharmacy without seeking medical advice first.

Only diagnosis and analysis ensure that the right measures are taken and the levers are applied in the right places. It costs more time and money to book seminars according to the watering can principle than to seek professional advice on an effective approach.

3) The third mistake is to assume that causes and symptoms can be permanently eliminated with selective measures.

If you make your body ill through many years of unfavorable behavior and simply "hand it over to the doctor" in the expectation that you can then simply carry on as before, you won't have to wait long for new problems. Those who (mostly) lead a healthy lifestyle stay healthy. It's the same with teams. With the addition that even a healthy team, like a sports team, will naturally improve and perform better through training and support.

8. how does team coaching with the trainers and coaches of the pme Work-Life Academy work?

8.1 Analysis of the team

Our team support begins with a detailed analysis of your team's potential and points of friction . In order to find the critical points, we use good measuring instruments and our experienced view from the outside as well as from the inside.
This only works in cooperation with the people who make up your team - including the manager.

In the next step, you define measurable, realistic goals and suitable methods with our support. Over time, input and implementation alternate. The team members apply what they have developed and come back with the experience they have gained. The team process is reflected upon and iteratively improved.

8.2 What methods are used in team development?

During the process, the resources are directed to the areas where they have the greatest leverage for improvement. In concrete terms, the measures ideally consist of team training, workshops, information impulses and individual coaching sessions in addition to the kick-off and closing events. Your team can turn to the trainer or coach in confidence at any time. A typical support period starts at two to three months and can also extend over a year or more.

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Mario Müller is a trainer and conference facilitator specializing in neurology, agile cooperation and improvisation. He has published several books on these topics and has worked for small and large companies on three continents.

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FAQ: Team Development & Team Building

1. What is team development?

Team development is a long-term, ongoing process in which teams systematically work on their collaboration, communication, and structures—usually with the support of experienced coaches.

2. When is it worth hiring an external team coach?

External team coaching is recommended when there are conflicts within the team, new challenges need to be addressed, the way the team works is changing significantly, or external input is needed.

3. What are some common mistakes in team development?

Common mistakes include failing to conduct a needs analysis, implementing measures that are too narrow in scope, focusing solely on ROI rather than sustainable value (VOI), and assuming that teams will develop “on their own.”

4. How does team development work with the pme Work-Life Academy?

The support process begins with an analysis of the team, sets measurable goals, combines training sessions, workshops, and coaching, and provides ongoing support to the team—usually over several months.

5. What is team building?

Team building involves specific activities designed to strengthen collaboration and trust within a team. Typical examples include a group escape room, a cooking class, a canoe trip, or improvisational theater. Team building is particularly beneficial after new teams are formed, during staff changes, or following extended periods of remote work. This helps teams build trust quickly and work together more effectively.

6. When is team building a good idea?

Team-building is recommended after new teams are formed or when there are personnel changes, in order to quickly build trust and foster collaboration.