Moving teams forward requires a baseline of organizational wellness. Otherwise, valuable energy is spent navigating interpersonal and political urgencies rather than digging in to the tasks at hand. A simple assessment of team health illuminates a path to baseline wellness. In order for time and talent to be well spent, a solid foundation of effective teaming must be in place. This platform is anchored by ten essential strengths.
Use a simple Likert scale to rate each domain from 1-5 with 5 representing organizational health:
- Establish consistent team norms
- Secure alignment with organizational mission
- Practice constructive conflict
- Create a connection-friendly workplace
- Exercise respect in all interactions
- Commit to unwavering accountability
- Grant permission to take risks
- Embrace differences to fuel innovation
- Manage change with maturity
- Discover new opportunities
Scoring: total the ratings in each of the ten domains
35-50: You have a healthy team – forge ahead!
25-35: Address areas of vulnerability before investing time and talent.
10-25: You have a broken team – craft a plan to get well.
Of course, this measurement is too general to inform what actions best support your team’s health. A diagnosis, by itself, does not tell you what to do to elevate a strength or mitigate a weakness. It is, however, the right starting point.
