The Team Interview Technique
The Team Interview is a simple and useful technique because your group members are useful resources for team building. While team building guides offer general advice, your teammates can provide more relevant and specific information.
Many team building styles exist and not every approach will work well for your team. By talking to your teammates before forming a plan of attack, you can save time by eliminating methods which are unlikely to achieve results.
You can gather your team’s opinions and ideas by taking a formal survey or by initiating informal conversations.
Helpful questions to ask:
- What kinds of team building activities interest you?
- What is your ideal team?
- What are our team’s current strengths and weaknesses?
- What kinds of changes would you like to see within our team?
Consulting the team grants members autonomy in the team building process. Instead of viewing team building as an obligation, teammates will recognize team building as a democratic and collaborative effort.
Employees are more likely to assume ownership and take interest if you actively involve the group in the decision. By seeking your team’s advice you communicate respect, and respect is the cornerstone of teamwork.
When you openly value your team members, your teammates’ satisfaction and output will increase.
Lastly, it is important not only to ask your teams’ opinions before team building, but also to ask for feedback during and after activities. Team building is a continual process, and you can only gauge effectiveness and improve the system when you know which components are working.
