Team Moments That Matter
Teams are essential in today's working world
Teamwork characterises our daily work. For many employees in larger organisations, teams are the most important point of reference and anchor point. This is because collaboration, problem-solving, innovation, learning, development and appreciation primarily take place in teams - even in top teams.
We have outlined our view of high-performing teams, the analogy to professional mountaineering teams and which questions should be asked and answered before setting out.
In the following article on high-performing teams, we explain what is important during the organisation and why.
"Team experience" is central to the success of teams
"Employee moments that matter" - the concept is derived from the "moments of truth" in customer journeys. We have observed promising approaches to this with some of our clients and see enormous potential for the development of employees and organisations.
Teams almost inevitably dominate everyday working life. The moments should therefore also be tailored to the team level. They have an enormous impact on the well-being, culture, resilience and performance of individual employees, teams and, consequently, entire organisations.
But what makes such specific moments? Let's take a look at our "hiking map" together:
Changes in the hiking group
A hiker joins or leaves the hiking group. It is then a matter of integrating new companions as quickly as possible and moderating departures in such a way that the team is not harmed (successful onboarding and offboarding). Joint reflection is also important: what do the changes mean for the team and its members in terms of roles, responsibilities, interfaces and development opportunities?
Tensions in the hiking group
A conflict arises within the hiking group. The first thing to do here is to make the trigger transparent. The aim is to clarify the different perceptions that caused the tensions. A clean-the-air meeting with clear conclusions, commitment and a view to the future can provide relief.
Mutual protection
Whether in normal hiking mode or on challenging climbing passages, trust is a key lever for team performance. Sometimes it is important to be able to let go freely, at other times it is vital to secure each other with a belay station and climbing rope. A leap of faith is necessary to build trust. Coaching is also required as soon as technically demanding passages have to be mastered. A good "mountain guide" works with continuous feedback and the example of a learning rope team ("learning organisation"), because the weakest member is always the limiting factor.
New energy is needed
Celebrating achievements is particularly important, whether on the way or at the destination, and is often underestimated. The summit photo, the entry in the summit book, even a snack with a magnificent view of the ascent route offer the opportunity to unwind together and reflect on the experience - all rituals that help to strengthen team cohesion and ensure mutual appreciation. This will energise you for new summit ascents!
And this is how you can design your individual "Team Experience"
People remember negative or stressful experiences more frequently, more intensively and in greater detail. Positive and empowering experiences often generate less friction and therefore less awareness. This makes it all the more important to work through such stress and learn from it for the future. This is best achieved together in an environment characterised by trust.
Whether moments are perceived positively or negatively is a question of perspective. It is therefore important to promote a shared understanding of the experience. This necessary initial exchange within the team can then be followed by a valuable discussion.
In theory, detecting, analysing and, above all, dealing with these moments may seem simple. In the real-life situation, however, it often takes some discipline and expertise to successfully implement them. On the way to becoming a high-performing team, however, these steps are essential.
So, use our walking map in your team routines to look back at the memorable events you had on your journey and how they were dealt with. On the other hand, it is also worth looking ahead. Think about what moments await you and how you can proactively organise them. In this way, you can promote empowering experiences and reduce or at least better moderate supposedly stressful stimuli. Stress tests can often offer real opportunities for development - for the team and for each individual.
Especially in volatile environments and uncertain terrain, "team moments that matter" can make the difference between success and failure. We hope that our hiking map can provide you with additional guidance.
We look forward to hearing about your experiences, comments and queries. Please contact us if you would like more detailed advice. Depending on your plans, we will be happy to accompany you as a hiking or climbing coach, sherpa, mountain guide or expedition planner.
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