Team Creation and Enhancement

Given the nature of NGO work and the values of people who are drawn to it, it is understandable that most NGOs have a strong orientation toward using teams as a way of organizing work groups. They do so in a variety of ways and for a broad array of purposes, but creating teams that achieve the high performance expected of them is a difficult process.

Our experience suggests that teams underperform when they are unaware of all the principles underlying a highly functioning team. Team development requires consistent commitment and steadfast follow-up in order to succeed. It is impossible to move a mediocre team to high performance or to lift a newly formed group to excellence with a one-day retreat. The results of such efforts are not substantial, and they do not last.

We can help when a work group defines itself as a team and wishes to improve both its performance and cohesion in order to become all that it is capable of being. We offer an integrated series of team enhancement and creation services that build on each other and result in substantive change.

Diagnostic Assessment
Workshops and Retreats
On-going Team Coaching
On-going Team Leader Coaching




Consulting Services

There is no question that forming teams is by far the most favored way for enterprises of all types—including humanitarian aid groups—to organize themselves to accomplish their work. But a work group does not become a team simply by proclaiming itself one. Team building requires considerable knowledge of how this transformation occurs, interpersonal skills not required in more traditional work groups, foresight in anticipating and overcoming hurdles to making this process work and a lot of hard work. Team building challenges are exacerbated by the fact that many leaders are neither trained, nor necessarily talented, in the art of teaming.

Because of our deep experience at forming teams in the international development and relief environment, we have developed a set of practices that help NGOs analyze their culture, examine their processes and relationships, and assess their operational problems. We have are also adept at helping organizations effectively present the findings to senior leadership to gain their commitment and support.