This document discusses developing team culture. It defines team culture as the basic pattern of shared assumptions, values and beliefs considered to be the correct way of thinking about and acting on problems and opportunities facing the team. It discusses elements of team culture, the purpose of culture, and key dimensions of organizational culture. It provides exercises for describing a team's culture and outlines a team values charter process for building team identity. The overall document provides strategies and tools for developing and shaping team culture.

1. Dr Tim Baker
tim@winnersatwork.com.au
www.winnersatwork.com.au
Developing Team
Culture

2. Unit 1—Characteristics of
High Performing Teams
Unit 2—The Four Stages of
Team Development
Unit 3—Tools for Leading
Teams
Unit 4—The Roles People Play
in Teams
Unit 5—Managing Team
Conflict and Negotiations
Unit 6—Developing Team
Culture

3. Conflict &
Negotiation
Options

4. Your homework Practice using all five
styles

5. What is culture?
Strategies for
developing team
culture
Team identity

6. Team Culture Defined
The basic pattern of shared assumptions, values and
beliefs considered to be the correct way of thinking about
and acting on problems and opportunities facing the team.

7. Elements of Team Culture

8. What is
the
purpose
of culture?
Serves as a
sense-
making and
control
mechanism
Defines the
boundary
Sense of
identity
Commitment
beyond self-
interest
Stability

9. Exercise …
 If you had to describe your team as a
colour, what colour would it be and why?
 If you had to describe your team as an
animal, what animal would it be and why?
 If you had to describe your team as a
motor vehicle, what vehicle would it be
and why?

10. Key
Dimensions of
Organizational
Culture
Individual initiatives – the degree of responsibility, freedom, & independence that individuals
have
Risk tolerance – the degree to which employees are encouraged to be aggressive, innovative, &
risk-taking
Direction – the degree to which the team creates clear objectives performance expectations
Integration – the degree to which the team is encouraged to operate in a coordinated manner
Management contact – the degree to which the manager provide clear communication,
assistance & support to their team members
Control – the degree of rules & regulations & the amount of direct supervision that are used to
oversee & control employee behaviour
Identity – the degree to which members identify with the organisation as a whole rather than
with their particular work group or field of professional expertise
Reward system – the degree to which reward allocations are based on employee performance
criteria
Conflict tolerance – the degree to which employees are encouraged to air conflicts & criticisms
openly
Communication patterns – the degree to which organisational communications are restricted
to the formal line hierarchy of command
(Robbins & Barnwell, 1989)

11. Ambidextrous Organization

12. Organizational agility model
Baker, T. (2018) Performance management for agile organizations

13. Team Values Charter
• Each member of the group write their responses to each of the following
questions:
1. What is one value that is important to you when working in groups and
teams? e.g., respect.
2. What is your definition of that value? e.g., respect is when people are
prepared to listen to others, even when they may not agree with their
point-of-view.
3. Why is that value important to you? e.g., I like to feel that I am respected
and my opinions valued when working with others.
4. What behaviours would be consistent with this value? e.g., not
interrupting someone else when they speak.

14. Team Identity
• Bridging
• Buffering
• Building

15. Your homework Implement a team
culture strategy

16. Unit 1—Characteristics of
High Performing Teams
Unit 2—The Four Stages of
Team Development
Unit 3—Tools for Leading
Teams
Unit 4—The Roles People Play
in Teams
Unit 5—Managing Team
Conflict and Negotiations
Unit 6—Developing Team
Culture