This document outlines an approach for building effective teams through facilitated dialogue. The approach aims to help team members address issues like trust, understanding, communication, cooperation and bonding that can impact a team's effectiveness. It involves participants sharing perspectives on thinking styles, communication preferences, work ethos and expectations to develop greater understanding and trust. An after action review follows to assess and reinforce outcomes. The program is generally 1-2 days of facilitated dialogue followed by a half or full day review within 1-3 months. The intended benefits are enhanced relationships, improved communication and cooperation, and better synergies and results.

1. © Mind Evolution, 2016
Building Effective Teams
Whether a functional unit within an organisation or a cross-functional committee, the
effectiveness of the team depends on the optimisation of synergies possible with the
collective competencies that its constituent members possess as individuals. That
optimisation in turn is contingent upon the ability of the constituent members of a team to
overcome the impediments posed by issues of trust, understanding, communication,
cooperation and bonding.
This programme is developed to enhance the effectiveness of teams by helping their members address and
overcome the issues of trust, understanding, communication, cooperation and bonding.
Approach
1. Facilitated Dialogue (1-2 Day)
 Participants include all members of a team
however it may be defined;
a. Functional Business Unit / Sub-Unit
b. Cross-Functional Team /
Committee
c. Project or Working Team /
Committee
 Participants engage in facilitated dialogue
to share and discuss;
a. Their Thinking Styles
b. Their Communication Styles &
Preferences
c. Their Personal Work Ethos
d. Desired Team Culture
e. Expectations on Team Dynamics
f. Expectations of Themselves
g. Expectations of Each Other
 Participants are also guided by the
facilitator to “Break the Ice” at a deeper
level to understand each other better to be
able to develop greater trust and bonding.
2. After Action Review (AAR)
 Assess & Reinforce Outcomes
About The Facilitator
Harish Shah is a seasoned Team Builder and
Coach who prior to coaching teams has himself
been personally involved in a wide variety of
teams in varying capacities including leadership;
from captaining inter-varsity debate teams to
chairing cross-functional committees in the
workplace. His Coaching and Consulting interests
include Communication, Diversity and
Organisational Structure & Design. He has
worked with both Private and Public Sector
entities. Harish’s educational background is in
Corporate Communication, Human Resource
Management, Industrial Relations and Marketing.
Benefits
 Enhanced Relationships within Teams
 Improved Team Communication, Cooperation
and Coordination
 Better Synergies leading to Better Results
Effort
The programme generally requires a 1-2 hour
preliminary discussion with the client to assess
needs, followed by a facilitated dialogue over 1-2
days depending on team size. This in turn is
followed by a half-day or full-day AAR, depending
on client requirements, between the 1 and 3
months after the dialogue.
Contact
Please write to harish_shah@mind-evol.com or call +65 94510637 if you would like to find out more.