case study - team building / planning

The Brief

Following a series of management changes, the personnel department of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service needed to regroup and plan for the future, ensuring that their departmental plan responded to the higher level service plan.  The needs for team building and smoother working practices were identified to ensure the department grew in confidence and in a cohesive way to realise its potential and take on the challenges facing it. 

Outcome

This project demonstrates how team building initiatives, based around problem-solving activities, can benefit individuals, teams and organisations.  Through a series of workshops, the major issues facing the team were identified and an ideal future was described.  A strategic plan, linked to the organisational plan, was developed, which identified resource requirements, underlying assumptions and prioritised actions.  The methodology and style of intervention were received positively by staff due to the insights provided and the constructive nature of the programme.

Methodology

A series of 1:1s were held with all members of the department to identify issues which were compromising effective team-working and preventing individuals from realising their full potential.  In parallel the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® was used to provide individuals with insights into their preferred behaviour and describe the team type.  A “future pull” exercise was used to describe the ideal future and provide context for the strategic plan.  FIRO-B provided the basis for a mentoring plan.

Client Feedback

The project was tailored to our particular needs and culture.  This enabled us to focus on how the Personnel Department could work more productively as a team by building on our strengths and constructively addressing our weaknesses in a supportive environment. 

Jenny McNeill – Human Resources Manager

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service