What do I do with the assessment data?
The two assessment tools and the indicators adapted from the “Is Yours a Learning Organization?” can provide you and your team with a diverse array of data and information. This section now provides some ideas on next steps. There is no absolute right or wrong here. The main point is to have productive conversations and dialogue with all team members and for the team to chart a course together that they have co-created and agreed to try out for three to four months. At this point, the chosen assessment tools (Team Performance Model and/or the Initial Scan) can be repeated and a comparison to the team’s original “baseline” can be compared and discussed with the team.
I FEEL OVERWHELMED—TOO MANY CHOICES!
It is not unusual to feel overwhelmed when choosing how to follow up on the assessment results. The main point is for the team to commit to doing something and agreeing to schedule a follow-up review meeting!
We recommend that all teams consider adopting the following three practices as a way to maintain psychological safety and optimal team functioning. The power and impact of these practices in combination have a synergistic and “multiplier” effect over time.
Checking in and Checking Out
This basic strategy is strongly encouraged for all teams to incorporate into their daily schedule. Some teams check in at the beginning of the day while other teams commit to a check-out at the end of the day.
The “Mistake of the Month” Ritual
The goal of this focused conversation is to shift the team from a “culture of blame” to one that supports taking risks and learning from mistakes. This ritual can be incorporated into a staff meeting once a month.
Review Meeting
Every three months, teams and work groups are encouraged to set aside time to schedule a Review Meeting. This meeting focuses on the accomplishments of the team; hence, it has a celebratory quality that supports team accomplishments and establishes the groundwork for the team's future efforts in light of both its accomplishments and current challenges. The review meeting also focuses on where the team is struggling. With honest dialogue about its strengths and challenges as a foundation, the team charts a course for the next three months.
References
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Edmondson, A.C. & Moingeon, B. (1998). “From Organizational Learning to the Learning Organization.” Management Learning, 29 (1), 5–20.
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Garvin, D.A, Edmondson, A.C. & Gino, F. (2008). Is Yours a Learning Organization? Harvard Business Review, 109–116.
Janus, I.L. (1982). Groupthink: Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascos. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
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