Team-building
Client need: Teaming to drive change
The top 200 managers of a large bank’s IT division were phenomenal contributors to the organization’s success — from the vantage point of their “silo.” But the bank was one year into a global unification initiative, and it was clear to the CIO that the initiative’s success would require these managers to develop as a leadership team — across silos, functional areas and geographical boundaries — and drive the transformation to “one bank.” They needed to connect with one another to share best practices and take joint ownership of the bank’s mission, and they needed to enhance their ability to communicate a unified leadership message and vision in ways that would inspire collaboration at every level of the technology organization.
We were asked to design a two-day experience to accomplish these goals. We knew that to have the results “stick,” we needed to engage the participants deeply, and provide a workshop that — beyond building necessary skills — allowed them to experience real growth: as people, as professionals, and as creative collaborators.
Our method: improvisation-based training and performance
Day One began with our actor/facilitators providing a brief demonstration of the impact of how a message is communicated: we performed a simple dialogue three times, in which the only change was in the intention and emotional state of the actors. The effect was humorous, but the point was clear: only a handful of the 200 participants knew at first that the dialogue was unchanged, and the stage was set for an exploration of the theatrical tools needed to create that kind of impact.
Then, we led all 200 participants in a series of improvisation exercises targeted at exercising their ability to connect with one another, respond creatively to varied and intensive sensory input, think on their feet and embrace the unexpected, listen actively, and tell vivid and powerful stories. This two-hour segment took them well outside their comfort zones, so we punctuated each exercise with a brief “check-in” conversation, to surface the underlying skills being built and their relevance to their work as a leadership team.
After lunch, we divided the group into 12 breakouts and gave them their afternoon’s assignment: Take two hours to conceptualize, create and rehearse a five-minute improvised play on the theme of the bank’s global change initiative. We provided a roadmap guiding them through the phases of the creative process (brainstorming story material, structuring their story, fleshing it out, staging their story, and rehearsal), and visited them at timed intervals to check on their progress and coach them through each phase.
They leaped into the task, quickly and cooperatively organizing themselves to involve everyone in the process. As their work progressed they used the exercises from the morning as catalysts for their creative process. The time flew by, and it took serious effort on our part to end the session in time for their next activity.
Day Two was performance day, and after a quick plenary warmup exercise, the groups reconvened in their breakouts for final preparation and rehearsal. Again, they threw themselves into the work, with most groups incorporating props, costume elements or graphics they had prepared overnight. After an hour, they reconvened in two larger rooms with six groups each, to perform their plays for one another and choose a finalist to represent the room. Senior executives from the CIO’s team served as “American Idol”-style judges, giving feedback to each group; they commented consistently on the quality and variety of ways the groups had brought the strategic initiative to life in their performances.
Each room chose its finalist performance by acclamation, and everyone gathered for the grand finals, in which all 200 participants watched the winners’ plays and virtually tore the roof off the ballroom as they applauded to choose their champions.
In the debrief that followed, participants shared their pride and amazement, both at what they had accomplished as a team, and the collaborative process they had used to do it. They reported having experienced a heightened sense of responsibility for the collective goal in the breakouts, and gratitude for concrete tools with which to carry out their challenging and unfamiliar task. And finally — to the obvious satisfaction of the CIO who looked on from the side — they enthusiastically discussed their plans and strategies for bringing the results of their week’s work to their teams and across the bank.
