Team Building

Successful organizations rely on teamwork. Good teamwork depends on things like mutual trust, clear communication, positive attitudes, and a number of intangibles. It is a wonderful thing when good teamwork "just happens," but usually it is the result of time and practice. It is possible to be intentional about fostering teamwork, though, and for Boards and staffs and groups of volunteers, it is worth the investment. Some organizations orchestrate experiences like challenge courses, overnight retreats, and facilitated team-building exercises. Others just make it a point to set aside time for group hikes or happy hours. However your affiliate approaches it, make a concerted effort to foster teamwork.

One way to help create more successful teamwork among Boards and work groups is by using personality assessments. These personality evaluations, also known as psychometric tools, provide insights into the various traits, tendencies, and communication styles of the folks who take them.

There are no right or wrong answers; there are just spectrums of responses. The idea is to better understand how our traits complement or clash with those of our colleagues. Some of the more popular such tools are the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), DISC, Big 5 Personality Test, Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ), and CliftonStrengths. Some have versions that are available for free online, but most provide more thorough insights using paid products and (in some cases) professionally-administered questionnaires.