Sage Portfolio Group’s Team Two-for-One
Teams exist to produce results more efficiently and effectively than is possible when individuals work alone. In order to maximize productivity over the long term, teams need training and skill development in two key areas: thinking and feeling. Since this isn’t really the place to wade into the ocean-deep Cartesian dualism debate (are the mind and the body really separate?), suffice it to say that Sage Portfolio Group offers a unique, integrated training product that is able to simultaneously strengthen a team’s head and heart.
Thinking (or head) skills are information-based: the knowledge and application of the objective steps, tools, resources, disciplinary underpinnings, and paradigms that constitute the work that is being done. These skills are in continual need of updating, thanks to changing local or global context, research findings, process innovations and more. Feeling (or heart) skills are relationship-based: the ability to understand and enhance the team’s purpose, norms, roles, and processes and to create a team environment of trust, constructive interaction and respect for diversity, among other qualities. The innovative combination of training and coaching, offered in the same engagement with the team, allows team members to learn and practise the thinking and feeling skills of greatest relevance to their success.
Sage Portfolio Group’s team training “two-for-one” begins with a culture survey, to establish existing strengths and weaknesses and take a “before” shot of the team. Then comes a one or two day event that concurrently provides knowledge-based skill development to individuals (for example, “the difference between blame and accountability” or “identifying your leadership strengths” or “creating a coaching relationship with your direct reports”) and relationship-based skill development (for example, “eliminating silos in an international company” or “emphasizing collaboration instead of competition in product development”). Activities are designed to meet the specific needs of the team as identified in the culture survey. Learning is interactive and experiential, particularly in the case of the “feeling” skills.
All sessions are co-facilitated, with one facilitator in charge of the delivery of knowledge-based exercises and the second responsible for introducing and de-briefing exercises designed to improve team behaviour and relationships. The “feeling” facilitator–who is trained as an Organization and Relationship Systems coach–teaches the team to regard itself as a system and is able to name and reflect back to the team what he or she sees as the day progresses. Thus learning is flexible and meets the needs of team members as they evolve through the engagement with the coaches.
Sage Portfolio Group has employed this model of training delivery in the manufacturing, health care and non-profit sectors with organizations that are both local and international in scope.
Our experience is consistent with the findings of management consultants and coaches everywhere: the hallmark of a great leader or team is the ability to simultaneously demonstrate superior skill in both relationships and knowledge. Shouldn’t training reflect the same balance and integration of head and heart? To learn more about Sage Portfolio Group’s team building and training products, visit our website here or call 1-800-592-2303.
