Taking a back seat
Featured in the Developing Teams: The Leader's Role training manual
By Aileen Goodman & Caroline Love
Category: Team Building
Credit price: 4 download credits (Single user)
Projects within organisations are usually a way to create and manage change. They often involve different parts of an organisation working together in specially created teams with a clearly defined leader, and are often temporary. Self-managing teams can also stimulate change within organisations as they evolve and develop. Both types of team can provide opportunities for team leaders to nurture learning and development.
Four teams, two with leaders and two without, undertake a simple non-work project to explore the processes involved in project teams and self-managing teams. Individuals reflect on their experiences and complete a learning log and then each team gives a presentation of their project work. Groups compare the pros and cons of the way they worked, with or without a leader. Participants then consider their own readiness to take a back seat in leading their team and finish by completing a learning log on application of their learning in their work setting.
Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to explore both project and self-managing teams with team leaders.
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 8 |
| Max Group Size: | 20 |
| Typical Duration: | 01:55:00 |
| No of Pages: | 29 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Additional resources: Highlighter pens for participants; Coloured paper (2 colours); Materials for tea making - water, four types of tea bags or leaf tea, 1 teapot per group, teaspoons, 1 tea strainer per group, 1 vegetable knife per group, cups, mugs or polystyrene cups, milk
Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers with team leaders to explore both project and self-managing teams and to compare the pros and cons of each for them, their teams and for their organisations, in supporting team learning and development, and to enable team leaders to consider if they are ready to change their role. Use this activity as part of a programme on Developing Teams: The Leader's Role, or for Leading a Team, Organisational Development, Processes and Techniques for Planning, Team Communication or Team Development programmes.
Download the training activity, Taking a back seat as featured in the Fenman training manual; Developing Teams: The Leader's Role