Team Effectiveness Development
NASA’s classic "can do" culture has spawned success after success over the decades. Effective project teams mitigate technical and social risks, and enhance the probability of achieving project goals. APPEL works to enhance the environments in which project and executive teams operate.
Overview
Inefficient working environments cost projects money- and threaten project success. Following the failure of the Mars Climate Orbiter in 1999, a failure review report concluded that "Success means starting with the right people and creating a cultural environment where they can excel." APPEL works with Dr. Charles Pellerin, NASA’s former Director of Astrophysics, to help develop effective teamwork and teams.
When NASA program managers, project managers or related executives want to ensure the effectiveness of the behaviors that determine the effectiveness of their organization, they can request performance enhancement assistance from APPEL. Using an e-assessment, APPEL consultants measure key behavioral norms that determine team effectiveness and suggest actions designed to improve the effectiveness of the project or executive team.
Once managers have identified a plan of action, they communicate assessment results and planned actions to their team. With APPEL assistance, project managers may request appropriate interventions, such as tailored workshops, tele-coaching, or onsite mentoring by an experienced practitioner. Repeating the assessment (four weeks to four months later) produces trend metrics that measure progress.
Performance Enhancement Center Program Managers, all former NASA project managers, are available at most Centers to respond to requests for this service. Leads arrange for e-assessments of a team, deliver the measurement report, and identify problems stemming from social issues such as communication gaps, distrust, overwork, and unclear role definition. Finally, APPEL Center Program Managers recommend a plan of action.
Project managers need not fear repercussions from receiving this assistance; participants control all aspects of this service, and all scores, comments, and responses are under their control. Information is not disseminated without participants’ explicit permission.
Measured Indicators of Effective Behavioral Norms:
- Valuing: Expressing Authentic Appreciation; Addressing Shared Interests
- Relating: Appropriately Including Others; Keeping All Agreements
- Visioning: Hope and Vision; Commitment to Outcomes
- Directing: Resisting Blaming or Complaining; Roles, Accountability & Authority
