Managing complex team interventions

Abstract

Purpose

To provide readers with a better understanding of the organizational conditions that lead to complexity in team structure, operation, and dynamics, and introduce guidelines for facilitating complex team interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is based on the author's 20 years' experience as an internal OD executive, external consultant, and associate professor in the areas of organizational change and teambuilding.

Findings

The article concludes that team‐building failures frequently occur when facilitators operate from team archetypes that are radically outmoded, and severely underestimate the complexity of certain team‐building issues. Readers are introduced to six guidelines for managing complex team interventions.

Practical implications

This article is designed to help OD practitioners plan extremely complex and difficult team‐building interventions. The article should serve as a useful tool to experienced OD consultants who are attempting to tackle more advanced team‐building interventions. An organizational example is provided to illustrate key concepts.

Originality/value

The author believes that this article provides a unique perspective, by examining issues of organizational complexity that must be faced by experienced team facilitators.

Citation

Barner, R. (2006), "Managing complex team interventions", Team Performance Management, Vol. 12 No. 1/2, pp. 44-54. https://doi.org/10.1108/13527590610652792