Managing Difficult Teams (2-3 days)

Teams often function in a way that is very challenging for their Managers. The temptation is for the Manager to condemn the team and individuals within it as being a “difficult” team, without considering the relationship between their own management style and the complexity of the team; to analyse challenges and to work in a positive way towards resolution.
This course therefore aims to help the Manager adopt a more analytical approach to managing their team and plan more strategically for team advancement.

Learning objectives:

By the end of the course learners should understand:

• What is meant by a “difficult” team
• The team behaviours that lead to it being described as being ‘difficult’:
        -Passive
        -Rebellious
        -Irresponsible etc.
• The different reasons teams behave in this way e.g.
        -poor team dynamics
        -lack of good induction
        -lack of opportunity
        -domineering management etc
• What is meant by group/team dynamics
• The cycle of group/team development
• Identifying the source of the dysfunction in terms of the group life-cycle
• How the team behaviour could be a symptom of management input
• The different managerial styles
• The advantages and disadvantages of different management styles
• Links between styles and outcomes for the team
• Useful managerial tools
• How to use SWOT analysis to analyse your own team and advance effectiveness
• Other managerial approaches that might assist
• How to manage team change

Training methods:

• Large and smaller group work
• OHP/PowerPoint presentations
• Talk and Chalk sessions
• Tutor presentations
• Practical exercises
• Handouts
• Feedback

CP117/4.9