Category Archives: Educators Teambuilding

What Invisible Fence is Limiting Your Team?

When I took our dogs on a walk the other day, I noticed something that could definitely help your team. We have one small dog (a cocker-spaniel and poodle mix) and one large dog (a lovable part-hound, part-shepherd mutt rescued from the animal shelter), and our neighborhood is filled with the barking of dozens of other dogs […]

One Question to Better Connect with Your Teammates and Clients

As a team building facilitator, coach, and speaker, I have observed and learned a great deal about teams and teammates over the last 20 years. And one of the powerful insights that I often share at events is how to create team unity. Building a cohesive team requires you to connect people to two very important […]

Never Adjust Expectations for the Mules

I had just taken over as head coach of a high school basketball program. From what I had learned prior to taking the job, there were a few talented seniors, and the varsity team had won more than they lost the year before… But the last coach had not done any off season work for […]

A Quick and Easy Ice Breaker Activity for Your Next Meeting

The name for this fun five-ten minute ice breaker activity is taken from a commercial that everyone on your team has probably seen at least a dozen times… It’s the “Capitol One Challenge…” But you don’t have to give me credit for the idea! (so punny!)   Okay – enough with the bad jokes. Here’s your easy […]

How Many Mission Statements Does Your Team Have?

The importance of mission statements struck me when I was still a coach and teacher, because I worked at five different high schools in my career.  That wasn’t because I couldn’t keep a teaching job… The moves happened because of coaching positions that came open.  Often it was just a better situation, and once it was […]

Make Team Feedback More Effective With COIN Conversations!

One of the most difficult parts of any team leader’s job is to have positive and effective feedback conversations.   Whether you are a coach, a sales manager, a school administrator, or a medical staff supervisor, The COIN model provides you a template for having feedback conversations that work and include 4 essential elements of […]

A Team Performance Chart to Improve Your Organization

If you are looking for a team performance chart to identify where your people are in terms of productivity or cohesiveness, the one below could truly help improve your organization. Team productivity is a measure of how successful your people are in terms of project completion or work efficiency.  Team cohesiveness is a measure of […]

Does Your Conference Need a Networking Facilitator?

So, now you are asking yourself… what the heck is a networking facilitator? I would have asked the same question 10 years ago. But modern conference goals and a good bit of research suggest that one of the most impactful parts of your conference may be the choice to add a networking facilitator to your […]

Chick-fil-A and Delta and Three Leadership Lessons

My daughter plays beach volleyball. So she was very excited when she learned about a week-long camp at Hermosa Beach, in California, that would be run by college coaches.  And she and my wife both think this is a great opportunity for her to get better and build relationships… But it was expensive.  And it […]