Team Self-Assessment

When to use Team Self-Assessment

Use this method when a team needs to reflect on its performance, identify areas for improvement, and align on shared goals. It's particularly useful after a significant project milestone or during periods of change.

What it solves

Unspoken tensions and disagreements hindering team effectiveness; lack of shared understanding of team strengths and weaknesses.

How to run Team Self-Assessment, step by step

1. Introduce the 6 dimensions (Team Relations & Environment, Information & Decision-Making, Responsibility & Accountability, Learning & Individual Purpose, Collective Purpose, Profit & Productivity). (5 minutes)
2. Individual Reflection: Each team member silently reflects on each dimension, writing down statements that complete the sentence 'As a team, we...' on a personal worksheet, arranging them from development-oriented to celebratory. (30 minutes)
3. Collective Mapping: Transfer individual statements to a shared whiteboard or flipchart, placing development-oriented statements on the left and celebratory ones on the right. (20 minutes)
4. Clustering: Silently cluster similar statements to identify common themes and reduce duplicates, iterating until the group consents. (15 minutes)
5. Dot Voting: Each team member votes on the statements they feel are most important to address or celebrate. (10 minutes)
6. Digitization & Action Planning: Digitize the results and facilitate a discussion to determine next steps, such as celebrating successes or scheduling focused discussions on development areas. (10-20 minutes)

Materials needed

• Flipchart paper or whiteboard
• Markers
• Sticky notes
• Colored dot stickers
• Digital collaboration tool (e.g., Google Docs, Miro)

Facilitator tips

• Emphasize that the assessment focuses on the team as a whole, not individual blame.
• Encourage open and honest reflection by creating a safe and supportive environment.

Common pitfalls

• Individuals dominating the discussion: Actively solicit input from all team members.
• Focusing solely on negative aspects: Remind the team to also acknowledge and celebrate successes.

Variations

• Adapt the 6 dimensions to better suit the team's specific context.
• Use a different voting method, such as ranking or assigning points.

Running it online or hybrid

Use a shared online whiteboard like Miro or Mural to replicate the physical space. Ensure participants can easily add and move virtual sticky notes.

What it produces

A visual map of team strengths and areas for development, along with prioritized action items.

Origin

Adapted from Hyper Island — source

Build a session around Team Self-Assessment

METODIC places Team Self-Assessment inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.

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