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Teambuilding: putting diversity at the service of our work

Company name : 4motion a.s.b.l.

Activity sector : Health and social work

Company category : Foundation, Non-profit, NGO

 

Raise awareness, train and involve

Description of the action

The work of 4motion asbl, is composed of training, moderation and the accompaniment of change processes, mainly in the human field, everything that constitutes interaction between people. Having defined a vision of a world where more and more people learn together how to live better, it was obvious that our mission could only consist of transmitting this vision to the outside world, but that it also had to be applied within the organisation itself. Thus, since the team's expansion in 2014, we have consolidated our efforts in building the team so that the diversity brought by the members is valued.

Context

4motion was founded in 2002 and since 2012 has seen a considerable growth in its staff. Once the pioneering phase was over, which was led by the founders involved since the beginning of the association, it was important to think about how to make a team grow around a previously defined associative mission and at the same time allow each and everyone to contribute their unique potential to the collective project.

Objectives

Participatory strategy development and team days aim to:

  1. Getting to know and discover the diversity present within the team: social, cultural and so-called "inner" diversity (the way of being, functioning, interacting, organizing oneself, managing stress, communicating, etc.).
  2. Defining and updating together the mission of the association and the direction to be taken.
  3. To explore ways to work together and develop both as a team and as an association, including non-formal education methods specific to our work.

Approach

In 2012 we participated in a seminar where we discovered a method of strategic development with which we would be able to involve the whole team. Since then, our development has been based on our vision, mission, values and success factors redefined to include a participatory component.  

Since 2014, we organize annually at least 2 team days to explore cultural diversity. Since the third edition of these team days, thanks to the help and contribution of a partner foundation, the UEF (Universal Education Foundation), we have included basic concepts of "Learning for Well-Being", thus highlighting the so-called "inner" diversity within the team.

Impact

Despite a heavy workload and sometimes very busy work periods, the atmosphere and cooperation within the team remains friendly, constructive and pleasant. The fact that we know each other in all our diversity, both culturally and in our way of being (to function, to interact, to organize, to manage stress, to communicate,...), allows each and everyone to progressively put his or her potential at the service of the organization and removes the pressure of having to adapt to the point of losing motivation, which is an essential source of our collective work.

« To do »

  • Going outside the usual framework, creating a space that encourages authentic encounters.
  • Finding ways to create a common language while leaving each one his or her own way of functioning.
  • Set the dates well in advance!
  • Involve both external and internal stakeholders.

« Not to do »

  • Don't wait for an off-peak period to organize a team day.

Keywords : Organizational culture

Published on 22 September 2016

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