The Team Flower Test

If a group of individuals is to develop into a high-performance team, specific basic requirements must be met. Like the petals of a flower, these requirements can neither be put in rank order nor hierarchically divided. For each essential team requirement, we have made five statements. Each statement describes a level along the line of development from bud to full bloom.

 

Mark the statement which best describes the present situation in your project on a piece of paper. Your score will later be added to the Control and Follow Up Board in the iObeya-room.  

 

A. 

A firmly established project

1. There is no project definition, project plan, or project control system in place

2. Some parts exist, but there is a lack of overall structure and support

3. Almost all parts are complete and partly supported

4. All parts exist, but complete support is not yet attained

5. There is a sound project definition, project plan, and project control system in place. All the details have been chiseled out in a dialogue between the team, the project manager, and the sponsor. All stakeholders feel participation and commitment to these documents.

 

B.

Team-based leadership

1. The project is led traditionally and authoritatively

2. Attempts have been made to implement team-based leadership

3. Team-based leadership is partly implemented

4. Team-based leadership is almost entirely implemented

5. Fully developed team-based leadership is used in all areas of the project

 

C.

Team processes

1. The project is lacking team processes for things like meetings, decision-making, reporting, documentation, measuring hours, and cost used in the project.

2. Some team processes exist but are used infrequently.

3. Many team processes exist but are not used in a natural way.

4. Many team processes exist and are used in a natural way.

5. Game rules and team processes are the way we do things. We don´t even have to talk about them anymore. 

 

D. 

A Well-balanced Team 

1. The team is composed of those individuals available at the time and is not well balanced

2. The team has cross-functional competence

3. The team has cross-functional competence and social balance

4. The team has cross-functional competence as well as social, gender, age, and cultural balance

5. The team is completely balanced, and the differences between the team members have been developed into advantages

 

E.

A Climate of participation and communication

1. The project is completely lacking forums and channels for open communication

2. Some forums and channels exist, but time has not been allocated in the project for using them

3. Some forums and channels are used regularly, but the information is not complete. Management is hard to reach and is not actively participating in these forums.

4. Several formal forums with a lot of important information are in place, but spontaneous meetings are infrequent.

5. Well-developed forums and channels exist for formal as well as spontaneous meetings. There is a free and fast flow of information in the project, and no information is withheld from anyone. Everybody has easy access to the current information required to do a good job.

 

F.

Team spirit

1. Team spirit is terrible. "I'd rather not be involved in this project"

2. Team spirit exists somewhat, but "I don't feel I can trust the other team members"

3. Team spirit is good, and we trust each other in just about everything

4. Team spirit is good, and we trust and help each other all the time

5. Team spirit is fantastic. It's wonderful working with these people. I trust them completely, and we all support and cover-up for each other.

 

G.

Resources 

1. Only certain parts of the team are in place, and other vital resources are also missing

2. The whole team is in place, but the working situation is fragmented and vital resources are lacking

3. All team members can focus on the project, but vital resources are lacking

4. All team members can focus on the project, but some non-vital resources are lacking

5. All team members can focus on the project and have easy and prompt access to the resources required to do a good job.

 

H. 

Project Game Rules

1. Game rules have, on the whole, never been discussed

2. Game rules have been discussed, but nothing has been concretized or agreed upon

3. Concrete game rules have been formulated within some areas, but we don't follow them

4. Concrete game rules have been formulated, and we try to follow them.

5. Game Rules have been documented, but they are now so well-known and applied that we know them off by heart.

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I.

Working Environment

1. We are located in different geographical areas and have never met. However, we try to keep in contact with each other and exchange information.

2. We are located in different geographical areas and have met only once. However, we keep in contact with each other and exchange information via email.

3. We are located in different geographical areas but have had several workshops together. In addition, we keep in contact with each other and exchange information via email and digital meetings.

4. Everyone working within the project has been relocated to the same site, but the space is cramped and inadequate.

5. The core team has been relocated to a project room and meets daily. We are using a digital collaborative platform updated with all relevant project information. We have regular digital meetings to keep also the extended team and other stakeholders informed.

 

J.

Individual responsibilities and self-esteem

1. The areas of responsibility for each individual have never even been discussed and we have never agreed on a goal statement 

2. Each individual's areas of responsibility have been discussed, but nothing has been concretized or clarified. We made a goal statement but it is forgotten.

3. Individual areas of responsibility have been clarified to a certain extent. We use the goal statement to clarify grey areas and solve disputes. 

4. We are located in different geographical areas but have had several workshops together. In addition, we are using a digital collaborative platform updated with all relevant project information used in our digital meetings. 

5. All individual areas of responsibility are clear and understood by everybody. The team knows the goal statement and we hold each other mutually accountable to fulfill it.

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Preferably you can use our Excel template for making your Team Flower. It can be downloaded on the link below:

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