Our key theoretical basis is the work of Michael West, John Adair, Patrick Lencioni and Amy Edmondson.

West states that the main ingredients for high performing teams are common core objectives, clarity on roles and responsibilities to meeting these objectives and meeting regularly to review them. Many teams that are not functioning well are missing these key components.

Adair focuses on the need for all team members to invest time and effort into evaluation and continually trying to improve team performance, by a process of team development. Many NHS teams are so focused on delivery of the task that development of the individual and team is sacrificed. This will eventually impact the team’s ability and efficacy of delivery of the task.

Lencioni and Edmondson focus on the need for teams to build trust and be comfortable to debate issues freely to achieve the best possible results and part of our work with teams often involves helping teams to think about how they manage conflict well and build accountability across peers.