MODULE 1

Vision & Purpose of Short Term Teams

Introduction

Have you ever selected a book because of its cover?

Sometimes they turn out to be real page-turners. Other times, they’re more of a worthy fire-starter. While a book's cover is important in helping attract readers and ‘seal the deal’ for its purchase, ultimately, we all agree that what is inside is what readers value the most.

Many organizations and individuals often take the same ‘book-by-its-cover’ approach when it comes to short-term teams. Their creation/selection process tends to be based on personal preferences and the attractiveness of the opportunity, such as an exotic location, minimal cost, and experiential activities.

  The core of Module 1:
   
"To equip short-term teams with the necessary tools and knowledge to leverage their inherent strengths and establish a healthy foundation for their efforts. By doing so, the teams can maximize their impact in the short-term, ultimately fueling long-term transformation."

While those things aren’t inherently bad, the problem is the focal point is centralized around the preferences of the team member.

This creates a foundational issue because it sets the team member’s mindset on themselves. This mindset can trickle into their willingness to be flexible and desire to become a part of a unified team that shows up as listeners and learners first. Suddenly, the vulnerable which they were excited to come alongside, are taking a back seat.

This faulty approach, however, is by no means solely on the shoulders of team members. There is an unfortunate portion of the short-term team world that hypes up the attractive, ‘book-cover’ qualities of a team to make a profit. This isn’t to say these organizations are intentionally trying to cause harm, but ultimately, when you open the cover of things, it can be hard to tell if there is a whole lot inside.

The repetition of teams can create the belief that this is how short-term teams are meant to be. Sadly, participants can go home thinking they’ve made a significant difference but never have known what healthy short-term engagement looks like. Others may go home wondering if they made any change at all - sensing things didn’t feel ‘quite right’ - but weren’t given any handrails to know how things could have been healthily different.

As we think about short-term teams at One Collective, we want to keep this important learning in mind: whatever we value will drive our actions.

If we value profits, profits will drive our process. If we value creating unique, travel experiences our primary focus will be focused on the ‘wow’ factor. Both of these examples shape the way we would market these opportunities, the language we use in talking about a team member’s engagement, and where we put the energy behind our actions. It’s possible then - perhaps even likely - that we miss the vulnerable, their story, and how to come alongside them in a way that bring dignity and mutuality.

Together, it’s our aim that we see short-term teams be different - leveraging the inherent strengths this opportunity has to offer and building them with a healthy foundation. In doing so, we can maximize short-term efforts that will help fuel long-term transformation. This is the core of Module 1.