Managing complex team interventions

Abstract

PurposeTo provide readers with a better understanding of the organizational conditions that lead to complexity in team structure, operation, and dynamics, and introduce guidelines for facilitating complex team interventions.Design/methodology/approachThis article is based on the author's 20 years' experience as an internal OD executive, external consultant, and associate professor in the areas of organizational change and teambuilding.FindingsThe article concludes that team‐building failures frequently occur when facilitators operate from team archetypes that are radically outmoded, and severely underestimate the complexity of certain team‐building issues. Readers are introduced to six guidelines for managing complex team interventions.Practical implicationsThis article is designed to help OD practitioners plan extremely complex and difficult team‐building interventions. The article should serve as a useful tool to experienced OD consultants who are attempting to tackle more advanced team‐building interventions. An organizational example is provided to illustrate key concepts.Originality/valueThe author believes that this article provides a unique perspective, by examining issues of organizational complexity that must be faced by experienced team facilitators.