A multidisciplinary team functioning in silos, when integration was considered as central to their success.

The multi-disciplinary team was marred by internal conflicts, lack of trust and cohesiveness and an absence of focus and direction both at an individual level and from a team perspective. With a new leader who immediately noted the dysfunction Kaya was engaged in August 2012 to facilitate a journey towards team effectiveness.

• Embedded within the team – regarded as a business partner
• Engaged the whole team in a journey of self-discovery through facilitated conversations
• Intuitively knowing how much change the team could cope with and to what extent gradually built trust that resulted in team buy-in
• Supported leaders in creating a stronger team culture and in role modelling an integrated approach
• Challenged existing leadership mental models toward empowering individuals within the team and create more time for leaders to lead
• 1:1 meetings with team members provided an impartial feedback mechanism to leadership noting positives, as well as opportunities, for enhanced team function
• Engaged the team in cross-disciplinary focus groups aimed at defining gaps and solutions aimed at improving key aspects of the team's function

Over a 12-month period the team's effectiveness increased greatly. This was demonstrated quantitatively through the annual team alignment survey. The team continued in driving towards even greater effectiveness, through continuing to challenge existing practices for their ongoing relevance and benefit, with the aim of creating a team culture that optimises everyone's contribution and collectively delivers over and above what is expected.

Annual team alignment survey