I’m sharing six practical team workshops based on the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model in this article.
The Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model is a practical tool that helps teams understand how they develop and perform.
It clearly shows every team's stages, from initial formation and trust-building to achieving high performance and renewal.
Using simple visuals, the model identifies common challenges teams face at each stage and provides straightforward questions to tackle those challenges directly.
This approach helps teams pinpoint where they're stuck and take focused action to move forward.
These workshops will help your team clearly understand where they are, address conflicts directly, and move effectively toward high performance.
Many teams fail because they avoid tough conversations, overlook clear roles, or don't know how to discuss challenges openly.
Building a great team isn't about luck—it’s about understanding your exact stage and taking simple, focused actions to improve.
What Participants Will Gain from These Workshops
By attending this workshop, participants will:
- Clearly define their team’s purpose and objectives.
- Improve trust and openness within their teams.
- Identify specific issues holding them back.
- Agree on clear roles and responsibilities.
- Gain tools to sustain high performance without burnout.
How to Use These Workshops with Your Team
Different teams have different needs, depending on their stage of development.
Look at the scenarios described below, and choose the best fit for your team's current situation.
Each scenario includes a clear, step-by-step workshop process based on the Drexler/Sibbet Team Performance Model.
Feel free to take the process and run the workshop with your team.
You can download the full, detailed workshop plans by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
- Scenario 1: Newly Formed Remote Team
- Scenario 2: Established Team Facing Conflicts
- Scenario 3: Project Team Struggling with Execution
- Scenario 4: High-Performing Team Approaching Burnout
- Scenario 5: Cross-Functional Team Needing Alignment
- Scenario 6: Team After Major Organizational Change
Workshop 1: Getting Started Together
Scenario: Newly Formed Remote Team
Duration: 2 hours
Materials Needed
- Virtual whiteboard (e.g., Miro)
- Video conferencing platform
Workshop Plan
- Brief welcome and introductions (15 min)
- Define team purpose together on virtual whiteboard (20 min)
- Story-sharing activity in breakout rooms (30 min)
- Create a "Team Commitment" list of behaviours (30 min)
- Reflection and closing comments (25 min)
You can download detailed descriptions of each workshop step for free by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
Facilitation Tips
- Keep pace lively to maintain remote engagement.
- Use breakout rooms for deeper connections.
- Prompt participants with specific questions:
- "What unique strengths do you bring?"
- "How can we support each other remotely?"
Workshop 2: Building Trust, Clarifying Goals
Scenario: Established Team Facing Conflicts
Duration: 3 hours
Materials Needed
- Flipchart paper or virtual whiteboard
- Sticky notes (digital or physical)
Workshop Plan
- Open discussion on current team challenges (30 min)
- Trust-building exercise (e.g., personal storytelling, small groups) (40 min)
- Clarify and prioritise shared team goals (45 min)
- Develop actionable steps to achieve these goals (45 min)
- Group reflection and commitment (20 min)
You can download detailed descriptions of each workshop step for free by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
Facilitation Tips
- Encourage openness, but mediate sensitively.
- Address conflicts proactively but constructively.
- Reinforce clarity:
- "What’s our shared goal?"
- "What specific actions will we commit to?"
Workshop 3: Clear Roles, Clear Commitments
Scenario: Project Team Struggling with Execution
Duration: 2.5 hours
Materials Needed
- Role clarity templates
- Task-tracking tools (Trello or Asana)
Workshop Plan
- Brief review of current state and challenges (20 min)
- Clarify roles with a simple role-mapping exercise (30 min)
- Confirm clear task ownership and deadlines (40 min)
- Group alignment check-in (30 min)
- Commit publicly to responsibilities (30 min)
You can download detailed descriptions of each workshop step for free by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
Facilitation Tips
- Keep tasks clear and simple.
- Regularly summarise agreements to ensure alignment.
- Ask directly:
- "Who owns this task?"
- "How can we support each other to complete it?"
Workshop 4: Sustaining High Performance
Scenario: High-Performing Team Approaching Burnout
Duration: 2 hours
Materials Needed
- Visual timeline of team achievements
- Reflection prompts on sustainability
Workshop Plan
- Reflective discussion celebrating achievements (30 min)
- Group exercise: identify signs of burnout and stress (30 min)
- Brainstorm strategies to sustain energy and engagement (30 min)
- Set new, energising goals together (20 min)
- Wrap-up and commitment to renewal actions (10 min)
You can download detailed descriptions of each workshop step for free by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
Facilitation Tips
- Ensure everyone acknowledges team successes.
- Address burnout explicitly but positively.
- Prompt thinking:
- "What energises us as a team?"
- "What practices help sustain performance?"
Workshop 5: Aligning Cross-Functional Teams
Scenario: Cross-Functional Team Needing Alignment
Duration: 2.5 hours
Materials Needed
- Large visual board or digital collaborative space
- Clear templates for shared goals
Workshop Plan
- Identify shared challenges across functions (20 min)
- Clarify and visualise overarching team objectives (30 min)
- Map individual departmental roles to these objectives (40 min)
- Create action plans for cross-functional collaboration (40 min)
- Closing commitments and check-out (20 min)
You can download detailed descriptions of each workshop step for free by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
Facilitation Tips
- Highlight commonalities rather than differences.
- Foster transparent discussions to identify gaps.
- Engage participants directly:
- "What shared objective aligns us?"
- "What will we commit to together?"
Workshop 6: Reset & Renewal Post-Change
Scenario: Team After Major Organisational Change
Duration: 3 hours
Materials Needed
- Timeline or visual representation of recent changes
- Reflection and planning tools
Workshop Plan
- Open reflection: acknowledging change openly (30 min)
- Group discussion about what feels uncertain or unclear (40 min)
- Collaborative redefinition of team purpose post-change (50 min)
- Setting refreshed priorities and objectives (40 min)
- Commitment and reflection (20 min)
You can download detailed descriptions of each workshop step for free by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
Facilitation Tips
- Allow emotional honesty, acknowledge discomfort.
- Gently refocus towards future orientation.
- Ask clearly:
- "What is our new purpose post-change?"
- "What steps help us regain clarity and confidence?"
Conclusion
Using these workshops means you’ll never have to guess why your team isn’t performing.
Instead, it becomes a simple process of pinpointing exactly what's holding your team back, and confidently moving them forward together with a simple targeted workshop.
Well, that’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed it.
See you next week.