Team Leadership Results

Service

Service to people and to communities is a guiding value for us. The fact that Dr. J. and the group that joined him in establishing the company in '92 came from the therapeutic community has no doubt influenced the shape of this organization's inquiry into how people create strong, supportive and sustainable work relationships. For example, caring about others is more likely to be in the "tough love" tradition, that puts authenticity, directness and confrontations above smooth sailing or internal harmony. It's been said that the "soft skills" are actually the "very hardest" to master, and TLR's own learning curve supports that notion. Though the integrity of individuals and the solidarity of the group have been tested more than once, these trials have ultimately only helped to make the company stronger and wiser. Taking the time to hear individual voices and collaborating to create options and choices for people is important to us. These and other acts of caring keep servant leadership alive here.
 

Professionalism

It's our belief that facilitating group development is more art than science. As such, having good theories and models to work from is less important than being able to continually see the forest as one observes the trees. The wide range of personal and group behaviors observable on the challenge course must be interpreted for a group to comprehend what these behaviors imply for them. Seasoned facilitators know that these interpretations must come from the group if the solutions are going to engage the group's ownership. Leading this inquiry means leading a group into the development of a supportive, trusting atmosphere. This is a subtle art, hinging upon a complex set of variables, and influenced by things as simple as an eyebrow raised at a certain moment, or a silent pause at another. A learned sensitivity to these variables informs the professional facilitator's behavior, telling when to step in to make something happen and when to step back to let something happen.
 

Learning

Mastering the leadership art of facilitating group process is TLR's commitment as a community of practice. As a learning community on the other hand, TLR is continually re-investing in learning and inquiry. Our practice ought to be informed by the best theories and most comprehensive models of organizational and personal development available. Since its founding, TLR's monthly safety meetings, team meetings and ready circles have provided the context for intensive dialogue and study focused on the important questions facing facilitators as professionals, organizations as communities and individuals as leaders. Regardless of their age, our facilitators see themselves as lifelong learners and fellow travelers along a frontier of collective inquiry into the human condition as it evolves in a changing world.
 

Play

The relationship between learning and play is not lost on us. Within our work context playfulness starts out as the simple enjoyment of each other's company. Creative new ways to make work more fun often involve elements borrowed from sports and games, or draw heavily from theater and play-acting, but this creativity is not without an element of risk. A childlike willingness to open oneself to new experiences and release the need to be in control does not find easy expression in many of us as adults. TLR places value on trusting a process of exploration as defined by experiential and expeditionary learning principles. One of these is a concern for the greater good....for the whole. The final outcome of play here must be win-win, or there's no game. The risks can be managed with another key principle called "challenge by choice." Honoring and esteeming individual expressions no matter how unique or limited allows everyone to contribute to the collective good and provides an opportunity to celebrate our shared participation! Finally, our fun is not limited to the play itself, but extends to what it can teach us about ourselves, about our companions and about life. In TLR reflection and inquiry are a valued aspect of even our recreation. When new insights, discoveries, inspirations or inventions emerge, yet another measure of joy is added to the rest.