DISCOVER THE
WORLD OF DIALOGIC
TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Introducing a compelling new approach for Organization Development (OD) and Human Resource professionals looking to make impactful organizational change: The Team Discovered, by Bennett Bratt.
A SYNTHESIS OF OD MINDSETS, PAST & PRESENT
Part exploration and part illustrative story, The Team Discovered hopefully and poignantly merges the wisdom of Dialogic OD with the heritage of Diagnostic OD, thoughtfully outlining how to integrate narrative-based mindsets and tools aimed at supporting today’s resource and time-limited teams
THE DEEP UTILITY OF NARRATIVE & DATA
While most methods presume some kind of evaluative comparison to other groups, large data sets, best practices and/or theoretical ideals will be helpful, Bratt makes the case that comparison is, at best, a distraction and, at worst, debilitating. This mindset challenges widely used approaches to team development that utilize data alone to highlight gaps between current and desirable team performances.
While showing how data can be useful, he persuasively argues that a Dialogic, narrative-based approach to discovery and inquiry is better at helping teams author their own language, imagery and narrative of effectiveness, ones they will own and grow into.
A REIMAGINED APPROACH TO TEAM DEVELOPMENT
The Team Discovered offers a modern approach to team development that meets today’s teams where they live: in a complex world with intense demands and serious time constraints.
One crucial ingredient to success that’s often overlooked: Empathy. Bratt highlights the importance of empathizing not only with the impossibly difficult circumstances teams and their leaders all too often find themselves in, but also with the OD practitioners who enter into their dynamic world with their own narratives of what “good” means.
HOW DIALOGIC OD WORKS IN REAL LIFE
Bringing Dialogic OD to life in the world of teams, Bratt shares an extended case example of two OD practitioners learning about the unique facets of a client team and its VP leader. On the heels of recent, significant changes, including a reorganization, the team and leader discover their unique path to greater effectiveness and utility using Dialogic OD mindsets and tools in a team coaching setting.
BENNETT BRATT TALKS ABOUT HIS BOOK
THE TEAM DISCOVERED: DIALOGIC TEAM COACHING
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bennett Bratt is CEO and founder of The Team Effectiveness Project®. Previously, he served as Vice President of Human Resources at T-Mobile USA, leading the Talent and Organization Capability function. He has also held various leadership and internal rolesat Sun Microsystems, Volkswagen of America, and Ford Motor Company.
Bratt’s Team Element® framework and coaching methodology have helped hundreds of teams and leaders demystify and re-envision their team experience, allowing each to take ownership of their unique path forward while ensuring a multitude of diverse voices are included in the process. His clients range from C-Suites of Fortune 100 corporations to teams of all varieties across the nonprofits, government, and higher education sectors.
Bratt earned BA and MA degrees in political science at Calvin College and Tulane University, respectively, as well as an MA in counseling from Michigan State University.
He resides near Seattle, WA, and can be reached at ben@teamelements.com.