Start, Stop, Continue
The "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise is a powerful team-building activity that enhances teamwork and overall performance by encouraging structured reflection on current practices.
Summary
Research published in PLOS ONE confirms that systematic team interventions, like the "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise, significantly improve both individual and team-level effectiveness. To implement, set aside 2 hours for an uninterrupted session. Create three columns labeled Start, Stop, and Continue. Provide team members with Post-It notes to contribute ideas in each category. Guide the team in prioritizing actions, developing a clear plan with responsibilities and deadlines, and use weekly meetings to assess progress. This approach fosters open communication, encourages continuous improvement, and helps teams optimize their working methods to achieve shared goals.
The idea
The "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise is a team-building activity designed to enhance teamwork and overall team performance. It involves team members discussing what practices they should start, stop, and continue to improve team effectiveness.
The Evidence
Research published in PLOS ONE confirms the positive impact of teamwork training on team behaviors and performance across various settings. Systematic interventions, including exercises like "Start, Stop, Continue," have been shown to significantly improve both individual and team-level effectiveness.
Actions to Take
Set aside 2 hours of uninterrupted time with your team. You can do this as a standalone exercise or also as part of a team offsite. Provide Post-It notes, sharpies, and an action plan template for them to fill out at the end. On the wall, create three columns: Start, Stop, Continue. Clearly communicate the purpose of the exercise - to identify and optimize the way we work together to achieve our goals. Encourage each team member to contribute their ideas for what to start, stop, and continue by writing their ideas for each on Post-It notes. Each person will put their Post-It note suggestions under the the respective categories: Start, Stop, Continue.Guide the team in prioritizing and deciding which actions to implement.Help the team develop a clear, actionable plan with responsibilities and deadlines.Use your weekly team meetings to assess progress and make necessary adjustments.
Sources
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0169604
Start, Stop, Continue
Optimize Team Performance Through Structured Reflection
Summary
Research published in PLOS ONE confirms that systematic team interventions, like the "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise, significantly improve both individual and team-level effectiveness. To implement, set aside 2 hours for an uninterrupted session. Create three columns labeled Start, Stop, and Continue. Provide team members with Post-It notes to contribute ideas in each category. Guide the team in prioritizing actions, developing a clear plan with responsibilities and deadlines, and use weekly meetings to assess progress. This approach fosters open communication, encourages continuous improvement, and helps teams optimize their working methods to achieve shared goals.
Start, Stop, Continue
Optimize Team Performance Through Structured Reflection
Summary
Research published in PLOS ONE confirms that systematic team interventions, like the "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise, significantly improve both individual and team-level effectiveness. To implement, set aside 2 hours for an uninterrupted session. Create three columns labeled Start, Stop, and Continue. Provide team members with Post-It notes to contribute ideas in each category. Guide the team in prioritizing actions, developing a clear plan with responsibilities and deadlines, and use weekly meetings to assess progress. This approach fosters open communication, encourages continuous improvement, and helps teams optimize their working methods to achieve shared goals.
Start, Stop, Continue
Optimize Team Performance Through Structured Reflection
Citations
Podcast
The "Start, Stop, Continue" exercise is a powerful team-building activity that enhances teamwork and overall performance by encouraging structured reflection on current practices.
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