+ Team Diagnostic FAQs

Overview of the Team Diagnostic (TD) and Frequently Asked Questions

Teams use the data in the assessment to generate conversations about what is working and not working on the team. The language of the assessment is common sense, accessible language that every team member understands. Teams frequently tell us, “You speak our language.” They don’t have to learn a new language set, terminology, nomenclature or complex model – they see the results and can get right to work. Often participants can struggle to understand what the data means in an assessment and the language and meaning is quickly lost. With the TDA, if Trust or Decision Making score low, everyone knows what the terms mean and it’s easy to remember where the focus is.

“What gets measured gets done” is the old saying. It’s still true. Fundamentally, the TDA is a measurement tool. It assesses the team against 14 key scales. The assessment provides metrics, a baseline and a common language for team members.

The TDA gives a portrait of the team—how they interact, how they perform as a collaborative, interdependent group. It is a self-portrait drawn by the team.

The assessment gives the team and team leader (and organisation) an answer to the question: “How is your team doing?” Most teams are underperforming. In an initial data sample collected by Team Coaching International, of 200 teams less than 10% scored themselves as high performing—which leaves 90% of the teams in the organisation not reaching their potential.

How long should a team be together before the TDA is used?

A: The TDA was very successfully used with a project team for a major corporation as the team first began the project. In fact, the first time all 14 team members were in the same room was the day they saw the results of their assessment. The assessment provides a baseline, a starting point for team development.

Almost any time in a team’s life cycle is a good time to measure the team against these 14 criteria. It gives the team a place to start the crucial conversations. Even if they haven’t operated as a team yet, they still have some ideas about what they’ve heard, what they assume, or what they want for themselves. The assessment is a baseline, not a judgment of the team. Continuous improvement is a hallmark of high performing teams and companies. The goal of assessments is to focus on areas for improvement, not on attaining perfect scores.

How long should a team member be on a team before including that person in the team assessment?

A: About a week is adequate. If the new team member has attended one team meeting they have a feel for the dynamics of the team. As a new team member, they have a valuable voice to contribute as “newcomer. New team members learn quickly what the culture of the team is and how to succeed in that culture.

How do we measure ROI?

A: The assessment provides metrics for “before” and “after” - these are team dynamic attributes from the model—not bottom line numbers that would show up on a P&L statement. We encourage business leaders / Team leaders to create a baseline incorporating what the ROI from a business perspective (on the bottom line numbers) so they are able to measure the impact business wise on improved team performance. This can then be measured when the team retakes the diagnostic (usually six months from the first assessment).

Has the assessment passed psychometric analysis for validity and reliability?

A: Yes. the Team Diagnostic assessment has passed the statistical, psychometric analysis for both validity and reliability. We can provide a one-page summary of the psychometric analysis. A more in-depth review of the analysis is available at a cost of $US35.

How does the TDA compare to other assessments?

A: There are many excellent assessments available on the market today. You probably know the names of many: MBTI, DISC, Firo B, the Leadership Circle 360, Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Belbin Team Roles, and the list goes on. The distinguishing question: is this a true team assessment—assesses from the team point of view, or is it a collection of individual assessments of team members aggregated into a team view? It is useful information for team members, knowing their personal preferences, decision making styles, etc., and that information will help them work together more effectively. However, an aggregate of individual assessments is not the same as an assessment of the team as a system. The Team Diagnostic assessment and report gives the true team view - - one that they have never seen before. Many facilitators use a combination of individual assessment with the TDA to give team members the benefit of both. An easy way to check: do the items in the assessment ask for an individual perspective or a team perspective? All of the items in the TDA are written from the team point of view.

For example, “On our team, we have clear goals and strategies to achieve them.” In the Team Diagnostic model, we include this awareness of individual differences, and how that impacts collaboration, under “Values Diversity.” It’s important that team members appreciate the strengths of diversity on the team—and, it is one aspect of Positivity.

Most assessments focus on what we would call the Positivity side of the equation: interpersonal relationships or emotional intelligence or social intelligence or leadership attributes. These qualities are important, obviously; that’s why there is a Positivity side to the Team Diagnostic model: how team members interact has an enormous impact on the culture of the team and the ability of the team to achieve its goals. One of the distinguishing differences between the TDA and other assessments: we put equal weight on the Productivity side of team performance—because teams do! When a team asks the question, “How are we doing?” they want to know how they’re doing when it comes to the areas of team performance they are most familiar with and where they are often measured: alignment around mission and purpose, accountability, ability to make good decisions, manage resources, etc.

From the team’s perspective, these attributes are equally important, more familiar, and may even be seen as more important to the team. It’s easier to talk about “our decision-making process” than it is “how we engage or don’t engage in conflict on our team.” And yet our experience shows that whatever the team chooses—even if they choose to work on team accountability on the productivity side—all of the 14 factors will be in play.

Another important difference: the Team Diagnostic model uses the everyday language that teams already use. It is common sense, accessible, and allows teams to see their results and get right to work. With other assessments, they need to learn a coded language first, understand the distinctions, and all of that before they can talk about the essentials. One of the things we often hear from teams, “You speak our language.”

One difference often overlooked: The Team Diagnostic assessment can be customized for individual teams using the open-ended questions at the end of the assessment. The assessment serves as a targeted survey of the team.

What if a client wants to Test Drive the assessment?

A: We offer a “Test Drive” assessment for a single participant (usually the decision maker) for a small fee of $50. S/he will answer the diagnostic with a particular team in mind and TCI will create a custom report of the Quad and Polar Diagrams and the answers to a standard set of 5 Open Ended questions. The open-ended questions were chosen by TCI so that each Test Driver answers the same set of questions. This gives the Test Driver insight into his/her team and creates a survey tool to gather data for ongoing marketing purposes. The goal: the Test Driver gets a “taste” of the assessment and process, and a (partial) view of the team – and that will lead to the purchase of the TDA for a team.

Can I see a list of the assessment questions?

A: The questions are proprietary and TCI does not release them. However, there are examples of the questions sprinkled throughout the Team Diagnostic Demo report to give your client a flavour of the questions in the assessment. The document in Lesson 2.6 also provides sample questions from the assessment.

What if I miss a team coaching session?

A: If you miss a team coaching session connect with one of your cohort members to catch up. Be proactive and reach out before the session to ask someone if you can.

Can we request a date change of any of the sessions?

A: Date changes can create chaos with larger group sizes, and we want to save you the pain of having to do this. We have you covered with the program content on the online portal, you also have peer support and coach led support to bring you up to speed if you miss a session. Simply connect with your team members and schedule a time with them for an update. Once you have done this you can contact Pollyanna via Voxer with specific questions.

I’m new in the role and I’ve missed some sessions, how do I get up to speed?

A: The 1st step is to reach out to your team members and arrange a time for an update. 2nd Step - ensure you are connected with Pollyanna on Voxer and send a message to say hi. The 3rd step is to arrange a call /zoom with Pollyanna who will bring you up to speed and provide a guideline on what to focus on to catch up. These steps will ensure you can feel 100% comfortable and excited about joining the program. In addition to the support we will provide you individually, we find that groups who create community also provide the very important peer to peer support.

+ What to bring to sessions

• Bring your copy of the Team Diagnostic Report

• It's always handy to have a dedicated notebook to take notes throughout the sessions

• Different coloured pens and highlighters can be useful

• A drink bottle to keep hydrated

• Your favourite beverage, coffee/tea?