Strategy Survival Guide

Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1
Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit
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Strategy Development > Justification & Set Up > Tasks
Setting up the team
Up to this point, many of the initial tasks of justifying, planning and defining the scope of the project may
have been conducted by one or two individuals, one of whom may be earmarked as the future team leader.
However, as momentum builds behind the project, a full team will need to be established to take on the
growing work load.
Recruiting the Team
The task of recruiting a team may not be as simple as it sounds. Careful attention should be given to the
necessary size, composition and skills of the team across the lifecycle of the project, as well as to selecting
an appropriate team leader. Consideration should also be given to the benefits of including in the team
representatives of key stakeholders and any delivery agencies who will also be involved in implementation of
the strategy following the end of the project. This can be crucial to creating buy-in to the project as well as to
knowledge transfer and continuity.
Building the Team
It is important that the team leader takes an active approach to building a team. Different team members
will have different styles of working, strengths and weaknesses. The aim of team building is to create an
environment that brings out the best in individuals and a cohesive team that works well together. There are
various tools and exercises which can assist in building a successful team.
Working as a Team
A well-defined and understood approach to working as a team is essential, particularly if working in multidisciplinary
teams is a new experience for team members. Holding both a project kick-off meeting and an
away-day at the start of the project is a useful way of developing the team's working approach. This should
be supplemented by regular, well structured team meetings throughout the course of the project. Weekly
team meetings should be supplemented by additional ad hoc meetings on key issues as they arise. Team
communication, document management and other procedures should also be agreed during this phase. It
may be beneficial to assign responsibility for specific project management activities and areas such as
knowledge management or encouraging creativity to particular individuals within the team.
Useful links:
> recruiting a team
> building a team
> working as a team
Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Development
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