Team Effectiveness at AstraZeneca
A powerful team effectiveness programme for AstraZeneca’s PAR&D function is challenging teams to explore working styles, grow together and contribute great things to the organisation. The programme has also contributed to a near 30% increase in productivity.
The Background
AstraZeneca’s Pharmaceutical and Analytical Research and Development (PAR&D) function contributes to the development of the company’s new product portfolio.
PAR&D is currently going through a major change process. Its restructure is part of AstraZeneca’s drive to get products to market more quickly and more efficiently.
One of the key streams in this change process is team effectiveness. As PAR&D brings together new teams and appoints new team leaders, new challenges are created.
The Challenge
AstraZeneca identified the need to improve team effectiveness in PAR&D across the UK, USA and Sweden. The organisation wanted to focus on interactions and behaviours as part of a wider initiative designed to improve processes.
Following a tendering process, the leading learning solutions specialist Academee was appointed in June 2006 to design and deliver a team effectiveness programme. Swedish consultancy Edward and Smedje, whose work with AstraZeneca in the past had influenced the decision to introduce a team effectiveness programme, was appointed alongside Academee to deliver the programme in Sweden. Academee had worked extensively with AstraZeneca in the past in a wide range of areas including change, leadership and management skills, HR transformation and elearning.
The Solution
There are over 60 teams in the PAR&D function, ranging in size from four to 27 team members. Beginning in September 2006, Academee facilitated a series of two-day ‘Team Start-up’ workshops. Academee facilitators worked closely with each team to help them create a purpose, vision and objectives. In addition, the workshops explored team behaviours and the personal journeys of team members.
Six months later, the same facilitator runs a one-day follow-up workshop with each team. This is an opportunity for each team to develop future plans.
What Makes This Programme Different?
Rather than use this programme as an opportunity to cascade key messages from the board and senior management, AstraZeneca has taken the brave step of ‘letting go’ and giving teams in one of its most important functions the opportunity to shape their own individual realities.
Although each team is aware of overall business objectives, these are not ‘fed down’ during the programme. The team effectiveness programme is entirely focused on how each individual team works and grows together.
It is an opportunity for each team to focus on what they bring to the organisation as a team. One of the programme’s most powerful concepts is to ask, ‘What is the unique purpose of this team in the organisation?’ This is very challenging. For example, a team’s initial response to this question may be ‘to deliver projects.’ Academee’s facilitators encourage them to consider more fundamental value-adding activities, such as ‘to develop people’ or ‘to actually work from my customer’s needs.’
Objectives do vary from team to team. Leadership teams may be more focused on developing talent, are more likely to have already worked together and are often very aware of where they fit in organisation.
Academee facilitators are highly experienced. They are flexible within the boundaries of the programme, and ensure that crucial points are covered while also concentrating on key areas identified with team managers.
The programme’s overall key strength is that all decisions are made by individual teams. There are no right and wrong answers. Ownership of the entire process remains with the team. No one reviews each team’s outcomes apart from the team themselves. The Academee facilitators act as catalysts. They help people think. There is no ulterior message or motive.
The Benefits
AstraZeneca feels that the programme had been a success across the UK, USA and Sweden and that Academee’s programme design was key to this success. Academee’s approach made the programme relevant to each team in each country and helped them to find their own way.
AstraZeneca also recognises that the programme played a key role in PAR&D’s overall drive to improve processes, and has contributed to a near 30% improvement overall in productivity from full-time employees.
Six months in, when teams attend the one-day workshop, typical benefits reported include:
- Teams make decisions quickly and effectively rather than getting involved in endless discussion
- Meetings are more positive and results-focused
- Teams have grown in terms of overall behaviour
- Goals are more easily set and more often accomplished
- Momentum and motivation is maintained.
In addition, quotes from individual learners include:
Facilitation:
"Facilitator excellent, allowing discussions to develop without loss of direction, a very enjoyable two days."
"Got very good help from the facilitator. Very useful course."
"Got much more out of it than I thought I would, and the facilitator seemed to know quite a bit about the team in terms of how we were structured, etc, which helped in his role as a facilitator."
"Was amazed how the facilitator pulled a group of silo communities into one team."
"The facilitator led us to make choices without telling us what to select."
"Facilitator was enthusiastic, challenging and supportive. He displayed a great deal of energy and patience."
"The facilitator really helped make the two days interesting and productive. She ran an extremely organised and enjoyable workshop and ensured that all members of the team were able to contribute fully."
"Interactive, good time management, allowed things to flow when needed."
"The pace of the workshop was just right. Facilitator checked understanding at each stage before moving on. Looking forward to the review event in six months time."
"Our facilitator was extremely patient and fair in all discussions and debates."
Style:
"Excellent experience, thoroughly enjoyable."
"A good mixture of doing and listening."
"I particularly enjoyed the fact that the workshop took place in a proactive environment and we were able to discuss things openly and in confidence.
Value:
"All aspects were relevant to my work."
"I learned about my other team members skills and objectives."
"I listened to other team members, worked together effectively, understood what other team members do and how I can help."
"Set vision, purpose and objectives for the team."
"Developed and clarity on team objectives and resource issues."
"Created a team spirit with a group of individuals who have worked on an individual basis for years. Group activities were effective - eye opening and non threatening."
"Having been openly sceptical, I found that there was a lot to take from this course."
"A good constructive workshop. Everyone contributed and it was positive. Good outcome and a framework for moving forward. We have a diverse team and I look forward to working together."
This programme has successfully aligned individual and team behaviours with organisational goals and AstraZeneca is seeing real and tangible benefits.
A powerful team effectiveness programme developed by Academee for AstraZeneca across the UK, Sweden and USA has contributed to a near 30% increase in productivity and successfully aligned behaviours with organisational goals.
