KALL Consulting

A division of MC Consulting

 

 

Product Pitch #1:

“Teambuilding: Strengthening the core of your organization’s success.”

 

Katie Stitt

Autumn McGee

Laura Haumiller

Lela French

 

 

September 30, 2003

 

For

 

Mr. Chet Amagan

 

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Introduction

 

A. Overview

 

            Teamwork has always been a crucial aspect of a successful business.  However, with marketing strategies and new technological developments bringing the world closer everyday, it has become essential that the members of a business team work together seamlessly.  Teambuilding is a hot and hip training program in today’s market, but KALL Consulting sees the value in teambuilding to every company today, and tomorrow.  Through KALL Consulting’s Teambuilding Program, employees of any company will see the advantages and the importance of a dynamic and effective team.   In this overview to our program, it will be made clear the benefits of training, market potential, cliental possibilities, selling strategies, training objectives, and program outline.

            The thrust of our program is building effective teams amongst management staff.  Specifically, our teambuilding program will focus on identifying small group roles, leadership styles, an activity matrix, goal-setting, and SWOT analysis of the team itself.  These activities will prove beneficial because as management becomes a stronger team, it will reflect on the company as a whole.

            A company with weaknesses in the way their employees interact with each other is a company in danger of failing miserably.  It is crucial that the company’s employees feel that they are a part of a winning team.  Not only does this boost employee morale and help the company retain their most talented employees, but it also helps the company gain in productivity and incremental sales.  When the employees believe in the business and the ability of their colleagues, they are going to market that message to the public through their words and actions, both in and out of the office.  In the end, the company’s image and productivity will soar because of the invaluable teamwork of its employees.

 

B. Why choose teambuilding?

            Businesses and organizations that employ effective teambuilding strategies enjoy overwhelming success.  Don Capener, an experienced advertising executive out of the Los Angeles area, says marketing initiatives via teams are the way things get done.  “Each person has talents and goals, and a good team is able to figure out how the individual’s services will work within the existing structure.  The expertise from each person in their own field will determine the success of the initiative” (Capener).  When employees don’t understand how to work together, the results of the project will not be at their maximum potential because the team is not able to capitalize on each others’ abilities and bring them together.

Not only is teambuilding important in a company’s life at any stage, but especially in today’s marketplace.  According to Stephanie Tirrell, in the August 12, 2003 edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “the trend toward teambuilding activities has grown during the past five years and in general seems to mirror the ebb and flow of the economy” (Rinella paras. 3, 4).  With the economy still recovering from a massive downturn, it is more important than ever that companies gain an edge over their competitors to bounce back and join the marketplace at their full potential.  The real value in teambuilding lies in employee retention, keeping up company morale, learning how to work together to strategize the most profitable path for the company to take.  With the economy putting pressure on companies to downsize their workforce, it is important to maintain a core group of talented people to run the business.  When workers feel that they are a vital part of a team, they are more likely to stay with the company that values them.  Also, when employees feel that they have an open system of communication with their colleagues, morale is high and positively affects productivity.  An open atmosphere of communication allows each team member to become familiar with other members’ strengths and weaknesses, which help the team maximize the organization’s profits. 

The money that the client spends on this teambuilding program will be regained tenfold.  Building a strong team within in the company is a crucial investment, not only in each employee’s productivity, but in the entire company’s success.  When the company projects an image of a cohesive team, their clients are encouraged by the idea that they will be working with a core group of people with specialized talents.  The company can sell its products and services by marketing the edge that their internal teams have over other companies.  This way, the company’s client feels that their money is being invested wisely and will be attracted to the company and their positive image.

 

 

Market Potential

 

A. Potential Clients

 

            A strong team is an important part of any company’s success for a number of reasons.  If the employees of a company feel that they are part of an efficient and vibrant team, the individual and the company reap the benefits in productivity, incremental sales, and company morale.  Teambuilding is a great way to help employees feel valued in the company, teach them how trust their colleagues and work together more productively, create more dynamic ideas, and employ integrated marketing communications. 

            Research shows that teambuilding activities are most valuable to the company when management is highly involved.  According to Stephen Covey, a training programs expert at a FranklinCovey in Salt Lake City, “The more visible, accessible, and vulnerable executives are during a teambuilding session, the better” (McMaster).  For this reason, KALL Consulting has designed a training program specifically for management teams of advertising agencies.  Teambuilding amongst the department managers will enhance communication with one another and each manager will integrate those skills within their department.  Thus, a “trickle-down” effect will increase communication and inspire a positive atmosphere of teamwork.  With more effective communication internally, the company will be able to deliver a more unified message to clients and will therefore increase their business and create a more professional image.  Specifically, upper-level managers can benefit from the program by communicating more effectively with each other and by taking those skills back to their individual departments.  With a more united front, the company will be better able to compete with rivals in their market.  It is important a company promote a team atmosphere so that as the company grows, they will not lose sight of their basic values and goals.

          KALL Consulting’s teambuilding program will work best for advertising agencies in major U.S. cities, such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.  According to a survey conducted by Business and Management Practices, nearly 20% of companies spent at least $1000 per staff member on teambuilding in 2002, and greater than 5% of companies spent more than $5000 per staff member (McMaster).  Obviously, organizations are willing to pay top dollar for teambuilding expertise, and this is where MC Consulting and KALL will come into play.  With countless agencies in each major city, the opportunity to seek out clients is right at MC Consulting’s fingertips.

           

B. Selling Strategy

            MC Consulting’s selling strategy is simple—the teambuilding program that KALL Consulting has designed gives clients exactly what they want and need.  We have researched the area of teambuilding extensively and we have uncovered a few key ingredients to make our teambuilding program a cut above the rest.

  • Research shows that management needs to be involved.  “Without management presence, teambuilding programs are wasted on an incomplete team.  Managers need the lessons as much, if not more, than the sales team,” according to an article in Business and Management Practices in January of 2002 (McMaster).  For this reason, KALL has designed our teambuilding program specifically for management.
  • According to Ross Reck, a management consultant in Tempe, Arizona, “The whole point is to be plugged into a context that will take advantage of what the activity fosters” (McMaster).  KALL will not make our client play silly games or climb ropes—our activities are purposeful and address the issues within the client’s organization that are revealed in our pre-program needs assessment.  The lessons learned in training will be incorporated into the company’s culture.
  • Teambuilding is one way to positively impact productivity.  For instance, “Teambuilding exercises have helped the new business development group at the RBC Financial Group develop into a cohesive team as well as develop a business strategy to suit the current economic climate,” says Craig Smith, the vice-president of new business development for e-business at RBC Financial Group in Toronto (Khanna).  With a strong team working together to maximize the group’s potential, the client will gain an edge over competitors and will have more staying power in an unstable business world.

KALL has also designed some useful tools to be used in MC Consulting’s selling strategy.  First, we have designed a flyer that promotes the importance of teambuilding and creates awareness about MC Consulting, KALL Consulting, and our product.  This is largely based on Hovland’s Learning Theory.  The flyer will gain clients’ attention and they will begin to learn and understand the need for teambuilding after seeking more information from KALL Consulting.

            A brochure will follow the flyer, employing repetition as a technique.  It will include many of the same graphics and information as the flyer, but it will also include more details about the program, as well as contact information.  Repeating some of the same information and graphics will help the client remember our product, but the new details will keep our information from becoming boring and stale. 

            Also, KALL has designed a guarantee for our teambuilding program.  If the client has not experienced a positive impact within their organization within six months, whether in sales or team atmosphere, KALL Consulting will return to the organization and provide a follow-up program, free of charge.  Insuring that the client will receive a return on this investment will cause them to choose MC Consulting over their other options.  This employs the theory of reciprocity, or “one flower given.”  The client will be more likely to pay us for our product when they know they are guaranteed results.  The persuasion Theory of Reasoned Action also applies to the guarantee, because when clients consider hiring MC Consulting, they will realize that the risk factor is low and the teambuilding does not compete with any of the organization’s existing values.  In fact, it will only enhance them.

            Also, KALL Consulting is interested in adding a link to MC Consulting’s website that will promote and explain the teambuilding program.  This website will mirror the flyers and brochure that have already been designed, but will be easily accessible to the client at any time, especially in today’s high-tech internet world.

            Finally, KALL will place ads in magazines read by upper-level management staff in order to reach our target audience.  Suggestions include Ad Week, Newsweek, Consumer Report, and the Wall Street Journal.  The ads will increase awareness about our product and will also reach a broad audience.  By placing ads in monthly and weekly publications, there is a greater chance that the ad will be seen by more people since the magazines circulate for such a long period of time.  The repetition of exposure to the ad will cause familiarity with our product and our agency.

 

Training Objectives

A. Target Audience

KALL’s target training audience will be compiled of upper-level management staff employed by advertising agencies. Trainees will have typically earned a Bachelors degree at their respected college, and some gone on to further their education in a graduate or masters program. These managers earn a comfortable salary and enjoy the luxuries of upper middle class living. Our teambuilding program will appeal to these people because they are eager to do what they can to solidify their companies, as well as their personal, advancement. The typical trainee we work with will originally have a vision to succeed greatly based on his or her own needs, and be strongly individually oriented. At the conclusion of our team building program managers will be more group savvy, and understand the importance of working as a harmonious unit. Trainees will also be productive as a group made up of strong and independent personalities, and practice the skills they were taught on a daily basis in the work place. The overall behavioral objectives of our training package include the following.

 

B. Behavioral Objectives

  1. At the end of this training program, the trainee will be able to identify blockers, aggressors, or other personality types that may hinder the group’s progress and work environment.
  2. At the end of this training program, the trainee will be able to adjust to these negative personality types accordingly.
  3. At the end of this training program, the trainee will be able to identify those personalities that are indifferent to the group’s progress and environment, and neither help nor hinder.
  4. At the end of this training program, the trainee will be able to better include these personality types in the group’s work.
  5. At the end of this training program, the trainee will be able to identify the leaders and the motivators of the group.
  6. At the end of this training program, the trainee will recognize their own personality type, how they fit into the group, and how they contribute to the group.

Program Outline

 

The teambuilding program designed by KALL Consulting will be flexible enough to be performed on-site at the client’s business location.  The program is designed to take place over a two-day period, with each session lasting a half-day.  KALL’s research supports that many employees that have undergone company training programs and were surveyed afterward commented that they were too worried about “work they could be getting done,” or “deadlines” (source).  Therefore, the trainees were not able to be completely involved in the training program.  For this reason, KALL Consulting feels that the client will find the program to be most valuable if it is split into two half-days.  The program is designed to take place in the morning on the first day, and in the afternoon on the second day, with a wrap-party to celebrate the group’s accomplishments.  A tentative schedule, which is highly adaptable to the client’s needs, follows:

Day One

8:00 am—Defining a team and its importance to the company

8:30 am—SWOT analysis of how the team is working together now.  Defining the

                  status-quo.

               --Plan, organize, direct, control activity

9:30 am—Group dynamics—what are the personality types that make up a team and

                  how to deal with differences.

10:00 am—short break

10:15 am—Identifying the individual—which personality type are you? 

                   COLORS personality test

10:45 am—Breakout session—how to make the most of your personality type in a team

11:30 am—Activity matrix—identifying personal and team priorities.

12:00 pm—Break for lunch

1:00 pm—Resume normal business activities.

 

Day Two

1:00 pm—It’s time to play!  We’ll do some activities that promote communication,

                  problem-solving, and teamwork.  Some games include, the deadly gopher

                  and the human knot.

2:00 pm—Short break

2:15 pm—Roundtable discussion on the core values of the company.  How do teams

                  play a vital role in upholding these values and making the company

                  profitable?

3:00 pm—Role playing…trainees will be given a real-life situation specific to their

                  company and will have a chance to use the teambuilding skills that they have

                  learned over the course of the training sessions.

4:00 pm—Evaluation of individual and team progress, as well as an evaluation of the

                  program itself.  This will be a roundtable discussion, but anonymous surveys 

                 will be distributed and collected after the wrap party.

5:00 pm—Let’s party!  We’ll be celebrating our accomplishments over the last few days,

                  as well as our new team camaraderie.

Preliminary Bibliography

 

Khanna, Poonam.  “Facing personal challenges can help teambuilding process.”

            Canadian Business and Current Affairs. 18.20 (2002).

 

 

McMaster, Mark.  “Teambuilding tips.” Business and Management Practices. 154.1

            (2002): 40-2.

 

 

McMaster, Mark.  “Roping in the followers: high-dollar, high-excitement teambuilding

            courses may be the last thing your sales force needs.”  Business and Management

            Practices.  154.1 (2002): 36-40.

 

 

Rinella, Heidi Knapp.  “Working in Groups: Team Spirit.”  Las Vegas Review-Journal. 

            12 Aug. 2003: E1

 

 

“Teambuilding Inc. Dynamic Workshops—Appreciative Teambuilding.”  2003. 

            http://www.teambuildinginc.com/services_at.htm  18 Sept. 2003.

 

 

“Management Training and Development—Manager’s Quest.”  2003. 

http://www.executiveedgeinc.com/pages/mgmtdev.html  18 Sept. 2003.