Tall Ships: Building Effective Teams
Stu Noble, MEd

Achieve Optimal Team Effectiveness

Teams exist in practically every type of work environment and research tells us they become high performing when they differentiate themselves in seven key performance areas. Tall Ships is a fast-paced teamwork simulation game that focuses on the “Seven C’s of Effective Team Performance”: Clarity, Capability, Collaboration, Commitment, Communication, Continuous Improvement, and Creativity. Participants will learn the purpose of these essentials and how they are each dependent upon the other to achieve success. 

What You Will Achieve with the Game

  • Practice and understand the seven factors critical to effective teamwork
  • Identify strategies to improve team performance
  • Learn how to apply the seven skills in an actual team scenario

Theory and Development

Studies show that effective team performance is the result of several interconnected components that, when encouraged, create ideal conditions for success. This research also points out that high- performing teams differentiate themselves in seven key areas known as the Seven C's of Effective Team Performance. These "Seven C's", the basis of Tall Ships, operate both as a system and as separate elements.

Clarity
An understanding of the team’s purpose, expected outcomes, roles, responsibilities, and stakeholder expectations.

Capability
Having the necessary skills and knowledge (or ensuring individuals acquire the necessary skills) to complete tasks efficiently and appropriately.

Collaboration
An understanding of how to work together and use resources effectively to achieve team goals.

Commitment
A high degree of dedication to the team’s mission and to each other.

Communication
An understanding of positive communication practices, including active listening and giving and receiving feedback.

Continuous Improvement
A commitment to constantly enhancing work processes and team effectiveness.

Creativity
Conditions that encourage diverse thinking, new ideas, and innovative solutions.

Uses for the Product

Tall Ships can be used as a standalone learning workshop or integrated into a larger training event. The design can be easily customized to address specific organizational issues or needs such as change management, leadership development, process improvement, quality awareness, corporate consolidation, and safety awareness. 

How it Works

Three game rounds reveal the team dynamics that impact team effectiveness. In Round One, teams are asked to assemble the tallest ship mast possible in the least amount of time. Lessons learned from this round are discussed and applied to the Seven C’s model. Round Two challenges teams to rethink their strategy and build yet a taller mast in the same amount of time, but at the lowest cost. Following a team performance assessment and debrief, teams make one last attempt at the task, assembling the mast according to new specifications and requirements. Finally, an action-planning phase provides teams and team members with an opportunity to improve their performance.
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Navigate the Seven C's of team performance.
What does it really mean to function effectively as a team? What factors must be present for "great teamwork" to exist? And how do you know great teamwork when you see it? Studies show that effective team performance is the result of several interrelated factors that, when present, create optimal conditions for success. We call them the "Seven C's of Effective Team Performance," or more simply, the Seven C's:
  • Clarity
  • Capability
  • Collaboration
  • Commitment
  • Communication
  • Continuous Improvement
  • Creativity
Scenario:

The Seven Seas Company is a leader in the field of nautical design and construction. In addition to their own design and manufacturing capabilities, the Seven Seas Company outsources a great deal of its design and construction work to highly reputable vendors or partners. The partners work with Seven Seas to meet its clients’ time, cost, and quality requirements. Recently, the Seven Seas Company won a large international contract, they are seeking additional help from other ship building operations. After evaluating numerous potential collaborators, they have asked a number of companies to participate in a final selection process for sub-contractors for a new project. The contract is large enough to accommodate one, some, or all of the companies identified. To expedite decision making, teams of representatives from each of the qualifying companies have been brought together to perform a set of activities. The teams will be asked to perform increasingly challenging tasks to demonstrate how well they meet Seven Seas’ criteria for partnering. The tasks involve planning and building a tall ship. The performance of each team in completing the activities will be used to make the final selection.