“American soldiers in battle don’t fight for what some presidents say on T.V., they don't fight for mom, apple pie, the American flag. They fight for one another."
- Col Hal Moore (7th Calvary, Vietnam) -
Building a cohesive team is not a soft skill. It is good leadership, and accomplished through feel, and being aware of team dynamics. However, there are principles and guidelines to follow.
Instilling discipline, rewarding desired behavior, and punishing behaviors detrimental to cohesiveness are all part of building a high performing team.
ACTIVITIES TO HELP BUILD UNIT COHESION
DESCRIPTION: This obstacle course challenges teams to count on one another and conquer the course. The course consists of 4 different elements, each with their own challenge.
- The Odyssey: The largest structure at 50 feet high and 360 feet long. Includes cargo nets, zip lines, a broken bridge, and cables suspended in mid-air. Individuals have the opportunity to work in teams to travers from one side to the other.
- The Carolina T-Wall: Sitting just shy of 50 feet tall, has eight different faces simulating a realistic style of rock climbing.
- The Alpine Tower: Shaped like an hour glass, this 50 foot high obstacle course is the ideal adult jungle gym. Participants work in teams or as individuals to ascend the many cargo nets, ropes, poles, and handing ladders.
- The Team Development Course: Consists of many unique challenges; a group of people work as a team to solve problems and move across the course together.
CLASS SIZE: Up to 40
LEAD TIME: 2 Weeks
EXECUTION TIME: Up to 2 hours
COST: $150 for groups, up to 40 people
MATERIALS: Provided by Warrior Adventure Quest
POC: Warrior Adventure Quest / 270-412-7855
DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the Counseling Enhancement Workshop (CEW) is to enhance leader to subordinate counseling skills, improve relationships within units, enhance the performance of units, and improve the overall Army climate. Soldiers will practice the skills in real life scenarios as presented in role plays throughout this workshop.
CLASS SIZE: Max 20
LEAD TIME: 2 weeks
EXECUTION TIME: Max 2.5 days
COST: $0
MATERIALS: Class room, participant guides, computer with A/V, clicker, projector, flip charts/easel, white board, markers, tape, pens, paper, highlighters
POC: R2 Performance Center: 270-412-5390
A training tool designed to introduce Soldiers (Active Duty) to activities that serve as alternatives to behaviors often associated with accidents involving recently deployed Soldiers. Break down communication barriers, reduce accidents, increase unit cohesion, and have fun doing it. On post activities include: challenge course, adventure race, indoor climbing wall, skeet, paintball, mountain biking, paddling, and archery tag. Off post activities are available as well.
SIZE: Perfect for a platoon level event.
COST: No cost to unit; available 180 days pre or post deployment and once every two years for non deploying units.
POC: WARRIOR ADVENTURE QUEST 270-412-7854
DESCRIPTION: A variety of hands-on exercises, discussions, and training to equip unit teams with the skills, cohesion, and culture necessary for high level unit performance. Customizable team building sessions target topics such as communication, trust, leadership, problem solving, and role clarity.
CLASS SIZE: Typically 9-30
LEAD TIME: 3 weeks
EXECUTION TIME: Typically 1-3 hours
COST: $0
MATERIALS: Provided by R2 Performance Center
POC: R2 Performance Center/ 270-412-5390
DESCRIPTION: Communicate clearly and with respect, especially during a conflict or challenge. Use the IDEAL model to communicate in a Confident, Clear, and Controlled manner. Resilience is strengthened due to stronger relationships.
CLASS SIZE: 20 - COVID / 35 - non-COVID
LEAD TIME: 2 Weeks
EXECUTION TIME: 2hrs, 30 min
COST: $0
MATERIALS: Class Room, Projector, Participant guide
POC: Unit Master Resilience Trainer
Description: Adventure Programs now offers events during PT hours foronly $5 per soldier. PT Events include: Challenge Course, Indoor Climbing, MountainBiking, and Archery Tag.
Class Size: Unit level
Lead Time: Varies based on availability
Execution Time: PT Hours
Cost: $5 per Soldier
Materials: Provided on Site
POC: Adventure Programs/ 270-412-7855
DESCRIPTION: A collaborative process between selected Soldiers and leaders from across the unit to engage in a series of workshops and discussions aimed at solidifying or redefining the unit’s shared vision, values, and standards.
CLASS SIZE: 20 - 35
LEAD TIME: 30 days EXECUTION TIME: 4-12 hours
COST: $0
MATERIALS: Class room, projector, participant guide, flipcharts
POC: R2 Performance Center/ 270-412-5390
DESCRIPTION: A prevention model that emphasizes peer-to-peer engagement at the earliest sign of deviation from normal behavior. Enables bystander intervention and develops a Culture of Trust within the unit to enhance resilience.
CLASS SIZE: Based on classroom size
LEAD TIME: 3 weeks
EXECUTION TIME: 2 hours
COST: $0
MATERIALS: Class Room, Projector, Participant guide
POC: R2 Performance Center/ 270-412-5390
DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this training is to help soldiers understand how morals and ethics influence the decision making process. This class builds resiliency by strengthening moral and ethical character.
CLASS SIZE: Varies, contact UMT
LEAD TIME: 2 hrs.
EXECUTION TIME: 2 hrs.
COST: $0
MATERIALS: Handouts provided
POC: Unit Ministry Team (UMT)
DESCRIPTION: The SHARP Escape Room Challenge provides a means for unit leaders and SHARP personnel to conduct supplemental training and enable Army personnel to demonstrate their knowledge and awareness on SHARP fundamentals within a unique, hands-on environment. The SHARP Escape Room Challenge requires teamwork, communication, delegation, creative and critical thinking, and attention to detail.
CLASS SIZE: 3-4 personnel per team plus a facilitator (Squad Leader as example) and SME (credentialed Victim Advocate or Sexual Assault Response Coordinator)
LEAD TIME: 1 month
EXECUTION TIME: 30 minutes
COST: $0
MATERIALS: Instructor provides all materials
POC: BN/BDE Sharp Rep
DESCRIPTION: Learn to shoot Trap,Skeet, or 5 Stand OR use one of our six archery lanes to perfect your aim. Have funchallenging a friend. Range is open to Active Duty, Retirees, DOD Card Holders,and Civilians. Any shooters 17 years and under must have parent/guardian presentto shoot.
CLASS SIZE: Squad/Platoon
LEAD TIME: Based on Availability
EXECUTION TIME: Open Thursdays & Fridays 1pm-7pm & Saturdays 12pm-6pm.
COST: Varies
MATERIALS: Shotguns are available to rent; shells, powder, re-loading supplies, snacks, and drinks available for purchase Provided by Adventure Programs
POC: Archery and Skeet Range/270-412-4015
Description: Gear To Go is a premier facility for leisure time, moving, and party rentals. You won’t believe all the equipment we have – boats, campers, pick-up trucks,15 passenger vans, SUVs; cargo, motorcycle, ice trailers; riding mowers, lawn & garden equipment; inflatables, tents, table & chairs – the list goes on
CLASS SIZE: Variable
LEAD TIME: Based on Availability
EXECUTION TIME: Varies
COST: Call for Pricing
POC: Gear to Go/ 270-798-3919
DESCRIPTION: Outdoor Recreation has a total of four pavilions for rent: EaglesRest (indoor & outdoor), Wohali (indoor), Creekside, and Fletcher's Fork. Thesepavilions vary in size and will accommodate different group or unit functions.Rates vary for each pavilion; Eagles Rest and Wohali require a cleaning depositwith reservation.
CLASS SIZE: Squad/Platoon
LEAD TIME: Based on Availability
EXECUTION TIME: Min 2 hours
COST: $5 Per Soldier
MATERIALS: Provided by Adventure Programs
POC: Adventure Programs/270-412-7855
Description: Plan your next Training Exercise, Organizational Day, Birthday Party, Family Reunion, and more by renting our briefing room. We provide all the table & chairs, audio /visual equipment, yard games, refrigerator, and even a grill. This room will accommodate up to 100 people.
CLASS SIZE: Variable
LEAD TIME: Based on Availability
EXECUTION TIME: Varies
COST: Flat fee of $150.
POC: Adventure Programs / 270-412-7855
DESCRIPTION: Simulate the battlefield experience on Outdoor Recreation’s Paintball field.Take your troops out for the unique, hands-on learning experience of movingunder direct fire, quick decision making, and forming field combat strategy orjust come out to have good time.
CLASS SIZE: Up to 20 per group, 40 per day
LEAD TIME: 2 Weeks
EXECUTION TIME: Up to 4 hours, dependent upon group size
COST: $25 a person
MATERIALS: Provided by Warrior Adventure Quest
POC: Warrior Adventure Quest: (270) 956-3118
TEAM COHESION BASICS
Though Army leadership theories have evolved, they have also remained consistent in the sense that they have always been Soldier focused.
Another constant is the knowledge that to build high performing teams that can deploy, fight, and win in any evironment, we have to have highly trained, disciplined, physically fit, and cohesive organizations.
This is not possible without MUTUAL TRUST.
Mutual trust is not possible without understanding.
Understanding is not possible without knowing one another.
In 2015, researchers at Google published their findings on Project Aristotle. Over the course of two years, they performed a company-wide research project to study the effectiveness of teams and find what drives the most successful teams.
Their findings showed that the “who” and “what” of the team — such as whether the team had one strong leader or was more democratic, homogenous or more diverse, all intelligent and formally educated or not, and working on a simple or difficult task — didn’t matter.
There were five factors surrounding TRUST, PREDICTABILITY, and MATTERING that were consistent in the most effective teams. The five factors are:
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Psychological safety (TRUST): Can we take risks without feeling insecure or embarrassed if you fail?
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Dependability (TRUST): Can we count on each other to do high quality work on time?
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Structure and clarity (PREDICTABILITY): Are goals, roles, and execution plans clear and adhered upon? Do we stick to our training calendar and give as much predictability to Soldiers, Civilians, and Families as possible?
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Meaning of work (MATTERING): Are we working on something that is personally important for each of us?
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Impact of work (MATTERING): Do we fundamentally believe that the work we're doing matters? (Rozovsky, 2015, para. 5).
The squad leader is the most influential member of the squad.
To each squad member, the squad leader is the leader with whom they are the closest and the person they can most trust. The squad leader needs to take ownership of their squad. They must know their Soldiers, Army civilian professionals, and other team members well enough to know what motivates them, know their values and goals, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. They must know when there is a potential issue, be it personal or professional, before the issue becomes significant enough to affect team performance.
TEAM DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
ADP 6-22 states that teams experience three developmental stages. What are we doing in each of these phases to build a stronger tribe?:
1. Formation: Reception, orientation, and integration of new team members.
2. Enrichment: Strengthening relationships with one another and building trust and commitment among team members.
3. Sustainment: Investing in team skills, managing confilct, and avoiding complacency as an ongoing practice.