“What I really like about the SDI 2.0 is the focus on team dynamics. It’s such a good fit for us at Twitter.”
How do you get time for training in one of the fastest moving environments around? And, how do you gain people’s attention when your company is literally processing the world in real-time?
Simple: You build stronger relationships based on a common language that speeds communication, improves collaboration, and gets better business results. And that’s what’s happening @Twitter.
“Teamwork and collaboration are so essential at Twitter that improved collaboration virtually guarantees better results. Generally, the results are that projects move faster, quality improves, and people want to continue working together.”
#TALENTEFFECTIVENESS
Twitter chose the SDI because it gives people a powerful common language. And it’s not just because “Blue” is only four characters. Although “a person who is deeply concerned about the welfare of others and wants to help them” does take up 83 characters. “Blue” saves space and time, but it also increases clarity and shared understanding.
The colors (shorthand for personality types in the SDI) make it easy for people to quickly recognize what’s driving others. The colors, and deep meaning behind them, also help to dispel the incorrect interpersonal judgements that get in the way in fast-moving environments.
Teams form and reform quickly at Twitter. Training improves members’ awareness of each other’s motives and core personalities. This knowledge is power – and it drives more effective collaboration because members are able to understand what’s driving each other. It works across the many cultures represented in Twitter’s offices.
The common language gets to the core of human motivation, and makes it easier to appreciate others’ differences. Teams who work through the training together immediately become more engaged. They are excited by what they learn from each other. They are more committed to each other. And they take it out of the training room, because it is simple and easy to remember.
Teamwork and collaboration are so essential at Twitter that improved collaboration virtually guarantees better results. Generally, the results are that projects move faster, quality improves, and people want to continue working together. But training and applying action-plans after training also helps solve two critical problems on teams: 1) conflict and 2) misaligned goals.
The conflict part of the training takes the common language to another level. It gives people simple and memorable terms to talk about how conflict is triggered and how it can be prevented. It also helps them recognize more quickly when conflict starts and suggests how people can start to solve it. Teams who manage conflict quickly have much more time to devote to productive opposition, which creates synergy and innovation.
People have access to a wide array of strengths and should not be constrained just a few. This training guides learners through a practical and repeatable process. They Assess Motives, Bring the Right Strengths, and Communicate in the Right Style. ABC. At the end of training, learners say they feel more empowered and confident to flex their style to get the results they want. And facilitators love hearing from learners about how the training made an immediate, positive impact on their working relationships.
Every sentence in this case study can fit in a Tweet. Feel free to re-Tweet.
#CoreStrengths #Twitter
