From Storming to Performing as a Team

The power of the Team Canvas in accelerating Bayer’s team development while navigating organizational change. 

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Sciences fields of health care and agriculture. Sidekick collaborated with Bayer Crop Science Canada, driven by their vision of "health for all, hunger for none". For over 150 years, they have been at the forefront of agricultural innovation, using science and imagination to enhance health and nutrition.  

Bayer's 4P Assessment

The Challenge

As the Customer Insights & Marketing Solutions (CIMS) team welcomed a new leader and new team members, they were also managing the impacts of a recent corporate acquisition. Their goal was to reconnect and refocus on the team’s purpose and its alignment with Bayer Crop Science’s objectives. In doing so, they wanted to clarify their roles, accountabilities, and ways of working to thrive as a cohesive, high-performing team.

In the storming phase of team development, the new leader was determined to foster meaningful relationships and connections, thereby driving the team towards their collective aspirations in a creative, empowering, and accelerated manner.

The Solution

Being part of a team involves many dynamics as people unite towards a shared goal. Teams typically evolve through several stages—storming, norming, forming, performing, and adjourning—as outlined by Bruce Tuckman. This progression is rarely straightforward, often following a two-steps-forward, one-step-back rhythm and generally requires significant time, a luxury not all teams have.

The Team Canvas workshop offered a tailored solution to accelerate this development process compellingly and empoweringly. During a two-day, in-person retreat led by Sidekick, the CIMS team moved swiftly from the storming phase to performing, thanks to focused, transparent, and enjoyable discussions.

Supported by the Team Canvas—a strategic framework that promotes alignment on a unified vision and objectives this method promotes trust and mutual understanding among team members, enabling them to discover each other’s superpowers and blind spots.

The workshop emphasized creating a safe environment for members to connect genuinely, facilitating significant personal and team growth. A standout moment emerged when one team shared:

“I have never felt this valued or had this much clarity on the impact [of my work].”  - CIMS team member

The Impact

A team that walked into the first session as a group of individuals, each confident yet primarily working alone, emerged as a cohesive, high-performing unit. They left with revived motivation, energy, commitment, and excitement for both their collaborative work and each other.

“No matter what obstacles you’re trying to solve, Sidekick will engage, connect, and deliver." - Valerie Yu, Head of Customer Insights & Marketing Solutions

The latter part of the workshop was dedicated to identifying potential barriers or roadblocks to the CIMS Team Canvas. Think of this as pressure-testing the Team Canvas.  Future-thinking solutions and owners were identified for immediate action that have since contributed to the continued strength of the team providing the best experience for customers and stakeholders.

Months following the workshop, the palpable energy, excitement, and renewed commitment experienced during the off-site session continues to resonate within the team today.