Collaborating for success: engaging wider teams
At The Juniper Co., we believe that the key to our success lies in the strength and togetherness of our team. Inspired by our April Juniper snippet of inspiration, "engage your team, unleash success," our Managing Director, Nicki Kavanagh reflected in her recent blog on the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered. By fostering a supportive atmosphere, we help our team members reach their full potential and drive our collective success.
These principles become even more valuable when we are working with wider teams, often balancing multiple stakeholders and different time zones. In this article, our account managers, Hannah Speck and Jo Frei Hill, share their insights on how applying our core principles of teamwork can help even the most complex teams perform at a high level and succeed.
1. Keep in touch
Regular meetings are crucial for ensuring everyone keeps on the same page – at Juniper, we hold three short team check-ins a week to discuss progress, tackle challenges and celebrate successes. When working with wider teams, especially across different time zones, it’s crucial to schedule these touchpoints at times that are convenient for all parties involved.
“At the core of our collaboration with a big-four professional services firm, for example, is one simple principle: stay connected,” explains Jo. “From kick-off to delivery, we build in regular touchpoints that keep everyone aligned, informed, and moving forward together. These sessions aren’t just check-ins – they’re structured, purposeful weekly meetings throughout the project where we share progress, tackle challenges head-on, and spotlight wins. With clear agendas and actionable next steps, the client’s team always knows where things stand, and where we are heading next.”
2. Get to know each other
The better we know each other, the more effectively we can work together. The DISC personality profiling assessment tool gives great insight into an individual’s behavioural traits and preferred ways of interacting and is something we often utilise at Juniper. When working with wider teams, sharing these kinds of insights can help tailor interactions and foster a more harmonious working relationship. This understanding can be particularly beneficial when navigating cultural differences and varying communication styles across regions.
“When we incorporate personality profiling into our team coaching programmes, we see the positive impact this has on the overall team performance and effectiveness,” says Hannah. “By identifying every individual's unique strengths, leaders can harness these qualities that may otherwise go unnoticed, allowing team members to contribute in ways that maximise their potential. It also encourages an environment in which teams can be open about the areas where they need support, and to put challenges on the table.”
3. Support each other’s needs
Knowing how people prefer to work, especially during high-pressure situations, is extremely valuable. At Juniper, we prioritise learning about the needs and preferences of the team members that we work with, and we encourage them to do the same.
“We invest time in understanding how our clients work best – especially in high-pressure environments,” says Jo. “By tuning into their preferences and communication styles, we adapt our approach to provide meaningful, timely support. This flexibility builds strong, collaborative relationships rooted in trust, understanding, and shared success – even in the most demanding moments.
“Working with an oil spill expert has been a great example of this. After reflecting together on feedback from last year’s Account Manager, Business Development, and Negotiation Skills programme, the suggestion was made to shift our delegate communications from email to Microsoft Teams. It was a simple but powerful change that has helped boost engagement, made content more readily available, and made our interactions even more effective. The company’s openness and responsiveness has been key to making the programme such a success.”
4. Spend time together
Strong relationships are crucial for team success. Spending time together is important and while it can be more challenging with wider teams, it is still achievable. By making an effort to connect, through virtual meetings, informal ‘getting to know you’ chats at the start of meetings, or face-to-face interactions wherever possible, we can build and maintain these essential bonds.
“We work with our client, a healthcare software company, on a programme involving regular stakeholder engagement, mainly taking place through virtual meetings and collaboration tools,” explains Hannah. “We always take time to catch up personally before we dive into business, as hearing what’s important in people’s lives (such as home renovations, children’s sporting achievements, and travel stories) helps to strengthen our relationships and understand each other on a deeper level. Of course, you can’t beat spending time together in person! We experienced a real boost in our collaboration when we had the opportunity to facilitate some face-to-face workshops and joined the team for dinner and time for conversations away from the office.”
5. Share success
Celebrating our successes together as a team is powerful. At Juniper, we often share highlights or something we are proud of from the past week in our team catch-ups. When working with wider teams, it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate achievements too. This recognition boosts morale and motivates everyone to keep striving for excellence.
By engaging our team members and applying our core principles of teamwork, we create a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered. This approach not only enhances our internal cohesion but also proves invaluable with client teams, when we are working across different time zones and with multiple stakeholders. Following these principles allows us to embrace the complexities of working with diverse teams and celebrate the remarkable outcomes we can achieve together.