Need: A communication knot had formed between the teams, and there was a desire to improve collaboration between them
Solution: A Topaasia game session to improve communication.
Results: Suspicion between the teams decreased, the situation relaxed and communication became clearer.
Untangling a communication knot between two teams
At Entteri, two teams had drifted into communication difficulties. A common situation in many organisations. Team lead Elisa Laatikainen explains that the teams approached communication from different starting points, and little by little suspicion arose about what the other team actually meant and wanted. Even though the goals were the same, differences in communication styles began to create misinterpretations. Elisa decided to organise a joint Topaasia session to address the situation.
"I was nervous beforehand: what if we poke the anthill and make things worse," Elisa admits, but fellow team lead Tomi Urama reassured her: "It can't get any worse. Conversation always opens up something new and positive."
Topaasia gave the conversation structure and, at the same time, permission to voice even the things people had perhaps previously been careful not to say. The cards served as a safe channel for raising even difficult themes without the conversation becoming personal. Tomi puts it well:
“When the conversation is held through the game, even tricky issues can be brought to the table without anyone being labelled. It's not about someone “complaining again", but about examining the things that matter for getting the work done, in a shared facilitated conversation”
The session produced concrete results: after the session, the situation between the two teams eased noticeably. Shared goals became clearer, misinterpretations decreased and communication became more relaxed. Concrete next steps emerged right away, too.
"That pondering and anxiety about 'what does that person mean now' has clearly decreased. Communication is more relaxed and things get done," Elisa says.
Do you want to improve interaction between teams?
Topaasia helps build conversations that don't rely on forms, assumptions or surface-level talk. With it, sessions for developing teams and improving collaboration become genuinely participatory, focused and forward-moving.
Get to know Topaasia or book a demo, and we'll look together at how it could be put to use in your organisation.
Thank you Tomi and Elisa and all of Entteri!