1)    There would not any negative consequence in the job of staff from possible failure in managing problems 

2)    We came in same page that about ownership and benefits from managing the issues 

With this ground rule, we have identified key members and way they can support me in influencing the government agency where complaint was lodged and negotiating with the dissatisfied local NGOs. Prior to holding negotiation meeting, our team has clarified bottom line of our position and communicated nice in face-to-face meeting. Finally, we were able to manage the issue in condition that we will ensure 100% transparent implementation with assurance of application of trusted tools. 

Then the storm broke. Unfortunately, my team members were recruited a week before the COVID-19 Pandemic hit, so my interactions with them for the first five months after they were recruited, were all virtual since we were on lockdown. 

When situations calmed and more traditional work hours and schedules resumed, the team begun to operate more like their real selves- and not the ideal version I was introduced to. 
By this time, team members were more comfortable with each other because of the constant virtual interactions they had had with each other through our “Teams” meetings. Team members had become more expressive-some even very argumentative. The more overly ambitious team members begun to undermine their team mates, and there were more and more conflicts among the team. Meetings became longer because we could never agree on anything-everyone had an opinion and wanted their opinion taken.

Unfortunately, although a department, my team members are stationed in different parts of the country where branches of our organization are. This means we do not get to work together physically in the same space and gradually create and build interpersonal relationships. 
So, I decided to organize a seven day “onboarding session” for the team after the lockdown had been lifted. I wanted to meet the team face-to-face, and establish a connection with them, as well as allow them build some relationship among themselves.

Although a virtual “onboarding session” had already been organized for them, I wanted a physical session with the team to properly orient them and establish a connection with them through the face-to-face interaction. This onboarding session was mainly to present to the team the objective of the department and get their commitment. 
Hence, the major activity for this onboarding session was to develop an M&E Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool with the team, and conduct an M&E Organizational Capacity Assessment using the developed tool. The plan was to get the team to truly see why they have been employed, and the services they needed to provide to the organization by providing solutions to the gaps identified through the assessment tool. 

Having conducted the assessment together, we analyzed our findings and drafted a report. The final report which was approved by senior management became the basis of our department’s strategy and Annual Departmental Plans. Based on the findings of our assessment, we were able to refine the exiting strategy for the department to suit the actual situation on the ground. The team thus became in tune with the situation on the ground and owned the strategy to fill identified gaps. 

After finalizing the new departmental strategy and getting it approved, I tasked each team member to develop an annual Individual Work Plan informed by the new strategy and departmental plan. Their performance would be assessed based on the finalized Individual Work Plan for each team member, which I would have to approve.

In subsequent weeks, we developed some work procedures as a way to establish some ground rules. 

Now, to reduce the "physical distance" between us (myself and the rest of the team members), I organize informal review meetings with the team every second and fourth Friday of each month to discuss progress made and corrective measures to be taken with regard to our departmental plan. This is in addition to our quarterly review meetings which are more formal. Our discussions are guided by the objectives set in the departmental plan, as well as the timelines and targets we have defined, so this reduces irrelevant arguments during meetings. 
Conversations are limited to factors that are hindering progress in achieving our objectives, success factors, corrective actions to be taken, and lessons learnt. All reporting templates being used by the team incorporate these dimensions of our discussion as well, so issues discussed naturally are also reported on since the dimensions that guide our conversations are also reporting requirements.

I have also become more attentive to situations that can cause conflicts during meetings with my team. Whenever I facilitate a meeting now, I pay particular attention to situations such as a team member cutting off their team mates while they are making a contribution, and snide and mean comments exchanged between team mates. I calmly but firmly call out any team member who exhibits such behavior continuously.

Other steps I intend to take along the way, to move my team to the Performing stage, is to include sessions on effective communication and team building, in addition to other soft-skills related topics in all our training sessions to enhance team cohesion.