When time is short and pressure is high, team development can feel like a luxury. But what if it wasn’t about adding more — and instead about doing everyday things, just a little differently?
In public sector teams — from higher education to healthcare to local government — it’s no surprise that development often drops to the bottom of the list. Teams are stretched. Managers are juggling urgent tasks. And anything that sounds like “nice-to-have” falls away.
We hear it all the time:
“We’d love to prioritise development, but we just don’t have the time.”
But here’s the shift that changes everything:
Team development doesn’t have to take more time — it just needs a different lens.
Most people picture “team development” as a day out of the office, a formal training course, or a structured programme. Those all have their place — and they can be powerful. But development isn’t just something that happens off-site.
Real growth happens in the day-to-day.
It happens in:
In other words, development happens in the flow of work — not outside of it.
Here are five simple, time-friendly shifts any manager can start today to spark team development — even in the busiest environments:
Why it works:
Beginning with success sets a positive tone, builds confidence, and invites people to notice progress.
Try this:
“What’s something that went well this week — even a small thing?”
This encourages a growth mindset and makes space for informal reflection. Plus, it only takes 2 minutes.
Why it works:
Generic praise like “great job” fades quickly. But feedback that connects to someone’s strengths sticks.
Try this:
“You really used your analytical thinking to help the team navigate that data.”
“Your calm under pressure made a real difference today.”
It takes no more time — but has far more impact. For more on this, explore our Strengths-Based Team Sessions.
Why it works:
Teams that reflect together learn faster, adapt better, and build stronger trust.
Try this:
Use a quick end-of-week ritual:
“What helped you do your job better this week?”
“What’s something you’d like to take into next week?”
This works especially well when combined with tools introduced in our Management Development Programme.
Why it works:
In fast-paced environments, we often only notice finished results. But growth lives in the process.
Try this:
“I know that task didn’t go to plan, but I noticed how you adapted when things changed.”
“Thanks for staying curious and asking great questions — it helped shape the final decision.”
This kind of recognition builds psychological safety and long-term confidence.
Why it works:
Rather than dwelling on problems, forward-focused questions build momentum and clarity.
Try this:
“What are you most looking forward to this month?”
“What’s something you’ve learned recently that’s surprised you?”
This small shift helps people reconnect with their progress, strengths, and purpose — all core to building engaged teams.
At the University of Westminster, the Digital Transformation Team adopted a strengths-based approach to team development through a series of workshops, management development and team sessions. The team was stretched across multiple projects, and time for team building felt like a luxury.
Instead of waiting for the perfect conditions, they started by embedding micro-habits into everyday work:
Over time, these small shifts created real change. The team reported:
“We’ve moved from surviving to thriving — and we didn’t need more hours in the day to get there.”
They didn’t add pressure. They added purpose.
If you're a manager feeling stretched, here's your playbook:
And if you're ready to go further, our Discovery Workshops are designed to fit around the pace of your work — not pause it.
Team development doesn’t need to be a big, bold initiative. It can be something quiet, consistent, and deeply human. The kind of change that starts with one question, one habit, one shift in focus.
And if you’re still thinking “we don’t have time” — maybe what your team needs isn’t more time, but more intention.