
The Corentus Toolkit
A Toolkit for Real Teams, Doing Real Work
This Toolkit reflects over two decades of experience with leaders and teams across 30+ countries. We frequently point to our main tools and microtools throughout our site, and, more importantly, we use them every day in our work with teams. The tools we’ve chosen to highlight across our site are the ones we use most often, the ones clients consistently ask for, or find themselves needing.
What you’ll find below is an expanded list.
These tools are grounded in the Corentus Team Wheel framework, which outlines four key dimensions of team effectiveness:
Collaboration & Cohesion, Mutual Accountability, Common Purpose & Shared Goals, and Roles & Competencies.
Within the four dimensions, 22 elements can be found, and for each of these, we’ve developed both Main Tools and MicroTools to support targeted team development.
We define a Main Tool as: A robust collection of contextual insights, MicroTools, client cases, and more that help teams develop new skills and competencies.
We define a MicroTool as: A short, focused practice that can be taught and used in less than 10 minutes, ideal for busy teams that want to see immediate results.
We also know your organization may already be using tools from other sources. We welcome that. Our work is about effectiveness, and we’re happy to integrate tools your team already trusts.
Whether you’ve already identified a focus area where your team could go from good to great, or you’re still figuring out where to start, we’re here to help. Reach out to start the conversation.
Common Purpose
Main Team Tools: Common Purpose & Shared Goals | Team Charter
Shared Goals
Main Team Tool: Shared Goals
Scope of Work
Main Team Tools: Building Organizational Relationships | Enterprise Mindset | Strategic vs. Operational vs. Tactical
Roles & Responsibilities
Main Team Tool: RACI-D
MicroTools: Offers & Needs | The 5 Drivers
Team Leadership
Main Team Tools: Innate Leadership | Leadership and Management | Leadership Promotions - The Golden Hour | Leading through Change | Strategic Leadership
Competencies
Team Membership
Main Team Tool: Team Member Onboarding
Authority & Decision Rights
Main Team Tool: Decision Making
Meeting Effectiveness
Main Team Tool: Intentional Meetings
MicroTools: 3-Phase Method of Intentional Meetings | Formulating a Meeting Purpose | Meeting Work Sessions | Meeting Agenda | Meeting Styles | Openings & Closings (State of Mind) | Meeting Boosters | Meeting Derailers | Objectives - Process - Outcomes (O-P-O) | Zero to Five | Four Items for Follow Through | Shared Commitments for Follow Through
State of Mind & Energy
Main Team Tools: State of Mind | Stress & Resilience | Building Resilience | The 4-Step Method (Heartmath) | KR Grieving Cycle
MicroTools: State of Mind Check-in Chart | State of Mind Impact Chart | Joy Trio & Health Quad | Notice Shift Share | Coherence Breathing | Reframe
Planning & Organizing
Main Team Tools: Delegation | Work Products Methodology
MicroTool: IQCS/IICS
Trust & Safety
Main Team Tools: Psychological Safety | Trust
Inclusion & Integration
Main Team Tool: The Foundations of Team Cohesion (i4)
Problem Solving
Main Team Tools: Leading Through Change | Creativity and Innovation | Culture Change | Managing Polarities | Functional Subgrouping | Cynefin Framework
Decision Making
Main Team Tool: Decision Making
MicroTools: Decision Modes | Four-Stage Decision Process
Development & Growth
Main Team Tools: The Thinking Path | Groupthink | Self-Awareness | Authenticity | The Engagement Cycle | Awakening
Communication
Main Team Tools: Productive Conversations | Communication Behaviors of HPTs | Facts and Opinions | Transforming Complaints
MicroTools: Bohm Dialogue | Listening | Skillful Dialogue | Proactive Engagement | Inquiry
Conflict Management
Main Team Tool: Conflict Management
MicroTools: S-P-N-S | De-Escalating High Emotion | Triangulation | The Drama Triangle | Clearings
Accountability & Engagement
Main Team Tools: Mutual Accountability | Mutual Accountability vs. Ownership
MicroTools: Main Tool | Mutual Accountability Framework | TASTY Requirements | Clear Requests vs. Soft Asks | Clear Commitments vs. Hedging | Clear Consequences | Six Question Framework | P-M-O (Purpose - Mastery - Autonomy) | From Ownership to Mutual Accountability - Mindset Shift
Agreements & Commitments
MicroTool: Clear Agreements & Clear Commitments
Feedback & Improvement
Main Team Tools: I Statements | After Action Reviews
Execution & Delivery
Main Team Tools: Punctuated Equilibrium Model | Culture Change
MicroTools: Leading Through Change | Culture Change