Transforming a newly unified team into a cohesive unit
Prior to 2023, MongoDB’s program management teams operated in silos. Cloud encompassed Technical Program Managers (TPMs), Product Operations, and Design Operations, while Server was exclusively TPMs. Each team had distinct processes, tools, and career paths—four entirely separate worlds.
When our CTO merged these groups into a single 75+ person R&D Program Management organization, the operational alignment began immediately: merging Confluence pages, unifying job matrices, streamlining meetings, and consolidating Jira projects. But despite these changes, the team remained fragmented. Members struggled to see what united them, focusing instead on the differences. Engagement scores across R&D Program Management were sinking. The question, “Why are we even a team?” hung in the air.
I identified an opportunity to address this with a thoughtfully designed offsite focused on fostering team identity and shared purpose. With VP approval, we set an ambitious goal: increase the sense of belonging and alignment from 30% to 70%. To achieve this, I executed a multi-faceted strategy:
- Created a unifying vision: Collaborated with R&D directors to craft an organizational strategy that underscored our shared goals and values.
- Built alignment through co-creation: Facilitated an ideation group of leaders and individual contributors to shape the offsite’s objectives and themes, ensuring they resonated with the team.
- Gathered insights: Conducted outreach to identify topics the team cared most about, tailoring sessions to address real concerns.
- Curated engaging sessions: Designed and scheduled 18 sessions over 3 days, blending hands-on activities and speaker-led discussions to build to a climactic “aha!” moment of cohesion.
- Empowered contributors: Recruited team members to co-lead sessions, providing them with guidance to ensure a cohesive experience.
- Fostered connections: Used creative approaches like color-coded dominoes to mix up groups and encourage networking beyond usual circles.
- Planned memorable experiences: Organized informal, welcoming events—such as a picnic and game-based icebreakers—to create space for personal connection.
- Ensured smooth execution: Led the event as host, keeping the energy high and participants engaged.
The results exceeded expectations. A post-event survey revealed that 92% of attendees rated the offsite at least 4 out of 5 for value, team cohesion, and understanding of our vision. And our engagement survey the following spring showed an incredible rise in sense of belonging: up to 80%, far surpassing our 70% goal. Beyond the numbers, the event catalyzed a genuine sense of unity, creating the foundation for a stronger, more collaborative organization.
Sarah Kasch 