Learning Outcomes
Our discussion so far has focused mostly on a team as an entity, not on the individuals inside the team. This is like describing a car by its model and color without considering what is under the hood. External characteristics are what we see and interact with, but internal characteristics are what make it work. In teams, the internal characteristics are the people in the team and how they interact with each other. Show
For teams to be effective, the people in the team must be able to work together to contribute collectively to team outcomes. But this does not happen automatically: it develops as the team works together. You have probably had an experience when you have been put on a team to work on a school assignment or project. When your team first gets together, you likely sit around and look at each other, not knowing how to begin. Initially you are not a team; you are just individuals assigned to work together. Over time you get to know each other, to know what to expect from each other, to know how to divide the labor and assign tasks, and to know how you will coordinate your work. Through this process, you begin to operate as a team instead of a collection of individuals. Stages of Team DevelopmentThis process of learning to work together effectively is known as team development. Research has shown that teams go through definitive stages during development. Bruce Tuckman, an educational psychologist, identified a five-stage development process that most teams follow to become high performing. He called the stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Team progress through the stages is shown in the following diagram.  Most high-performing teams go through five stages of team development. Forming stageThe forming stage involves a period of orientation and getting acquainted. Uncertainty is high during this stage, and people are looking for leadership and authority. A member who asserts authority or is knowledgeable may be looked to take control. Team members are asking such questions as “What does the team offer me?” “What is expected of me?” “Will I fit in?” Most interactions are social as members get to know each other. Storming stageThe storming stage is the most difficult and critical stage to pass through. It is a period marked by conflict and competition as individual personalities emerge. Team performance may actually decrease in this stage because energy is put into unproductive activities. Members may disagree on team goals, and subgroups and cliques may form around strong personalities or areas of agreement. To get through this stage, members must work to overcome obstacles, to accept individual differences, and to work through conflicting ideas on team tasks and goals. Teams can get bogged down in this stage. Failure to address conflicts may result in long-term problems. Norming stageIf teams get through the storming stage, conflict is resolved and some degree of unity emerges. In the norming stage, consensus develops around who the leader or leaders are, and individual member’s roles. Interpersonal differences begin to be resolved, and a sense of cohesion and unity emerges. Team performance increases during this stage as members learn to cooperate and begin to focus on team goals. However, the harmony is precarious, and if disagreements re-emerge the team can slide back into storming. Performing stageIn the performing stage, consensus and cooperation have been well-established and the team is mature, organized, and well-functioning. There is a clear and stable structure, and members are committed to the team’s mission. Problems and conflicts still emerge, but they are dealt with constructively. (We will discuss the role of conflict and conflict resolution in the next section). The team is focused on problem solving and meeting team goals. Adjourning stageIn the adjourning stage, most of the team’s goals have been accomplished. The emphasis is on wrapping up final tasks and documenting the effort and results. As the work load is diminished, individual members may be reassigned to other teams, and the team disbands. There may be regret as the team ends, so a ceremonial acknowledgement of the work and success of the team can be helpful. If the team is a standing committee with ongoing responsibility, members may be replaced by new people and the team can go back to a forming or storming stage and repeat the development process. Team Norms and CohesivenessWhen you have been on a team, how did you know how to act? How did you know what behaviors were acceptable or what level of performance was required? Teams usually develop norms that guide the activities of team members. Team norms set a standard for behavior, attitude, and performance that all team members are expected to follow. Norms are like rules but they are not written down. Instead, all the team members implicitly understand them. Norms are effective because team members want to support the team and preserve relationships in the team, and when norms are violated, there is peer pressure or sanctions to enforce compliance. Norms result from the interaction of team members during the development process. Initially, during the forming and storming stages, norms focus on expectations for attendance and commitment. Later, during the norming and performing stages, norms focus on relationships and levels of performance. Performance norms are very important because they define the level of work effort and standards that determine the success of the team. As you might expect, leaders play an important part in establishing productive norms by acting as role models and by rewarding desired behaviors. Norms are only effective in controlling behaviors when they are accepted by team members. The level of cohesiveness on the team primarily determines whether team members accept and conform to norms. Team cohesiveness is the extent that members are attracted to the team and are motivated to remain in the team. Members of highly cohesive teams value their membership, are committed to team activities, and gain satisfaction from team success. They try to conform to norms because they want to maintain their relationships in the team and they want to meet team expectations. Teams with strong performance norms and high cohesiveness are high performing. For example, the seven-member executive team at Whole Foods spends time together outside of work. Its members frequently socialize and even take group vacations. According to co-CEO John Mackey, they have developed a high degree of trust that results in better communication and a willingness to work out problems and disagreements when they occur.
The Forming – Storming – Norming – Performing team development model was first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, who maintained that these phases are all necessary and inevitable in order for the team to grow, to face up to challenges, to tackle problems, to find solutions, to plan work, and to deliver results. This team development model has become the basis for subsequent models. Just as infants develop in certain ways during their first months of life, many experts argue that groups develop in a predictable manner. One of the most popular team development models identifies five stages (See Figure Below) through which groups develop into effective teams: Forming.During this initial stage the members get acquainted with each other and understand the scope of the project. They begin to establish ground rules by trying to find out what behaviors are acceptable with respect to both the project (what role they will play, what performance expectations are) and interpersonal relations (who’s really in charge). This stage is completed once members begin to think of themselves as part of a group. Storming.As the name suggests, this stage is marked by a high degree of internal conflict. Members accept that they are part of a project group but resist the constraints that the project and group put on their individuality. There is conflict over who will control the group and how decisions will be made. As these conflicts are resolved, the project manager’s leadership becomes accepted, and the group moves to the next stage. Norming.The third stage is one in which close relationships develop and the group demonstrates cohesiveness. Feelings of camaraderie and shared responsibility for the project are heightened. The norming phase is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group establishes a common set of expectations about how members should work together. Performing.The team operating structure at this point is fully functional and accepted. Group energy has moved from getting to know each other and how the group will work together to accomplishing the project goals. Adjourning.For conventional work groups, performing is the last stage of their team development. However, for project teams, there is a completion phase. During this stage, the team prepares for its own disbandment. High performance is no longer a top priority. Instead attention is devoted to wrapping up the project. Responses of members vary in this stage. Some members are upbeat, basking in the project team’s accomplishments. Others may be depressed over loss of camaraderie and friendships gained during the project’s life. The Five-Stage Team Development Model ImplicationsThis team development model has several implications for those working on project teams. The first is that this team development model provides a framework for the group to understand its own development. Project managers have found it useful to share the model with their teams. It helps members accept the tensions of the storming phase, and it directs their focus to moving toward the more productive phases. Another implication of the five-stage team development model is that it stresses the importance of the norming phase, which contributes significantly to the level of productivity experienced during the performing phase. Project managers, as we shall see, have to take an active role in-shaping group norms that will contribute to ultimate project success. How to use this knowledgeTeam SelectionCompetence and potential will always be the first criteria for selection of individual team members, often followed by availability. However, if you want a high performing team then attention should be put onto the individuals working preferences to ensure cultural fit and balance. This can be done in a number of ways including psychometric profiling – MBTI, TMS etc there are many tools available. Selection should not be the based wholly on a profile but it is very useful when trying to choose between equally competent candidates. Early and consistent induction is vital to integration, as are regular team meetings. Understanding MotivationMotivation is important to ensure that individuals operate on a basis of commitment rather than compliance, illustrated by the Y model. Compliance usually results in the bare minimum standard and is often reluctantly given and short term. Commitment however results in individuals being engaged and willing to give their very best for the sake of the project. Based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs it is important to create an environment where individuals are able to experience the top 2 levels: Esteem and Self-actualization.
Anchors to illustrate that individuals are motivated by different things – power, authority, making a difference, being the best, security, challenge etc. Money is not the highest motivator for many people. Identify personal motivators for self and others. Why a team development model is important.Well here you should try to answer some questions:
Start by following these guidelines:
The team development plan needs to be part of the overall project plan. It should have development time planned and booked into all team members’ diaries. ToolsOne tool for this is the TMSDI Team Performance Profile – a 360 degree profiling tool which can be repeated throughout the life of the project team and used in conjunction with the Five-Stage team development model. Involving key stakeholders in this process has proven to be an excellent method for Stakeholder engagement. Further Reading About Team Development ModelsFor an alternative model of group development see the Punctuated Equilibrium Article. Image courtesy of Freepik. |
During which stage of team development do members accept that they are part of a project group but resist the constraints that the project and the group put on their individuality?
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