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Part 5 • Teaming
Decision Type
Description
Example
The plop
An assertive statement followed by silence.
If a statement such as “I think we need to establish our objectives” is followed by nothing but silence from group members, a nonverbal decision to reject the suggested line of action has been made.
Self-authorized agenda
An assertive statement followed by action implementing the suggestion.
“I think we ought to introduce ourselves. My name is Elena Cortez.”
The handclasp
A suggestion made by one person and implemented by another.
Person A says, “I think we should introduce ourselves.” Person B replies, “So do I; my name is Howard Johnson.”
Minority decision (Does any one object?)
An expressed agreement by a few that meets no resistance from the disjointed or undecided people.
“We all seem to agree with Elena’s suggestion,” “If no one objects to Howard’s plan, let’s do it.”
Voting
The typical voting system in which the majority wins.
“Let’s vote and whoever has the most votes wins.”
Polling
Checking with each group member to obtain his or her opinion.
“Let’s go around the table and see where individually everyone stands. Elena, what do you think?”
Consensus
Essential agreement by all.
The issue is explored in enough depth that all group members agree that a certain course of action is the best that can be agreed to.
EXHIBIT 16.1 Team Decision-Making Procedures. Source: Adapted from the Reading Book (Revised) of the NTL Institute for Applied Behavior Science (Washington, D.C.: National Education Association, 1970), p. 22.
STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT Teams generally pass through life stages similar to people. They are born, grow, and develop, and usually pass away. In order for teams to become stable, cohesive, and effective, members need to resolve issues about goals, power, and intimacy as they progress through several stages of maturation. Bruce Tuckman has developed a research-based model illustrated in Exhibit 16.2, which charts a team’s maturation through five developmental stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.8 Different teams will remain at various stages of development for different lengths of time and some may remain at a given stage permanently, either by design or because the team is “stalled.”9 Awareness of this maturation process can enable leaders and members to facilitate a team’s transition through the following five stages of team development. Forming. In a newly formed group, uncertainties exist about the group’s purpose, structure, climate, and leadership. Members need to clarify team goals, explore relationships, and strategies for addressing the team’s task. They also need to clarify that they can satisfy needs for acceptance and personal goal satisfaction. Forming is complete when members commit to team goals and agree about what they have to do to achieve them.
