Team Work and Management
Stages of Team Growth ♦ Stage 1 - Forming ♦ Stage 2 – Storming ♦ Stage 3 – Norming ♦ Stage 4 – Performing
Forming ♦ Feelings – Excitement, anticipation, optimism – Pride at being involved – Initial, tentative attachment to the group – Suspicion, fear, & anxiety about tasks ♦ Behaviors – Attempts to Define tasks & path to accomplishments – Attempts to determine acceptable group behavior and conflict resolutions
Storming- the most difficult stage ♦ Feelings. – Resistance to tasks & to anything new or changes. – Sharp fluctuations in attitude about the group and its chance’s of success.
♦ Behaviors. – – – – –
Arguing among members even when they agree on goals or issues. Defensiveness & competition; factions & “choosing sides.” Questioning wisdom of those in charge, and other in the group. Establishing unrealistic goals; concerns about amount of work. A perceived “pecking order; disunity, increased tension, and jealousy.
Norming ♦ Feelings. – A new ability to express criticism constructively. – Acceptance of the members of the group. – Relief that everything is going to work out. ♦ Behaviors. – An attempt to achieve harmony by avoiding conflict. – More friendliness, confiding in each other, sharing of personal problems, discussion on how the group is working. – A sense of cohesion, common spirit and goals. – Establishing & maintaining group ground rules & boundaries.
Performing ♦ Feelings. – Members having insights into personal & group processes, & better understanding of individual strengths & weaknesses. – Satisfaction with the groups progress. ♦ Behaviors. – Constructive self-change. – Ability to prevent or work through problems. – Close attachment to the group.
The Roller Coaster ♦ Knowing the typical stages of team development
should relieve a lot of stress. ♦ Note the teams mood will reflect its fortune. ♦ Teams start off positive, but progress is never smooth. ♦ Negative feelings will arise and may not be linked to the previous stages. ♦ The biggest key is to remember “This to shall pass”. ♦ Cultivating patience, and having good ground rules and conflict resolution will help turn negative feelings around.
The Recipe ♦ Clarity in Team Goals ♦ An Improvement Plan ♦ Clearly Defined Roles ♦ Clear Communication ♦ Beneficial Team Behaviors ♦ Well-defined Decision Procedures ♦ Balanced Participation ♦ Established Ground Rules
Goal Clarity ♦ Agree on your mission, works together
towards it. ♦ Sees the Mission as workable, or is willing to scale it back to a workable size ♦ Is clear about larger group goals & about the purpose of individual steps, meetings, discussions, and decisions.
Improvement plan ♌ Calendar of events or milestones. ♌ Identifies the resources and training needed
to achieve goals.
Clearly Defined Roles ♦ Designate key roles; Leader, facilitator,
record keeper, treasurer, members. ♦ Understands which roles belong to one person & which are shared. ♦ Understands how to switch shared roles. ♦ Use each members talent, and involves everyone in team activities so no one feels left out or taken advantage of.
Clear Communication ♦ During interactions – speak clearly &
Directly. ♦ Be succinct, avoiding long anecdotes and examples. ♦ Listen actively, explore rather than debate. ♦ Avoid interrupting and talking when others are. ♦ Share information on many levels…
Sharing Information ♦ The following verbal tools can be used. – Sensing Statements “ I don’t hear any disagreements with Tod’s point. Do we all agree?” – Thinking Statements “There seems to be a comparison between attendance and accomplishment.” – Feeling Statements “I am disappointed with the lack of progress.” – Statements of Intentions “ My question was not criticism. I am simply wanted more information.” – Statements of Actions “ Let’s get 2 dozen signs made up before the weekend rally”.
Potential Trouble ♦ Poor speaking skills (mumbling, rambling). ♦ Not saying what is truly felt. ♦ Background motivations (seen in behavior or body
language). ♦ Opinions Expressed as facts or phrased as questions. ♦ Plops: statements that receive no acknowledgement or response. ♦ Bullying statements “What you don’t understand is…” ♦ Discounts “That’s not important. What’s worse is…”.
Beneficial Behaviors ♦ Initiate Discussions. ♦ Seek information and opinions. ♦ Clarify and elaborate on ideas. ♦ Test for consensus. ♦ Act as conversational gate keepers. ♦ Try to easy tension. ♦ Express group feelings. ♦ Get the group to agree on standards.
Well-defined Decision Procedures ♦ Discuss how decisions will be made. When
to take a poll, when to decide by consensus, when just a few are needed for a decision. ♦ Use data as the basis of decision. ♦ Test for consensus “This seems to be the agreement, anyone feel unsure?”
Balanced Participation ♌ Get all members to participate if some team
members are silent, draw them out with questions, encouragement, and compliments. ♌ Watch for what occurs naturally and capitalize on it.
Potential Problems ♦ Team members with to much influence. ♦ Topics to narrow to include all members. ♦ Members that too often contribute at certain
times in conversation. ♦ Members only talk about certain “hot button” topics that may not relate to the goals.
Ground Rules ♦ How the meeting is to be run. ♦ How decisions are made. ♦ Use open agreement statements “We all
agree this is the method we will use.” ♦ How we will decide if there is conflict or lack of compromise.
Guidelines for Constructive Feedback ♦ Acknowledge the need for feedback. ♦ Give both positive and negative feedback. ♦ Understand the context. ♦ Know when to give feedback. ♦ Know how to give feedback. ♦ Know how to receive feedback.
Giving Feedback ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Be descriptive. Don’t use labels. Don’t exaggerate. Don’t be judgmental. Speak for yourself. Talk first about yourself, not about the other person. ♦ Restrict your feedback to things you know for certain. ♦ Help people hear and accept your compliments when giving positive feedback.
Receiving Feedback ♦ Breathe. ♦ Listen carefully. ♦ Ask questions for Clarity. ♦ Acknowledge feedback. ♦ Acknowledge valid points. ♦ Take time to sort out what you have heard.