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Team Dynamics

Tuckman Team Development Model Practical Considerations Hints for Working in Teams

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Tuckman Team Development Model

Four stages to high performance Forming Storming Norming Performing

Two areas of personal development Personal relationships Task functions

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Stages of Team Development

Each stage is needed Each stage builds on the previous stage Skipping a step negatively affects team

performance

For each major new challenge or change, the process repeats

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Forming

Establishing base level expectations for the work to be done

Agreeing on common goals Making contact - getting to know each

other “Why are we here?”

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Forming

Typical of this stage milling around, confusion, impersonal,

polite / superficial

Action steps set goals establish roles identify team members team member introductions set initial ground rules

continued

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Storming

Expressing differences of ideas, feelings, opinions

Reacting to leadership Team members are independent,

not working together

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Storming

Typical of this stage frustration, attacking, conflict, cliques,

feeling stuck Action steps

listen to each other spend time together work actively to set a supportive

environment build trust by honoring commitments

continued

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Norming

Developing team patterns that work

Cohesion beginning Establish procedures Giving constructive feedback Confronting issues

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Norming Typical of this stage

members agree about roles and processes for problem solving

decisions made through negotiation and consensus building

Action steps recognize and reinforce “synergy” behavior share rewards for successes constant communication share responsibility delegate freely within the team be selective of new team members

continued

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Performing Team members feel very motivated High pride in the team “We” versus “I” orientation Individuals defer to team needs High trust High openness and support Little waste - very efficient team

operations OK to risk confrontation Superior team performance

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Practical Considerations

Identify team members Match in

availability for team meetings geographic location grade goals/expectations personality styles get to know your team members

Good mix of experience and skills relevant to the project

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Practical Considerations

Establish team decision making rules consensus majority vote

how do you break a tie vote? Establish team structure

Assigned roles vs ad hoc task performance responsibilities of roles?

continued

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Practical Considerations

Establish team operating procedures When / where will team meetings be

held Team communications Record and distribute discussions and

decisions from team meetings Managing the project plan and

maintaining the project workbook

continued

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Practical Considerations

Establish team ground rules Examples

Individual assignments must be completed before the team meeting at which they will be discussed.

Attendance at meetings is mandatory. If absence is unavoidable, individual assignments must be completed and delivered to the team before the team meeting.

etc ...

continued

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Hints for working in teams Respect the time and talents of your team members

Be on time Be prepared Be helpful when you have to criticize a team member’s work

Conduct well managed meetings Distribute an agenda ahead of time Take minutes: record key points of discussions and all action

items. Distribute these promptly to all team members

Do not expect to do all the tasks in the team meeting Work independently and in parallel on different parts of the project Use team meetings to coordinate, review and integrate the work