Group and Team Dynamics

Chapter Overview Group and Team Dynamics Building Mutual Respect 3. Establishing a Common Vision Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Lesson Overview How can you work as a team? What are characteristics of effective teams? What are the four stages of team development? How can you run an effective meeting? Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Think of a time when you’ve been a member of a team or group. Quick Write Think of a time when you’ve been a member of a team or group. What were the group’s goals? Write down the steps the team or group went through to accomplish its goals. Were there any conflicts among group members? What obstacles did the group need to overcome to be effective? Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Working as a Team You might know of a sports team that has no stars, but that team wins game after game. Why? One reason is that the players and coaches work together harmoniously They put the team first Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com

Working as a Team What exactly is a team? It’s a collection of individuals who are identified by others and by themselves as a group and who work together to accomplish a common goal Each member’s conduct affects the actions of all the other team members Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Team Dynamics Team dynamics, or interactions, are complex because each member must direct his or her unique talents toward achieving a shared goal A team’s leader or coach has a major influence on team dynamics One of the team leader’s most important tasks is preventing distractions from interfering with the team’s work Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Effective Teams Every successful team or group has five common characteristics: Goals Rules Roles Communication Participation Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Photo courtesy of Clipart.com

Goals A goal is a team’s target or objective It gives team members a sense of purpose or focus When you know your target, you have a much better chance of hitting it The goal should be specific and measurable Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Rules Teams frequently rely on structure and rules A rule is a guideline for membership, conduct, or performance In some cases, a group makes its own rules In other cases, the group must follow external rules that govern it and other competing teams Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Roles One of the advantages of teamwork is specialization—team members have different roles A role is the specific job or task assigned to a team member Roles can shift; they need not be permanent But at any given time, each team member must know what his or her role is Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Communication Good communication is critical to effective team performance Communication should be objective, honest, and focused on the team goal, rather than on personal matters Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Communication Team leaders have particularly important roles in communication Good leaders know the value of positive feedback But a good leader also knows how to offer constructive criticism in a way that encourages performance improvement Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Participation Team members typically focus on performance and collective improvement To do this, members need to be interactive Participation is balanced Each member’s actions complement, or round out, those of the other members Members build on each other’s strengths and make up for any weaknesses Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Effective Teams Work together to reach team goals Execute tasks thoroughly Meet or exceed the standard Thrive on challenges Learn from experiences Take pride in individual and shared accomplishments Strive for continued improvement Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Stages of Team Development It takes work to mold a good team—it doesn’t just happen naturally Conflict and resistance are natural during the early phases of a team’s development Strong leadership at each stage can help minimize conflict and reduce resistance Trust and commitment are also important to a team’s development Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Stages of Team Development Four stages, according to Tuckman’s model: orming torming erforming Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Graphics courtesy of Clipart.com

Forming Stage The period when team members meet and begin to create relationships among themselves and with their leader At this stage, team members defer decisions to their leader Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Photo courtesy of Clipart.com

Forming Stage Members have limited commitment to the team Members are concerned about what’s going to happen in the future They have not yet developed a high degree of trust They focus on the task at hand rather than on long-term goals or results Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Storming Stage A period during which personalities begin to clash as members try to overcome their natural tendency to focus on their own needs During this phase, communication may be unproductive, or even damaging Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Storming Stage Some members may be unwilling to accept group rules or norms Some may confront each other or the leader They are still unwilling to fully trust one another Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Photo courtesy of Clipart.com

Norming Stage The team begins to work together as a whole As a result of their leader’s patience, guidance, and role modeling, team members begin to see the advantages of teamwork Trust grows as members share more and more experiences, training, and activities Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Norming Stage Team members give each other feedback and share thoughts and ideas Team standards develop, and the team develops a shared work ethic Team members begin to support one another, and individual differences become less divisive A team spirit begins to emerge Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Performing Stage The stage at which the team works at its best You’ve heard the expression, “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts” That’s a perfect description of an effective team Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Performing Stage The team’s vision, roles, and processes are clear Communication is open Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Photo courtesy of Clipart.com

Performing Stage Members feel free to share their own views They have a high degree of trust in their leader and each other The focus is on continuing to improve performance rather than simply on completing a task Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Performing Stage Team members are thinking about long-term goals They make up for gaps in each other’s skills and knowledge, and they help each other learn Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Running an Effective Meeting Good meetings are an important team-building tool Poorly run meetings waste everyone’s time Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Photo courtesy of Clipart.com

Running an Effective Meeting A few key points to consider: Decide if a meeting is appropriate Define your purpose Decide whom to invite Decide when and where the meeting should occur Plan how you’ll record information Send out an agenda Start on time and follow the agenda Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Running an Effective Meeting Remember, meetings can be canceled Before you take your team members away from their other activities, ask yourself if the team really needs to meet You might get feedback that indicates an e-mail will do the job just as well If you find that the key decision makers can’t be there, reschedule the meeting Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Review A team is a collection of individuals who are identified as a group and who work together to accomplish a common goal Each member’s conduct affects the actions of all the other team members Every successful team or group has five common characteristics: goals, rules, roles, communication, and participation Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Review A goal is a team’s target or objective; it gives team members a sense of purpose or focus A rule is a guideline for membership, conduct, or performance A role is the specific job or task assigned to a team member Good communication is critical to effective team performance With participation, team members typically focus on performance and collective improvement Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Review There are four stages of team development: Forming: team members begin to create relationships among themselves and their leader Storming: personalities begin to clash as members try to overcome tendency to focus on own needs Norming: team begins to work together as whole Performing: team works at its best Good meetings are an important team-building tool; poorly run meetings waste everyone’s time Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Summary How can you work as a team? What are characteristics of effective teams? What are the four stages of team development? How can you run an effective meeting? Chapter 5, Lesson 1

Next Done—group and team dynamics Next—we’ll learn about building mutual respect Chapter 5, Lesson 1 Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com