Team Development

Aims for today Identify key features of an effective team Analyse stages of team development Recognising norms within our practice Discuss strategies to deal with conflict List strategies to support a no-blame culture Consider your own leadership style. Recognise the importance of a vision statement

Stages of team development Forming Storming Norming Performing (Adjourning or Mourning) Tuckman 1965

Stages of team development Forming

Stages of team development Forming The introduction process, getting to know each other’s names, roles, responsibilities. Membership and identity are defined High expectations, anxiety High dependency on the leader

Stages of team development Storming

Stages of team development Storming The stage where people are confident that they should be here, jockey for position, establish credibility. More comfortable expressing opinions, disappointment with goals, frustrated with leader, competing for power and attention, individuality and influence.

Stages of team development Norming

Stages of team development Norming Rules of behaviour are established. Group identity Roles/Responsibilities Testing the leader Relationships develop and levels of trust explored.

Stages of team development Performing

Stages of team development Performing Milestones are reached, targets are met, friction is minimal and people are achieving. People are able to resolve differences, with shared responsibility and control.

Norms in Groups Norms are generally the unwritten, unstated rules that govern the behaviour of a group. Norms often just evolve and are socially enforced through social sanctioning. Norms are often passed down through time by a culture or society. Norms are intended to provide stability to a group and only a few in a group will refuse to abide by the norms.

Norms in Groups A group may hold onto norms that are no longer needed, similar to holding on to bad habits just because they have always been part of the group. Some norms are unhealthy and cause a poor communication among people. Often groups are not aware of the unwritten norms that exist. New people to the group have to discover these norms on their own over a period of time and may face sanction just because they did not know a norm existed.

Dealing with conflict What Causes Conflict? When one party feels his or her needs aren’t being met. Substantive needs-concerns about tangible benefits Procedural needs-concerns about a process for interacting, making decisions, etc Psychological needs – concerns about how one is treated, respected.

Can conflict be useful?

Conflict: Encourages new ways of thinking Raises questions Builds relationships Leads to change

Dealing with conflict Promote open communication – conflict isn’t necessarily damaging –listen to all comments and respond respectfully Don’t respond to negative remarks or inflammatory statements with an escalation – acknowledge the content and turn it into a constructive comment Avoid sweeping things under the rug

Dealing with conflict Acknowledge conflict and discuss it openly Deal with one issue at a time Don’t smooth over past issues Agree to disagree Don’t insist on being right.

Blame culture

What does this mean to you? It forces people to protect themselves by unnecessary paperwork, currying favour, or shifting blame The ability to get the best out of people is limited (demoralising) Teams therefore fragment, staff turnover increases and the organisation fails to reach its maximum potential.

No blame culture The manager should take responsibility for a team’s failings or mistakes in all instances except dishonesty or unethical behaviour People feel trusted in this culture and commit themselves more to it.

Are there risks?

Accountability? Avoiding conflict? A responsibility culture not a blame culture

Leadership Styles Leadership used to be about control but today it is about people – finding the best, giving them the resources and direction they need, and encouraging them to do their best. (Grout J, Fisher,L. 2011)

Leadership styles Lewin Autocratic/Democratic/Laissez-faire Tannebaum Schmidt Continuum Tell/Sell/Consult/Participate Situational Leadership.

Follow up Task 1 Research and describe either Lewin’s management styles or Tannenbaum-Schmidt’s continuum. Give examples from your own practice of where you would use the different styles.

Vision What is your organisation’s vision ?

Examples Avon To be the company that best understands and satisfies the product, service and self-fulfillment needs of women - globally.

Examples Honda 1970: We will destroy Yamaha

Examples Honda 1970: We will destroy Yamaha Current:To Be a Company that Our Shareholders, Customers and Society Want.

Follow on task: What influences your vision and direction? How do you communicate this to your team? Are your strategies effective?