Team Building and Teamwork

Teambuilding  Besides the one-on-one coaching that is an ongoing responsibility of an effective leader, the careful nurturing and grooming of the people you manage into a cohesive, productive team is another of a leaders key responsibilities.

Different Ways of Interaction  Collaboration: a general term derived directly from the Latin words for "working together".  Partnership: usually refers to two individuals or organizations, who share some specific goals, and who commit themselves to work together in a long-term relationship.  Team: a group of individuals working together to accomplish a specific task (or several tasks).  Coalition: a specific arrangement where a group of organizations (usually three or more) work together for a defined goal.

Types of team functions  Teams have two types of functions:  Task-related  People-related

Task-related Functions: 1.Clarifying the objectives of the team (committee, working group, and so on); 2.Identifying the expected outputs ("products"); 3.Preparing a specific team plan (who will do what by when); 4.Establishing "ground rules" of team functioning; and 5.Regularly assessing progress, in relation to a pre-determined plan.

Ground rules for team functioning with respect to meetings: 1.Team members arrive on time for meetings. 2.The team leader (chairperson) distributes an agenda ahead of time. 3.A designated person prepares and distributes minutes (a summary) of the meeting within a specified time period – such as one week.

People-related Functions:  Frequently the reasons for poor team functioning have to do with the “less tangible” elements of human interaction, such as motivation.  A key leadership question is how to engage people (as individuals and as a group) toward specific activities and outcomes.  Facilitate team synergy.  It entails setting the stage for the team to function as a "unit".

People-related Functions:  If these aspects are in place, team synergy can be facilitated by: 1.periodic "strategic planning" retreats 2.occasional social ("no agenda") gatherings 3.designating blocks of time in a regular meeting to creative "brain storming" about specific issues.

Elements of effective teamwork

Teams are Dynamic Entities  Because teamwork involves a certain kind of relationship among people, the team itself becomes a social entity – a type of "unit".  As such, its development and on-going activity can be viewed as a cycle – almost like the life cycle of an organism, going through specific stages.

Teams are Dynamic Entities  Creating stages: 1.Orientation: Why we are here? 2.Trust Building: Who are you? 3.Goal and Role definition: What are we doing? 4.Commitment: How will we do it?  Sustaining stages: 4.Commitment: How will we do it? 5.Planning: Who does what, when and where? 6.Implementation: the high performance stage 7.Re-assessment and Renewal: Do we continue? If yes, why and how?

Team Performance Model Sustaining Stages Creating Stages

Stages of Team Development  Most teams go through typical stages of development, which have been characterized as forming, storming, norming, and performing.  In each stage, members are apt to have certain feelings and exhibit certain behaviors.

Forming Stage:  Initially, team members often feel excitement, anticipation, optimism, and pride in being chosen for the project.  They have an initial, tentative attachment to the team.  Team members are also likely to be suspicious, fearful, and anxious about the job ahead, but they may be reluctant to express these feelings.  Teams in the forming stage are often characterized by politeness and lack of overt disagreement.

Storming Stage:  In this stage, team members begin to challenge each other more openly.  They may resist the task and be uncomfortable with any new approach.  They are likely to experience “mood swings” about the team’s ability and chance for success.  Members may feel uncertain about their own role and their ability to contribute to or control the team’s work.  They may suspect that others have ulterior motives or hidden agendas.

Norming Stage:  This is when things start to come together.  In this stage, the team develops norms for resolving conflicts, managing work assignments, and running meetings.  Members will be more comfortable about being on the team and be more able to take constructive criticism and have positions questioned.  They will also begin to believe that the team can succeed.

Performing Stage:  Effective teams are those that reach this stage.  Members will feel satisfied about their personal contributions, growth, and learning.  They will understand the strengths and weaknesses of other team members, as well as their own, and be more comfortable with the team’s methods.  The team will feel pride in its progress.

Margerison-McCann Team Management Profile

Enhanced personal effectiveness through self-understanding  Identify preferred roles on the Team Management Wheel  Understand the impact of these roles on others  Maximize strengths at work and pinpoint areas for self-development  Develop career planning skills

Understanding of individual preferences within a team context  Explore the concept of team balance  Appreciate different working styles, plus areas of possible conflict  Value difference, and maximize its potential for the team  Flex personal style to meet others’ needs and facilitate better team-working  Develop mutual understanding and respect

Better Team Leadership and Lateral Management Skills  Appreciate the unique contribution made by each role  Understand how team management roles influence leadership and communication styles  Incorporate work preferences into empowerment and delegation strategies  Enhance the ability to successfully influence interactions

Higher Levels of Organizational Achievement  Optimize the balance between information and action, people and tasks  Sustain a dual focus on the ‘big picture’ and attention to detail  Introduce a conceptual framework which provides for planning and decision- making strategies  Maximize organizational effectiveness by aligning individual preferences and expectations with corporate objectives

Geographically Dispersed Teams  The increasing availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) opens up the possibility that teams can function well, even when the members live in a different location, and even different time zones.

Square Map of Groupware Options

What is a “digital workspace”?  The term “digital workspace” is used to refer to a web-based work environment that allows individuals to communicate, collaborate and share information regardless of their geographic location.  The technology that supports such digital work environments is commonly referred to as “instant groupware”

What is a “digital workspace”?  There are a number of instant groupware products on the market.  The names of some capture the notion of a virtual office – a cyber work place. eRoom is an example.  The names of others, such as eProject and Project.net, emphasize the work performed in a digital workspace – namely, project-oriented work.

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