Working in a team
(Originally published on the OUBS Blog)
Generally we would say that a team is a set of people who have a strong sense of cohesion.
Sometimes the informalities of a group can be better. Teams decide slower as a consensus is needed. Teams are rather conventional then innovative. A team can better compromise
But the greater the task uncertainty, the more importing team work gets. Decisions are partly based on the opinions and personal visions of those involved.
However, poor team working can be expensive. Adair’s (1983) leadership model shows the main constituents of team effectiveness.
Work alone or in Groups
\- simple tasks or puzzles
\- co-operating sufficient
\- minimum discretion required
\- fast decision needed
\- few competences are required
\- members’ interests are inherently conflicting
\- organisation credits individ for operational outputs
\- innovative responses sought
When to build teams
\- complex tasks or problems
\- consensus essential
\- lots of choices and uncertain
\- high commitment is needed
\- lots of competencies
\- members’ objectives can be galvanises
\- orga rewards team results
\- balanced views are sought
Based on Adair (1983) there are three elements to team effectiveness and they can be configured as an iceberg with only the task achievement above water and individual members’ needs and team interaction below. So the big part is the process part which is under water.
In forming the team you normally look at skills, knowledge and experience, overlooking important personal qualities and attributes are overlooked.
Here is what Belbin’s team roles come in.
\- Plant: creative, imaginative, unorthodox
\- Implementer: idea -> action, decisions -> tasks
\- Completer-finisher: painstaking and conscientious
\- Monitor-evaluator: dispassionate, critical analysis, judges accurately
\- Resource investigator: contacts, improviser, enthusiastic
\- Shaper: task oriented, brings drive, makes things happen
\- Teamworker: harmony, listens, builds
\- Co-ordinator: clarifies goals, chairperson
\- Specialist: provides rare skills and knowledge
For a team leader, an important part of team and individual development is to create awareness of the roles to be played and to develop abilities in playing to strengths and handling allowable weaknesses.
Fixing weaknesses might lead to undermining the strengths. Remember that everyone has 1–4 team roles. There are secondary team roles. Adopting roles that are neither natural nor secondary will be uncomfortable and ineffective. You also need a balance of team roles and weaknesses should be accepted and managed.
10% of people do not work well in teams.
Stages of team building are (as of Tuckman and Jensen, 1977):
\- Forming: crucial, get to know each other, put at ease
\- Storming: resolve issues, encourage shared goals, clear the air
\- Norming: ensure norms are conducive, facilitate team cohesion
\- Performing: give credit where credit is due. Reward the team.
\- Adjourning (or mourning): aware of uncertainties, minimise stress
Katzenbach and Smith (1993) said that there is a working group, pseudo-team, potential team, real team and high-performing team.
The manager or team leader exercise considerable sensitivity and judgement, a lightness of touch is called for. The leader needs to be detached. You need to be able to judge when it is appropriate to work directly and intensively on teambuilding and when it is best to allow procedures to occur less consciously.
Enhancing team performance is likely to be effective if it has a goal that is clear and is considered important and worthwhile. Then you need to decide on the goals and priorities of individual team members and allocating tasks to them.
how well does the task fit to the individual
who has the skills and experience
who will find the task useful
You also need to develop trust which is likely to happen when people respect each other’s views and can be demonstrated through involvement and autonomy.