TEAM
DYNAMICS (Team Building &
Leadership)
STUDENT
MANUAL
1. Introduction:
Coming
together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
- Henry Ford
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
- Henry Ford
In building successful
organizations, Teams play very important role. Whether the focus of the
organization is on service, quality, cost, value, speed, efficiency,
performance, or other similar goals, teams are the basic units that help the
organizations realize their goals. The success of an organization depends on
how well its team members work together. Hence, as students who intend to join
in big organizations, you should have a basic understanding about the
formation, functioning and dynamics of teams. This knowledge will also help you
in performing well in your academic assignments and project works where you are
expected to work along with your fellow students.
2. Definition of ‘Team’ & Ground Rules for Team:
Definition of a team:
A team is “a group of people
with a high degree of interdependence geared toward the achievement of a goal
or the completion of a task.” (From “Team
Players and Teamwork” by Glenn Parker)
TEAM
= Together Engaged to Achieve a Mission
The above said definitions
mean that members of a team agree on a common goal and agree that the only way
to achieve that goal is to work together. Some groups have a common goal but
they don’t work together to achieve it. Some groups work together but they
don’t have a common goal.
Any team has to function as
per a code of conduct and a set of ground rules, which are mutually agreed by
the members. A Model Code of Conduct and some Ground Rules are provided below
for your understanding:
A Model Code
of Conduct
As a team we will:
o
Be proactive and positive
o
Keep other team members informed
o
Focus on what is best for the team as a whole
Ground
Rules:
o
Be respectful, fair, and honest in all
communications
o
Encourage opinions and discussion from all
members
o
Be open to new approaches and listen to new
ideas
o
Look at conflict and change positively
o
Work together to achieve maximum results
o
Follow best practices for decision making,
communication, and meeting management
o
Celebrate accomplishments and milestones
3. Stages of Team Development:
Teams
cannot deliver the expected results overnight. Whatever the purpose of the team
may be, it has to pass through an evolution process to reach the matured
cooperative level and deliver the goods as expected. Bruce
Tuckman and Mary Ann Jensen developed a 5-stage model to explain the process of
Team building. The stages are as shown below:
Stage-1:
Forming. This is the initial stage of Team Building
In
this stage, the leader has to plan introductions and an orientation for the
team members. He has to establish ground rules for the functioning of the team.
He has to determine decision making methods.
Stage-2:
Storming. During this stage, the members
show eagerness to participate in the team activities. As the members bring
different ideas for accomplishing the goals, conflicts may arise. People notice
more differences than similarities.
In
this stage, the leader has to lay down appropriate behaviors for the team
members. He should separate problems from people. He should enforce ground
rules whenever required and maintain control over the functioning of the team.
He should keep in mind that some times the conflict also can be healthy as it
brings out varieties of ideas.
Stage-3:
Norming. By this stage, the team members recognize
the similarities. The members observe the team rules and become more social. They
attain normalcy by working without any hesitations. Some times, the members may
lose focus on the goals, due to their preference for having good time.
During
this stage, the leader should closely observe the emerging group behaviors. He
should encourage the team members to express their differences positively. He
should help the team to stay focused on their objectives.
Stage-4:
Performing. In this stage, the
members become mature. They understand their roles and responsibilities better.
They become self-motivated and self-trained.
During
this stage, the leader should ensure that the individual ideas are considered.
He should avoid intervening in the process unless the group requests for help.
Stage-5:
Adjourning. This is the final
stage where the members bid goodbye after accomplishing their work. They set
goals for future work independently and/ or as part of new team.
During
this stage, the leader celebrates participants’ contribution. He looks for and
encourages for participation from everyone as the group gets dissolved. He
encourages continuous productivity.
4. Types of Teams:
Based
on the purposes, goals and objectives, teams can be of different types as shown
below:
1.
Natural
Work Groups: This is a group of people who work together each day in the same
location, using the same machines and processes. The supervisor is in charge,
but they may allow other team members to take the leadership role.
2.
Business
Team: Often
a cross-functional team that looks after a specific product line or service.
3.
Management
Team: A
group of managers and the person they report to.
4.
Virtual
and Remote Teams: With this type of team, members see one another in person
rarely or not at all. They connect most frequently using web portals, the
Internet, telephone, and e-mail.
5.
Self-Managed
Team: This
is a group of people who manage themselves. No one person in the group has the
authority to make all the decisions about the events that impact the group.
This is also referred to as a self-directed work team because everyone
has authority and responsibility for all the decisions they have to make.
6.
Product/Service
Design Teams: This is a group that comes together for a specific time to work on a
special project or task. This group has traditionally been called a task
force or committee. They are usually
a cross-functional group assigned to design or redesign a product or service.
5. Building Trust in Teams:
Trust
lays the strong foundation for a successful team building. The team members
should develop mutual trust and believe that other members have skills and capabilities
to contribute to the team. To create a climate of trust in the Team, there
should be honesty, integrity, openness, consistency i.e., predictable behavior
and responses, etc. among the team members. The members should be willing to
share and receive information, perceptions, opinions and ideas from fellow
members. They should treat one another with dignity and fairness.
Tips
for Building Trust:
Here are some ways through which members can build trust
with their team:
o
Doing what he promises to do
o
Treating everyone fairly
o
Being consistent in his behavior and response
o
Going to support his fellow members
o
Build relationships by learning more about
other team members, including their likes and dislikes
o
Doing social things together
o
Creating a “we” atmosphere instead of ‘I’
atmosphere
6. Role of Leader in Team Building
In
the success of Teams, Leader plays a key role. The leader could be a formal one
who is appointed or thrusted upon, or he could be an informal leader who
naturally emerges out of the team members. The following points will help in
understanding the concept of leadership and leadership qualities.
Leadership:
Defining Leadership is not an easy task. But, we can
identify the importance of leadership in teambuilding. In simple yet meaningful
terms, Leadership can be defined as “the phenomenon of one person influencing
the thinking or action or both of another person or groups of persons.” Give
the examples of national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi who could influence the
whole India
Leadership
qualities: Becoming a leader
does not mean showing authority. But it is a constant process of
self-evaluation and learning. In order to become a good leader, one must imbibe
some of the following qualities:
i. Positive attitude
ii. Creativity
iii. Intelligence
iv. A futuristic vision
v. The ability to stimulate, excite and motivate others
vi. Flexibility
vii. Honesty and integrity
viii. Belief in delegation and trust in team members
ix. Accepting and inviting criticism and feedback
x. Reliable and
empathetic towards his team members.
7. Importance of Communication in Team Building
Communication plays very
important role in building and sustaining successful teams. In a team
environment, how you say is more important than what you say.
Some tips for establishing proper
communication in team environment:
- The
goals, objectives of the team should be communicated clearly
- The roles and responsibilities of the members and
leader should be communicated well in advance
- There must be an open and honest environment for
communicating everyone’s ideas, opinions and objections
- The members should listen attentively to their
fellow members
- Consensus should be the objective of
communication
- Productive and qualitiative communication should
be maintained
- Information and Communication technology can be
used for reducing the time and geographical limitations
- One has to listen attentively.
8. Tips for effective Teamwork Skills:
The
following tips will help you become better and effective Team members:
- The members should make sure that they understand
the team’s goals, objectives and timeframes as clearly as possible.
- The members should know their goals, role and
responsibilities in relation to the team.
- Contribution of every member is important and
makes a lot of difference
- Members should respect others’ opinions,
perspectives, thoughts, views, habits and cultures even if they are
different them.
- Every member should support and help others
voluntarily.
- Members should give and take constructive
feedback.
- Members should share their knowledge and
expertise.
- Acknowledge and appreciate others’ contribution
- Show empathy when resolving differences or
conflicts. Avoid the tendency of misunderstanding others.
- Manage the conflicts within the team effectively.
- Do not form any pre-conceived notions about other
members’ abilities based on certain assumptions
- Provide coaching, mentoring to other needy
members
--:O:-- (Team Building &
Leadership)
STUDENT
MANUAL
1. Introduction:
Coming
together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
- Henry Ford
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
- Henry Ford
In building successful
organizations, Teams play very important role. Whether the focus of the
organization is on service, quality, cost, value, speed, efficiency,
performance, or other similar goals, teams are the basic units that help the
organizations realize their goals. The success of an organization depends on
how well its team members work together. Hence, as students who intend to join
in big organizations, you should have a basic understanding about the
formation, functioning and dynamics of teams. This knowledge will also help you
in performing well in your academic assignments and project works where you are
expected to work along with your fellow students.
2. Definition of ‘Team’ & Ground Rules for Team:
Definition of a team:
A team is “a group of people
with a high degree of interdependence geared toward the achievement of a goal
or the completion of a task.” (From “Team
Players and Teamwork” by Glenn Parker)
TEAM
= Together Engaged to Achieve a Mission
The above said definitions
mean that members of a team agree on a common goal and agree that the only way
to achieve that goal is to work together. Some groups have a common goal but
they don’t work together to achieve it. Some groups work together but they
don’t have a common goal.
Any team has to function as
per a code of conduct and a set of ground rules, which are mutually agreed by
the members. A Model Code of Conduct and some Ground Rules are provided below
for your understanding:
A Model Code
of Conduct
As a team we will:
o
Be proactive and positive
o
Keep other team members informed
o
Focus on what is best for the team as a whole
Ground
Rules:
o
Be respectful, fair, and honest in all
communications
o
Encourage opinions and discussion from all
members
o
Be open to new approaches and listen to new
ideas
o
Look at conflict and change positively
o
Work together to achieve maximum results
o
Follow best practices for decision making,
communication, and meeting management
o
Celebrate accomplishments and milestones
3. Stages of Team Development:
Teams
cannot deliver the expected results overnight. Whatever the purpose of the team
may be, it has to pass through an evolution process to reach the matured
cooperative level and deliver the goods as expected. Bruce
Tuckman and Mary Ann Jensen developed a 5-stage model to explain the process of
Team building. The stages are as shown below:
Stage-1:
Forming. This is the initial stage of Team Building
In
this stage, the leader has to plan introductions and an orientation for the
team members. He has to establish ground rules for the functioning of the team.
He has to determine decision making methods.
Stage-2:
Storming. During this stage, the members
show eagerness to participate in the team activities. As the members bring
different ideas for accomplishing the goals, conflicts may arise. People notice
more differences than similarities.
In
this stage, the leader has to lay down appropriate behaviors for the team
members. He should separate problems from people. He should enforce ground
rules whenever required and maintain control over the functioning of the team.
He should keep in mind that some times the conflict also can be healthy as it
brings out varieties of ideas.
Stage-3:
Norming. By this stage, the team members recognize
the similarities. The members observe the team rules and become more social. They
attain normalcy by working without any hesitations. Some times, the members may
lose focus on the goals, due to their preference for having good time.
During
this stage, the leader should closely observe the emerging group behaviors. He
should encourage the team members to express their differences positively. He
should help the team to stay focused on their objectives.
Stage-4:
Performing. In this stage, the
members become mature. They understand their roles and responsibilities better.
They become self-motivated and self-trained.
During
this stage, the leader should ensure that the individual ideas are considered.
He should avoid intervening in the process unless the group requests for help.
Stage-5:
Adjourning. This is the final
stage where the members bid goodbye after accomplishing their work. They set
goals for future work independently and/ or as part of new team.
During
this stage, the leader celebrates participants’ contribution. He looks for and
encourages for participation from everyone as the group gets dissolved. He
encourages continuous productivity.
4. Types of Teams:
Based
on the purposes, goals and objectives, teams can be of different types as shown
below:
1.
Natural
Work Groups: This is a group of people who work together each day in the same
location, using the same machines and processes. The supervisor is in charge,
but they may allow other team members to take the leadership role.
2.
Business
Team: Often
a cross-functional team that looks after a specific product line or service.
3.
Management
Team: A
group of managers and the person they report to.
4.
Virtual
and Remote Teams: With this type of team, members see one another in person
rarely or not at all. They connect most frequently using web portals, the
Internet, telephone, and e-mail.
5.
Self-Managed
Team: This
is a group of people who manage themselves. No one person in the group has the
authority to make all the decisions about the events that impact the group.
This is also referred to as a self-directed work team because everyone
has authority and responsibility for all the decisions they have to make.
6.
Product/Service
Design Teams: This is a group that comes together for a specific time to work on a
special project or task. This group has traditionally been called a task
force or committee. They are usually
a cross-functional group assigned to design or redesign a product or service.
5. Building Trust in Teams:
Trust
lays the strong foundation for a successful team building. The team members
should develop mutual trust and believe that other members have skills and capabilities
to contribute to the team. To create a climate of trust in the Team, there
should be honesty, integrity, openness, consistency i.e., predictable behavior
and responses, etc. among the team members. The members should be willing to
share and receive information, perceptions, opinions and ideas from fellow
members. They should treat one another with dignity and fairness.
Tips
for Building Trust:
Here are some ways through which members can build trust
with their team:
o
Doing what he promises to do
o
Treating everyone fairly
o
Being consistent in his behavior and response
o
Going to support his fellow members
o
Build relationships by learning more about
other team members, including their likes and dislikes
o
Doing social things together
o
Creating a “we” atmosphere instead of ‘I’
atmosphere
6. Role of Leader in Team Building
In
the success of Teams, Leader plays a key role. The leader could be a formal one
who is appointed or thrusted upon, or he could be an informal leader who
naturally emerges out of the team members. The following points will help in
understanding the concept of leadership and leadership qualities.
Leadership:
Defining Leadership is not an easy task. But, we can
identify the importance of leadership in teambuilding. In simple yet meaningful
terms, Leadership can be defined as “the phenomenon of one person influencing
the thinking or action or both of another person or groups of persons.” Give
the examples of national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi who could influence the
whole India
Leadership
qualities: Becoming a leader
does not mean showing authority. But it is a constant process of
self-evaluation and learning. In order to become a good leader, one must imbibe
some of the following qualities:
i. Positive attitude
ii. Creativity
iii. Intelligence
iv. A futuristic vision
v. The ability to stimulate, excite and motivate others
vi. Flexibility
vii. Honesty and integrity
viii. Belief in delegation and trust in team members
ix. Accepting and inviting criticism and feedback
x. Reliable and
empathetic towards his team members.
7. Importance of Communication in Team Building
Communication plays very
important role in building and sustaining successful teams. In a team
environment, how you say is more important than what you say.
Some tips for establishing proper
communication in team environment:
- The
goals, objectives of the team should be communicated clearly
- The roles and responsibilities of the members and
leader should be communicated well in advance
- There must be an open and honest environment for
communicating everyone’s ideas, opinions and objections
- The members should listen attentively to their
fellow members
- Consensus should be the objective of
communication
- Productive and qualitiative communication should
be maintained
- Information and Communication technology can be
used for reducing the time and geographical limitations
- One has to listen attentively.
8. Tips for effective Teamwork Skills:
The
following tips will help you become better and effective Team members:
- The members should make sure that they understand
the team’s goals, objectives and timeframes as clearly as possible.
- The members should know their goals, role and
responsibilities in relation to the team.
- Contribution of every member is important and
makes a lot of difference
- Members should respect others’ opinions,
perspectives, thoughts, views, habits and cultures even if they are
different them.
- Every member should support and help others
voluntarily.
- Members should give and take constructive
feedback.
- Members should share their knowledge and
expertise.
- Acknowledge and appreciate others’ contribution
- Show empathy when resolving differences or
conflicts. Avoid the tendency of misunderstanding others.
- Manage the conflicts within the team effectively.
- Do not form any pre-conceived notions about other
members’ abilities based on certain assumptions
- Provide coaching, mentoring to other needy
members
--:O:--
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