Effective Temwork: Maintaining a high performance team

Having properly defined teamwork and after discussing how to form a team, we can now look at the stages of team development and how to maintain effective teamwork.

Psychologist Bruce Tuckman nicely described the path/stages that most teams follow on their way to high performance.

1. Forming: In this stage, most team members are positive and polite, as they get to know each other.
2. Storming: Then the team moves into the storming phase, where people start to push against the boundaries established in the forming stage. This stage often involves conflict due to different working styles/personalities, challenging leadership, disagreements and politicking.
3. Norming: In the norming stage, differences are resolved and ways of working together are established.
4. Performing: A team is in the performing stage when members are focused on working together towards a common goal and delivering results.

As team leader, you can use this model to:

• Identify the stage of team development that your team is at.
• Consider what you need to do to move towards the performing stage. Involve the team in this.
• Schedule regular reviews of where your team is, and adjust your behaviour and leadership approach appropriately.

There are many issues that can keep a team away from the performing stage. However, I would like to mention a few common dysfunctions that you will encounter and offer some tips for dealing with them:

1. Absence of trust.

• Trust begins with you, the team leader.
• ‘Open up’ to your team.
• Make it clear that you expect people to behave in a trustworthy way.
• Have a ‘getting to know you’ session.

2. Fear of conflict.

• Explain that conflict can be productive when it’s not personal.
• Encourage them to challenge one another’s ideas when they disagree, and to engage in healthy, spirited debate.
• Provide conflict resolution training.

3. Lack of commitment.

• Involve people in the decision-making process.
• Ensure everyone has a chance to voice their opinion.
• When a decision leads to change, work on building support.
• Make timely decisions.
• Set clear deadlines.

4. Avoidance of team accountability.

• First ensure everyone is taking responsibility for their own work and actions.
• Use a team charter to highlight people’s roles and responsibilities, as well as team objectives.
• Encourage regular mutual feedback.
• Use team rewards.

5. Inattention to team objectives.

• Make sure your team is focusing on the real goals of the team and organization.
• Use mission statements and team charters so people understand team goals.
• Align people’s individual objectives with team and organisational objectives.

You also want to keep individual motivation and satisfaction at high levels. Below are some important factors that lead to satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

Here I think it is worth mentioning that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are not opposites:

• The opposite of Satisfaction is No Satisfaction.
• The opposite of Dissatisfaction is No Dissatisfaction.

In other words, the factors leading to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Eliminating job dissatisfaction does not lead to job satisfaction. You need to work on job satisfaction separately.

Take a little time with each team member to check that:

• They’re happy - or at least not unhappy.
• That they think they’re being fairly and respectfully treated.
• That they’re not being affected by unnecessary bureaucracy.

Then find out what they want from their jobs – what will give them job satisfaction.

Create conditions for job satisfaction by:

• Providing opportunities for achievement.
• Recognising workers’ contributions.
• Creating work that is rewarding and that matches the skills and abilities of the worker.
• Giving as much responsibility to each team member as possible.
• Providing opportunities to advance in the company through internal promotions.
• Providing training and development opportunities.

Eliminate job dissatisfaction by:

• Fixing poor and obstructive company policies.
• Providing effective, supportive and non-intrusive supervision.
• Creating and supporting a culture of respect and dignity for all team members.
• Ensuring that wages are competitive.
• Building job status by providing meaningful work for all positions.
• Providing job security.

I hope you found the articles on effective teamwork useful. If you have any questions or need more detail on any aspect please leave a comment and I will be more than happy to help.