Jesse Jackson once wisely observed that many want to bask in the glory of the metaphoric resurrection. But, he noted, "no one wants to go through the pain of the crucifixion. Religion aside, his words apply to many different sphere. There are, for example, many a would-be author out there who wishes to have a completed book with his or her name on the cover. However, so many of those authors are unwilling or seemingly unable to go through the lengthy process of achieving that goal. And so it is with teamwork. Every group is initially eager to achieve a self-imposed or manager-directed goal. And yet, barriers along the way often prevent them from the success they had once hoped for.
Teamwork is a word that is casually tossed around. But there's nothing casual about the process of building a team. You'll find team building tips in the section below.
When divisions are healed, teams can multiply their efforts. Without such collaboration, little can be accomplished. Former Ford Motor Company CEO Don Petersen has often noted that in order to achieve the results we want, we have to optimize the benefits of good relationships.
TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Bruce Tuckman's name may not be known to many, but his four-word rhyme describing how teams evolve, is surely one you've heard before. Form, Storm, Norm, Perform reflects the typical stages of team development. But, team building doesn't happen in a straight line. Yes, teams do move out of one stage and progress to the next. But just because the group has settled important issues in the Storm phase, for example, it doesn't mean that conflict will never again arise.
In general terms, though, the rhyme is a useful construct for helping team members know their progress can be identified. Calibration may be required if the team occasionally goes backwards instead of forward, but it is reassuring to know the predictable phases that nearly all teams go through.
Form
When team members assemble, they usually have concerns about what to expect. This is where the team leader comes in. He or she should provide information, introductions, and guidelines. The leader can exert considerable influence at this stage, helping the team define its structure and the pathway to ultimate success.
This stage will find members guarded, perhaps confused, and not likely to reveal too much about themselves. Thus, it's up to the leader to create a sense of harmony, to begin developing trust so time and talent can truly be optimized. And--because members probably have questions they may not want to ask, the leader should anticipate what those questions might be. The team leader assumes a "tell" position at this stage.
Storm
In the next stage of team building, we find members beginning to let their voices be heard. Disagreements are likely to occur at this stage, as team members may try to rebel against decisions they don't like. In this stage, there are likely to be confrontations. They are normal, especially if the team wants to know how individual members feel. Growth seldom happens if we don't survive such interpersonal storms.
Norm
Commitment is the word that best describes this next stage of team formation. We see members starting to share ideas, to ask questions, to acknowledge how important their task is. The leader may begin, in the Norm stage, to share the leadership role. Mission starts to unify the group and their personal needs recede in the background. Because commitment is growing, the criticality of the mission begins to override the importance of individuals' needs. In this stage, team members start to explore means of accomplishing their tasks in a more organized, efficient manner.
Perform
The final stage of team building provides the ideal, in terms of group effort. The leader is sharing responsibility and power. Team members at this stage are unified around a common goal; they willingly cooperate; they know what they can offer and respect the efforts of others. In the Perform state, team members, ideally, know that criticism is not personal. Rather, negative feedback is given only to optimize efforts toward goal-attainment. Pride in what has been accomplished as a united whole is evident.
Contributing to a positive working relationship among team members if the job of each member. If you have the special gift of effecting harmony when groups assemble for a singular purpose, you have a special gift. Even without such a gift, though, you can work cooperatively.
JACKSON'S INSIGHT
Chicago Bulls' legendary championship coach, Phil Jackson, once observed that "the strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." You can "resurrect" your struggling team--no matter its members, no matter its goal--if you explore what it means to be a team member and then build on the strengths each member and the team itself possess.
Dr. Marlene Caroselli is an author, keynoter, and corporate trainer whose clients include Lockheed Martin, Allied Signal, Department of the Interior, and Navy SEALS. She writes extensively about education, business, self-improvement, and careers and has adjuncted at UCLA and National University. Her first book, The Language of Leadership, was named a main selection by the Executive Book Club. Principled Persuasion, a more recent title, was designated a Director's Choice by the Doubleday Book Club. Driving Mr. Albert: 365+ Einstein-Inspired Brain Boosts, her 62nd book, will be released by HRD Press in 2018.
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About Marlene Caroselli
Dr. Marlene Caroselli is the author of 60 business books and uncountable curricula and articles. She has served as an adjunct professor at UCLA and National University, while conducting training for Fortune 100 companies and numerous federal agencies. Her assignments have taken her all over the country and the globe as well. Currently, she has transformed an earlier book, "Principled Persuasion" (named a Director's Choice by Doubleday Book Club) into an e-book, her first venture into e-publishing. Her second is "Jesus, Jonas, and Janus: The Leadership Triumvirate." You can reach her at mccpd@frontiernet.net.