Norming – Set a System in Place
We all know that working from the office location is the most productive way to work. Team members can discuss with each other before starting to work. It helps them set and understand the project’s direction and progress. The team leader can also communicate with each team member to resolve any issues and guide them. However, it becomes a lot difficult to manage a remote working team.
What can team leaders do to help in Forming?
To expedite the process of production and delivery, you need to set a system in place. This is primarily for remote teams where it is possible to assume things before you hit the deadline and see the progress has not been what you had expected.
Performing – Performance Wins the Game!
A high-performing team is the dream of all project managers. However, it is not always easy to get one. A team is comprised of individuals with varying levels of focus and a sense of responsibility. Therefore, to ensure performance, the manager or team lead needs to keep the team in sync with each other.
What can team leaders do to help in Forming?
Keep reminding the team to check in with each other regularly, without any micromanagement from your end. Micromanagement is detrimental as the team members may lose their focus if they have to frequently update their work status. This is especially important for creative and development teams.
Tools to use for Performing
You can use an excel sheet or Trello board to track the team’s progress and follow the project timeline.
Adjourning – The Essential Celebration After Achieving a Goal
This is one of the 5 stages of team development where your team needs to finally step back to see what they’ve accomplished. If the project is very demanding, withdrawal from the constant grinding is essential to motivate the team and also save them from any burnout.
What can team leaders do to help in Forming?
You can have quarterly reviews to measure and celebrate the success. In case you have failed to achieve the desired team goal, it is the chance to take an honest look at what didn’t go well and pinpoint the room for improvement.
Alasdair A.K. White and John Fairhurst TPR model
Tuckman’s 5 stages of team development were further analyzed by John Fairhurst and Alasdair Antony Kenneth White. White was a British management theorist best known for his work on performance management. He authored a paper called From Comfort Zone to Performance Management, where he examines the White-Fairhurst Performance Hypothesis from a theoretical perspective.
According to Alasdair A.K. White and John Fairhurst’s hypothesis, “all performance will initially trend towards a steady state, particularly after a period of performance uplift, and that steady-state will then develop a downward curve leading to a significant performance decline”.
Team Norms and Cohesiveness
Team norms, in simple words, are the unwritten rules that members need to follow. It is more like behavioral guidance that all the team members implicitly understand and obey. Initially, during the forming and storming stages, norms focus on expectations for attendance and commitment. Later, norms evolve during the norming and performing stages and focus on relationships and levels of performance.
It is probably one of the most important stages of team development where team members bond with each other and build trust.
Approach to Forming an Effective Team
You have already been introduced to the 5 stages of team development which makes it clear that building an efficient team involves more than just hiring individuals. For a team to be truly effective and efficient, its members must share the same vision and be motivated to reach the team goal. Commitment, trust, and a positive attitude towards the team norms can make the team efficient and effective.
Here are some key team formation stages which are crucial for a strong, cohesive, and effective team:
First, define the purpose
A team cannot be created and moved without a clear purpose. So, it is essential to clearly define the purpose of the team.
Second, assemble the team
Select members with complementary skills and abilities. Diversifying the talent in the team is crucial. Achieving a good balance of personality types also enables the group to work together harmoniously but also challenge each other when necessary