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Module

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Team Development Module

Team
Development
Workshop

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H U M A N R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T & C U S T O M E R S E R V I C E S T R AT E G Y

Team Development Workbook

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

CHAPTE R 1

Why do we work in teams? 3

Chapter 2

Team Member Style 5

Chapter 2

Stages of Team Formation: Forming,

Storming, Norming & Performing 11

Chapter 3

Characteristics of effective teams 19

Chapter 5

Six Steps to Team Problem Solving 32

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CHAPTER 1:LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Outcomes: Why do we work in teams?

 State and explain the rationale for teams

 Increase awareness of potential of beginnings and new strategies

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Chapter 1: Why do we work in teams?
The organisational purposes

• distribution of work
• management and control of work
• problem solving and decision-taking
• information processing
• information and idea collection
• testing and ratifying decisions
• co-ordination and liaison
• increasing commitment and involvement
• negotiation and conflict resolution
• inquest/inquiry into the past

On the SME Hotline what are some of the situations that you will need to work together
as a team during these first few months and beyond:

(use the list above as a guideline)

Think of some examples first and then share it with your group. Write the results on the
flipchart.

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CHAPTER 2:LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Outcomes: Team Member Styles

 Awareness of your own, and others behavioral style and diversity in the team

 Identify types in accordance with team colors model

[Activator, Analyzer, Nurturer, Energizer]

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 Chapter 2: Team Player Styles
Instructions: Which word best describes how you actually behave. Work across the page
from right to left. Rank each word or phrase from 4 to1. Rank 4 for the word or phrase
that is most like you to 1 for the word or phrase that is least like you. Just go for your first
‘top of mind’ response.

 Use  Check  Share  Play

 Determined  Orderly  Support  Spontaneous
 Push ahead  Judge  Look after  Communicate
 Direct  Step by step  Keep  Vision
 Daring  Measure  Listen  Spontaneous
 Demanding  Investigate  Supportive  Imagination
 Outcome  Systematic  Considerate  Playful
 Bottom line  Schedule  Journey  Dream
 To the point  Detail  Hesitant  Easily Distracted
 Courage  Accurate  Patient  Enthusiastic
 Facts  Logic  Feelings  Possibilities
 Decisive  Thorough  Caring  Sociable
 Goals  Quality  Agreement  Ideas
 Competitive  Analytical  Loyal  Optimistic
 Bold  Orderly  Cautious  Wistful

Once you have completed the Questionaire plot the results on the graph on the next page

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7
Instructions: Transfer the totals in to the squares at the base of the form.

Gree Blu
Red Yellow
n e

60 Activator Analyzer Nurturer Energizer

58

54

50

44

40

34

30

28

26

25

24

22

20

18

10

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Making sense of your score
Everyone in a team is unique, however there are some underlying similarities that help us
appreciate the uniqueness.

Highest category? Your highest category indicates which of

four behavioral styles or strategies you tend
to prefer. It is possible that you have two
scores which are close to one another. In
this case choose the one that is most like
you.

Looking at other people with the same

Observations preferred behavioral styles as yourself, you
might say: ‘But, they are nothing like me.’
And you would be right. The questionnaire
just indicates a general preference for a
particular behavior it does not take away
your uniqueness as an individual.

We all have preferred behaviors in

Preferred Styles different environments and situations. For
of Behavior example, if your roles were to change and
you became a team leader, or a mother, or
father these events will have an effect on
your behavior.

Also under stress, our styles often change.

Are you aware how your behavior may
change under stress?

The patterns to look out for are on the following page.

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What are the patterns to look for?
Activator I am easily bored, don’t like slow down,
and am always looking for adventure and
Red variety. I like to take risks and live in the
moment. I am good at leading people
through problems and am persistent,
persevering to the very end. Results are
very important to me. I am a direct and
demanding communicator and know how
to put the pressure on. I prefer immediate
results that I can see

Analyzer I am always on time. I like organization,

Gree and detail and doing things right. I like to
n plan things and see things the way they are,
as right or wrong. I follow the rules and am
very responsible, but others see me as
bossy and judgmental.

Nurturer I like to help others and do what I can to

Blu make others happy. I encourage and
e support others and am happy when they
succeed or do well. I like being with others.
I make decisions based on my feelings.
When you need me, I am always there. I
see myself as patient and sensitive, but
others may see me as too emotional and
moody.

Energizer I am creative and sociable. Relationships

Yello and people are very important to me. I am
w interested in who is doing what, with
whom at any point in time. I see myself as
friendly, but others may see me as overly
talkative and not good listener. Perhaps
overly imaginative with my head in the
clouds too. I believe in vision and
encouragement.

Remember your colour!

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Know Thyself
TEAM Dynamics -Each team needs one of the following player styles
on their team:

1. Nurturer - This is the task-oriented member. They provide good technical info,
they do their homework and push the team to high performance standards. Some
of their other good general characteristics are that they are responsible,
authoritative, reliable, proficient and organized.

2. Energizer - This is the Goal directed member who sees the vision, mission or goal
of the team. They are generally flexible and open, willing to pitch in even outside
their defined role, and, they are able to share the limelight. This is the Big Picture
Person.

3. Nurturer - This is the Process Oriented person. They should be, or are, a good
listener and facilitator. They are good at consensus building, conflict resolution
and feedback. They are a "People Person".

4. Activator - This is the member who questions goals, methods and even the ethics
of the team. They should or are willing to disagree with the leader. A potential
danger with this person may be that at times they may not know when to back off,
or, appear that this person is self-righteous. Other characteristics of this type
member would be that they are honest, outspoken, principled, ethical and
adventurous.

Which style are you as earlier identified in the team member profiler?

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CHAPTER 3:LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Outcomes: Stages of Team Development

 State and explain the four stages of team development

 Identify Tuckman’s team model to SME Hotline formation

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Chapter 3: Stages of Team Formation
1. Forming
• find out task rules
• acquiring information/ resources
• relying on the leader

2. Storming
• internal conflict
• members resist task emotionally

3. Norming
• conflict settled
• co-operation develops
• views exchanged
• norms (new standards) developed

4. Performing
• teamwork achieved
• flexible role developed
• solutions found/ implemented

It is at Stage 3 that the group is seen to become effective, once the norms have been
developed. Norms are influenced by organisational factors such as policies, management
style of superiors, rules and procedures on one hand and by individual employees’
influence on the other. For example, wearing of ties may be required in a sales
department of a Infocomms company, but may be contrary to organisational rules on
safety in a manufacturing company.

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 Team Development

PERFORMING

NORMING

STORMING

FORMING

Review:
Teams pass through four stages of development: forming, storming, norming and
performing. Members' needs and behavior change during each stage. The time that a
team spends at each stage may vary and teams may move back to an earlier stage.

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Team Development: Forming
You will recognise a group in the Forming Stage because they are:

r Feeling anxious.
r Very polite
r Using tentative statements.
r Waiting for the leader to tell them what to do.
r Indecisive and often self-conscious.
r Giving out credentials often.
r Feeling moderately eager, with high expectations.
r Testing the situation and central figures.

During the Forming Stage, the group needs include:

r Getting acquainted with other members, building initial rapport.

r Sensing what behaviours will be acceptable in this group.
r Reducing the suspicion and anxiety about the work ahead.
r Developing an early sense of what each person's role might be.
r A common understanding of the group mission/purpose.
r Ideas on how to get started on the task.
r Decisions on what information needs to be gathered.
r Defining some boundaries and approaches.

A team has moved from Forming to Storming when:

r Team members feel comfortable with each other.

r Team members are committed to the purpose of the group.
r Team members are willing to risk challenges to their ideas and suggestions.

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Team Development: Storming
You will recognise a group in the Storming Stage because they are:

r Competing for power and/or attention.

r Cliquish.
r Resistant.
r Becoming more outspoken.
r Listening for rebuttal.
r Questioning how/why things are done.
r Reacting negatively toward leaders and other members.

During the Storming Stage, the group needs include:

r Building trust in other team members and the chance of success.

r Managing the tendency toward unbalanced participation, competition, and coalition
formation into subgroups.
r Identifying or creating a meaningful role for each team member.
r Sharing information and experiences that are relevant to the task.
r Overcoming resistance to quality improvement ideas and strategies that are new.
r Resisting the tendencies to take flight from the task and hard work.
r Providing organisation and structure for dealing with the key tasks.
r Encouraging and managing disagreement and conflict so that issues are identified
and explored.

A team has moved from Storming to Norming when:

r The team is confident that the leader has the necessary skills and abilities.
r Every member feels he/she has a role and significant contribution to make.
r Conflict is a valuable resource to the team.
r The team 'attitude' has changed from competition to co-operation and active
listening.

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Team Development: Norming
You will recognise a group in the Norming Stage because they are:

r Being more open and giving more feedback.

r Relationship oriented.
r Becoming more involved with the team.
r Supportive of one another.
r Less reliant upon the leader.
r Increasing their ability to productively solve problems.
r Clarifying team purposes and member roles.

During the Norming Stage, the group needs include:

r Reconciling competing loyalties and responsibilities.

r Encouraging the mutual support, interest and involvement
r Opportunity to express feelings and opinions in addition to information.
r Knitting the support and cohesiveness of the team back together after periods of
vigorous, productive disagreement and conflict.
r Reinforcing positive team norms and changing unproductive norms.
r Creating a team identity.
r Exploring any and all relevant information.
r Fostering creativity, innovation and new ways of thinking about issues.
r Vigorously testing ideas and their implications in an objective manner.
r Revisiting and redefining (as necessary) the team's mission.

A team has moved from Norming to Performing when:

r The team expresses unanimous agreement on key objectives and norms.

r Every member feels empowered to share freely.
r There is high level of trust among members.
r Feedback about both task and relationship issues
r The team starts sharing leadership responsibilities.

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 Team Development: Performing
You will recognise a group in the Performing Stage because they are:

r Showing high confidence in accomplishing tasks.

r Relaxed.
r Sharing leadership.
r Highly motivated.
r Depending on each other more.
r Performing at high levels.
r Establishing their own structure.
r Clearly understanding their roles and responsibilities.

During the Performing Stage, the group needs include:

r Maintaining mutual trust and acceptance at a high level.

r Permitting members to fully share the leadership function.
r Allowing the team to function without you.
r Giving the team a lot of room; informality should predominate.
r Complimenting team progress and success as well as unity.
r Recognising individual and team contributions.
r If necessary, using caution against arrogance and insular attitudes.
r Providing tools and methods for tackling complex problems.
r Maintaining realistic expectations for team effort.
r Initiating thorough discussion of implementation strategies and potential
roadblocks.
r Encouraging flexibility and resourcefulness.

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 PERFORMING
We know what to do and we get things done!
We get a I forgot my
new project. part.

NORMING
What am I going to do? How? When? Why?

A new
member
joins the
team. STORMING
I don’t want to do that and you can’t make me!

FORMING
Why am I here? And who are they? What is the task?

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CHAPTER 4:LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Outcomes: Characteristics of Effective Teams

 State and explain the characteristics of effective teams

 Identify the skills required to unite and focus the team

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Chapter 4: Characteristics of Effective
Teams
While a single person can make a difference in an organisation, major gains in quality
and productivity most often result from teams. A team is a group of people that pools
their skills, talents, and knowledge to improve complex processes and to tackle chronic
problems. A good team can generate enough enthusiasm and support to be productive
even in difficult times.

A productive team is painstakingly built. Problems have been worked through,

relationships deepened and objectives clarified. Teams that achieve significant growth
and progress typically display the following characteristics:

Clear Purpose
Members share a common purpose. They know why the team exists and what function it
serves. Team objectives, projects, recommendations and even the group process itself is
consistent with the overall purpose.

Commitment
Members feel a sense of individual commitment to the purpose and goals of the group.
They are willing to devote the time and energy needed to build a productive team and
support other team members. People bring energy and enthusiasm to the group's efforts.

Open Communication
The group has developed a communication environment in which members feel relaxed,
valued and able to be direct and open. There should be a norm of airing problems and
matters of concern. The trust level is high.

Shared Leadership
There is a leader/facilitator, but 'management' of the group is seen as a shared function.
Individuals other than the designated facilitator are given the opportunity to exercise
leadership when their skills are appropriate to the needs of the group.

Synergy
The team utilises all members' strengths and contributions such that the results of the
team's work are greater than what the members, working individually, could produce.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

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Characteristics of an Effective Team
Contd…
Appropriate Membership
Individual members have the intention and capability of contributing their knowledge,
skills and experience to make the group productive. One advantage of a group is a
diversity of talents and perspectives.

Effective Disciplines
The group has developed methods of initiating ideas, discussing ideas, encouraging
conflict, resolving problems and implementing plans. Time and other team resources are
well-used. The frequency and length of meetings are based on thoughtful planning - not
merely arbitrary decision-making.

Constructive Feedback
Group members spend time analysing the strengths and weaknesses of their work, are
open about their personal evaluations and accept negative feedback without undue
defensiveness. Communication of praise and criticism are both a part of the process.

Creativity Encouraged
The group has the capacity to create new ideas through analysis and discussion. Some
innovation and risk-taking is rewarded. Risk implies that errors will be made.
Disagreement and conflict are seen as sources of creativity.

Productive Outcomes
Effective teams are productive. They deal with meaningful quality issues, problems and
opportunities. Ideas and plans are formulated and implemented. The team experiences a
sense of accomplishment by making positive contributions to the organisation.

Organisational Relationships
Teams function within a larger organisational context. Relationships with other teams
and groups are developed to provide open access and identify where collaborative efforts
may give maximum pay off. There is regular contact and co-ordination of work and
priorities with other groups.

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 Qualities of High-Performing Teams

In the space below, draw a picture that reflects or symbolises a high-performing team that
you were on or that you observed:

What did you see?

1_____________________________________________________________________

2_____________________________________________________________________

3_____________________________________________________________________

What did you hear?

1_____________________________________________________________________

2_____________________________________________________________________

3_____________________________________________________________________

List the 3 major qualities that you have expressed:

1_____________________________________________________________________

2_____________________________________________________________________

3_____________________________________________________________________

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 SELF TEST
High Performing Teams

1. List as many of the characteristics of an effective team as you can.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

5 ____________________________________________________________________

6 ____________________________________________________________________

7 ____________________________________________________________________

8 ____________________________________________________________________

9 ____________________________________________________________________

10 ___________________________________________________________________

11 ___________________________________________________________________

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 Task and Relationship
Team member behaviours in groups can be categorised by attention to both task and
relationship. While actual teamwork involves the use of task and relationship functions
together, it is helpful to consider them separately.

Task behaviours include those that provide the team with direction in terms of specific
work accomplishment. This can include outlining procedures, providing information, or
directing the team toward a goal. The behaviours that help to get the job done -
procedures, information flow- are considered Task behaviours.

Task Behaviours:

r Initiating new ideas

r Seeking information
r Seeking opinions
r Giving information
r Elaborating
r Co-ordinating
r Orienting
r Evaluating
r Stimulating

Relationship behaviours include those that provide the team with effective interpersonal
relationships. They involve the expression of feelings and dissipating hostile emotions.
Team members need to be involved, praised, and encouraged to build and sustain an
effective relationship with one another.

Relationship Behaviours:

r Encouraging
r Harmonising
r Compromising
r Using humour
r Empathising
r Processing

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No Developmental

Stage

Is Bad

Each Stage Is

Part Of The

Journey

Toward

Performance

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 SELF TEST: Review
1. Name, (in correct order), the stages of team development.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

2. List five characteristics of a team in the first stage of development.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

5 ____________________________________________________________________

3. List four characteristics of teams that have moved from the first to the second stage of
development.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

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4. Name four signs to indicate that a team has moved to the third stage of team
development.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

5. List five of the needs of a team that has reached the final step of development.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

5 ____________________________________________________________________

6. Name three circumstances under which a team might revert to an earlier stage of
development

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

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 SELF TEST
Task and Relationship

1. List five activities that represent "task" behavior.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

5 ____________________________________________________________________

2. List five activities that represent "relationship" behavior.

1 ____________________________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________

4 ____________________________________________________________________

5 ____________________________________________________________________

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 Building the ideal team
Characteristics of an ideal team

1. A common task or purpose:

• What is the clearly defined task of the SME Hotline team?

• What is the clear objective of the team?

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1. At this stage, what are the specific expertise of team members?

2. What are the roles of team members?

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3. Name three ways that team members can support one another?

4. Identify ways in which team members complement each other in terms of skills and
personalities

5. What are the benefits of successfully accomplishing the objectives of the SME
hotline?

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CHAPTER 5:LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Outcomes: Six Steps to Team Problem Solving

 Implement the six steps to team problem solving

 Identify partners in the team development process and promote synergies

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Six Steps to Team Problem Solving
Time: 40 minutes 1) Define the goal or objective. A team needs to know
what to focus on. You can lay out the basic goal,
(10 minutes lecture, 30 reduce workplace accidents for example, but it is
minutes activity). important to let the team define and expand the goal.
2) Not only must the "what" be solved, but also the
"why." The team should identify what's in it for the
organization and the team to achieve this objective.
This is best done by asking, "What is the benefit?"
Also, help them to create a specific target that builds
enthusiasm. Make achieving the objective sound
appealing.
3) Define the obstacles that will prevent the team from
achieving what it wants. Focus on internal obstacles,
not on the external environment, such as competitors
and laws. It will be too easy to say, "We can't do
anything about it." Internal factors are within their
reach.
4) The team now plans its actions. Lay out four or five
concrete steps, and write them down. Not "we'll try"
actions, as "We'll try to serve customers better." You
want actions that can be tracked and monitored. You
cannot measure a "try" action. You want observable
behaviors like "Greet all customers with a smile and
a good morning or good afternoon," or "Customers
will be served within 1 minute upon their arrival."
5) Challenge the obstacles that were defined in step
three. The team needs to formulate actions to change
or eliminate any impediments that may be
roadblocks in implementing its objectives.
6) Take action now! This is most critical step. It is
what differentiates an effective team from a
group...groups have many meetings before taking
action - teams get it done! Get commitment from
individual team members to take action on specific
items.

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Activity: Crossing Over

We Are!
Act Now!
Goal!

Clear
Obstacles

Action
Plan

Obstacles?

What
Problem?

Define
Goal
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