October 2006
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October 2006 eNews
Keys to Working Together Effectively...
Groups: I Would Rather Do It Myself!Have you ever had the experience of dreading a team project? You learn that you will be working with three or four other people on a given assignment and the first thought that comes to mind is, "I would rather just do it myself ... It would be easier." I know I have. Teamwork, in my experience, has often been over-rated because in actuality it has proven to be more an exercise in frustration than in productive camaraderie. In one place I worked, I subtly announced my skepticism with an elegant little sign on my desk which pictured a circle of hands atop each other and a caption below that read, "None of us is as dumb as all of us!." Why is that? There are two sets of reasons which commonly give rise to such frustration. Sometimes, it is the meeting that doesn't seem to work. It goes on and on without reaching a conclusion or, on the other hand, the setting is just so uncomfortable that people rush through the agenda without sufficient deliberation. At other times, it is the group itself that is problematic. One person dominates and stifles the participation of others or everyone talks but not on point – despite a clear agenda. In next month's letter, I will offer some basic tips for conducting meetings. This month, I want to focus on basic group dynamics.
Stages of Group DevelopmentBack in 1950, social researcher Bruce Tuchman put forth a theory of group dynamics which was later refined but never replaced as a highly useful means of identifying and understanding group behavior. As later revised, he identified five stages of group development: 1) forming, 2) storming, 3) norming, 4) performing, and 5) adjourning. His theory applies to any and all groups, from sports teams to board committees to management groups. In the ideal situation, a group forms, organizes itself to work effectively, fulfills its purpose, and disbands upon reaching a happy conclusion. In real life, however, groups have a tendency to get stuck in one stage or another because they are paying attention only to the content of the task at hand and not also to the process by which they are attending to it. Here, then, are brief descriptions of each stage, along with some very basic advice about how to go through each one successfully.
FormingIn this beginning stage, the members of the group are coming together and asking themselves some very basic questions. How do I fit into this group? Who are these people?! What are the group's objectives – stated and otherwise? Most fundamentally, every member wants to know: Am I going to be okay with these people? For a group to form itself well, each of its members must find satisfactory answers to these questions and arrive at a sense of inclusion. Otherwise, time and again, it will stumble over reactions to individuals feeling excluded and never attain optimal effectiveness. The key: Take time at the start of a group's formation for members to get acquainted with each other and to understand why they are together. And be aware that every time a new person joins the group, it is, in effect, a new group.
StormingThe next stage is aptly labeled because it is a time of conflict and chaos. People begin to assume roles and block others who are doing the same. They vie for leadership or challenge those who are. They refine the agenda or try to change it. They form subgroups or withdraw altogether. This is a necessary stage and not to be avoided. If this interplay doesn't occur above the table, it will, inevitably, occur "under the table" – in side conversations and the formation of counter-productive subgroups. Control will become the issue and the goal. The key, then, is actually rather simple: Let the storming happen. Let the group work through this phase so that it can arrive at the next phase authentically and not artificially.
NormingWhen the group has formed itself adequately and done the storming it needs to do, it can then proceed to adopt norms for itself, whether consciously and formally or informally and implicitly. At this point, there is clarity about who will perform what roles and how decisions will be made. It is the moment, in other words, in which the storming gives way to a collective clarity about how everyone will work together and to what end. The key: Norming is not complete until: a) the group's purpose is understood and accepted by all; b) a method or plan for achieving the purpose has been identified and accepted by all; and c) everyone is clear about who is going to do what.
PerformingWhen a group has reached a good level of cohesion by forming itself well, done its necessary storming, and adopted acceptable norms for its own process, it will be fully ready to perform optimally. Everyone will be able to contribute to the identified task and – just as importantly – not get in the way of others making their contribution. The key at this stage is to recognize that circumstances may arise which call for a return to prior stages. Perhaps external forces necessitate a revised goal. It will be critically important to re-examine roles also. Or, maybe a member of the group must take his/her leave earlier than planned and a replacement appointed. The personnel change effectively results in a new group which needs to re-form.
AdjourningTuchman added this stage to his model later and that fact is emblematic of how groups tend to forget or ignore the importance of concluding their work together in any deliberate fashion. Yet we probably all have had group experiences which went well enough while they lasted but seemed either to fade away or end abruptly. Either way, we were left rather dissatisfied. The key to adjourning appropriately is to do so deliberately. Before disbanding a team, take some time to allow for personal expressions of appreciation or regret or insight as well as reflection on what worked well and what did not. This need not require a major investment of time when the energy is waning but it will nevertheless yield significant results in both individual closure and insight for future group projects. |
This Month's Recommended Resource
The Big Book of Team Building Games by John Newstrom and Edward Scannell (1998) offers a wealth of worthwhile suggestions. Newstrom and Scannell have collected an impressive array of exercises that range in purpose from ice-breakers and creating team identity to building trust and learning to cooperate. And you needn't be an expert in group process to put their advice to work. In most cases, the instructions are simple and straightforward and the materials needed minimal. Keep those cards and letters coming in... Pass this article on to a friend or colleague... If you know someone who is contemplating or currently going through organizational changes and who might benefit from this letter, please forward it. Your referrals please... od180 welcomes and appreciates your referrals. If you know non-profit leaders who might welcome assistance with any of the following, please let them know about od180. You may also provide us a way of contacting them and we will be happy to respond.
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