How to push your team through success?

Team is not an unknown word in corporate world, where we always get to work as a team. Forming a new team is a huge risk, an organization take. Since there is so many uncertain facts as, are they fit to this kind of work? will they get along with each other? Will they drive by self-goals or company’s?  However, it’s a risk that organization should take.

In1965, Bruce Tuckman introduced 5 stages of group developments. Through this journey team should always keep pushing to the next stage to meet the end goal which we can name as success.

Forming

This is the first step where team members new & overly polite to each other. They might be anxious & might not know what their part in the team. So, to push them to next step first they should know where to begin. Self-introduction about Where they came from, the background, Interests & skills is a good way to start. Next they should know what is their goal is, to which way they should drive for, what is their part in the team, what is the time line & what are the ground rules. Organizing team building activities, get-togethers will help them to glue as one.

Storming

 

In this second stage team begin to warm up since the excitement ware off & now, they aware of each other & started to work, team is going to meet conflict situations. They might come from different background different cultures & different working environments but in this step it all seems matters since team mates personalities may clash. They will see each other’s flaws, Voice most likely if they feel someone is not pulling the weight. It's better not to ignore the conflicts but to face them & solve them since that’s a step forward. It's important to get to know each strength & weaknesses since that helps the team to establish & move together.

Norming

In the next step team is starting to cool off & becomes normal. They starting to accept each other’s weaknesses & embrace the strengths. They tend to get comfort & express their real opinion in the work. They feel like they are part of a team in real & they are more productive in this stage & eventually step up for the next stage without enforcing.

Performing

It’s a high time in the organization where they feel team members are driven by shared goals. Team is confident in this stage & they are stepping up the ladder with “can do” attitude & will not leave anyone behind but assist each other. They are more satisfied by their work. It’s easy to communicate, It is easy to solve complicated situations & out put is what all are focused about. In the organization they are starting to get highlighted & others see them as a brand. To face the next stage, they need to push to the outside competition. That will help them to grow much bigger & stronger.

Adjourning

This step has to be taken where the team has accomplished what they were assign or when organization change their goals. Excitement starting among the team members again since they have to seek for another opportunity or a task. In this stage recognition process & rewarding ceremonies taking place. Team together celebrate what they have achieved or discuss what has gone wrong & what could have they done to avoid such situations. Some team will not be at this stage but to celebrate the achievement make them even focused.

So, in each stage it's very important face the complications & solve it rather than ignore it since it might blow up at the end. So, for a successful team will push through each 5 stages till their shared goal is achieved & be successful. How do the team will keep pushing? Following are few tips which help them do that.

01.  Share the goal among the team & not let forget the big picture.

02.  Setting ground rules & a timeframe where team members will be discipline.

03.  Give other members to lead the group & make sure everyone is taken the opportunity.

04.  Not to avoid conflict situations what might be an opportunity for the team performance.

05.  Make sure everyone voices their thoughts & listen to others as well.

06.  To give the feedback from each end process.

07.  Everyone should feel the gravity of the work & feel responsible.

Reference:

Stein, J. (no date) Using the Stages of Team Development, MIT human Resources. Available at: https://hr.mit.edu/learning-topics/teams/articles/stages-development.

Harper, H. (2019) The Stages of Group Formation, and how they Aid Your Teams Success, WorkStyle. Available at: https://www.workstyle.io/stages-of-team-development.

5 Stages of Team Development Understanding team development process (no date) toggl. Available at: https://toggl.com/stages-of-team-development/.