Some of the classic research on groups is still very helpful if you are trying to develop an effective team. And that is regardless of the type of task on hand. In case you have not covered this research on your own, I am going to talk about it here in a little bit more detail. I will cover the subject of selecting team members, the way the teams form, and some main challenges about team working: groupthink and scapegoating. It doesn't matter whether you are leading or part of a team, if you are aware of the two main issues you have a greater chance to be part of an effective team.
How big the team should be?
The number of members in a team will highly depend on the task on hand. If a large spectrum of skills and work is required within a specified deadline, obviously a large number of team members will be needed. But, the larger the discussion group, the less chance for individual contributions. Larger groups can also present some logistical problems, due to the time all members can be free. But a general number of great group performance have been between four and eight people.
Team skills
When building this is very important to ensure the team has the right expertise. This is quite an important point. The group should be built around the required skills level to ensure its effectiveness.
Motivation
In building a team it would be reasonable to take efforts to ensure team members want to do their tasks. Even though at work they may not have a choice, but even then they may seem to appear different types of issues which are burning the important to the task to some team members. In all essence, however, the more commitment we have the more chance of a task or project becomes a successful one and more the team is likely to perform. Here, therefore, it is important when choosing team members to have similar goals to our own and aiming for the same things.
Behavioral differences
If you have read my previous blog on "How to become a good team member" you will know that every team member can behave differently. In addition, there are different types of personalities within a working group. Some, are very good at proposing ideas, but not very good at implementing them. Others spent too much time looking at progress and clarifying objectives. Although if you are aware of the behaviors needed it is beneficial to make a constant effort to feel any gaps within the team skills and dynamics.
Belbin (1981) suggested that in order to create a well-performing team, the members need to be able to perform specific roles, and a number of roles are needed. Originally, he defined eight main roles to be fulfilled, and later he added the night one as Specialist also required.
Belbin's team roles
Coordinator - who acts as a chair, this person works through others and generally calls for discipline and balance.
Plant - who comes up with original ideas, the personality is imaginative and generally very intelligent but can resent criticism and carelessness of important details.
Shaper - who stimulates others to work.
Evaluator - who assess and monitor ideas and proposals.
Resource investigator - who brings resources and ideas from outside. This person generally relies on the team to develop his contributions.
Team worker - who works on progress and holds the team together.
Company worker - who is very strong on practical tasks and able to turn ideas into manageable tasks.
Finisher - who has the skill of checking details and chasing on progress to meet work deadlines.
Expert - who has the skills and expertise required for the specific task at hand. This person has a strong focus on the task on hand.
It is fairly clear that in order for projects or tasks to be successful all the roles will be needed. Often, we have a good idea of the people landing into each category as well as being aware of our own type of team personality. There is a number of different free online scorecards and tests available for the teams to check their type and personality online. It is always a great exercise to get to know the team members and the different types there represent. I find this type of team-building exercise very boding and type of informal team meeting which is fun and engaging for the members. These personality types are also part of some organization's interview processes.
When doing my own team personality test I have been allocated a percentage of each type. For me, the dominant role is the Coordinator, Company worker, and Expert. I would strongly suggest taking interest in this type of exercise. They will not only help with determining team skills but also recognize your own. Once this is done, understanding is a lot greater at the begging of the task and if managed smartly you can create a "dream team" who actually enjoys their tasks.
I understand, however, that we do not always have the luxury to "pick and choose" the personalities we require for the projects or tasks. Therefore, it is important for the team to work together, to develop and fulfill the different roles. It is all possible. Not having the right team skills set at the beginning is not an excuse or poor management. The team will have to find ways of ensuring that there is attention to process and details are checked. Sometimes, the team will have to make an effort to ensure these roles are fulfilled.
Group Life cycles
Often when groups first work together they are far from being effective. Sometimes arguments can become very heated and destructive. Some members may withdraw from the group altogether, either physically or mentally. There may be disagreements about the objectives or some people behaving in an unacceptable way.
Tuckman (1965) found out, that groups generally go through a sequence of stages to becoming effective. Knowing that this is normal it may make it easier for you to define where the issues may occur.
The stages are:
Forming - this is where individuals are trying to establish their identity within the group and find out what are the "rules". Behaviour is often tentative at this stage and extreme politeness may prevail, with no one saying what they really mean. A leadership pattern may start to emerge.
Storming - the politeness vanishes and all positions established earlier are challenged. Personal agendas emerge and there may be fierce battles about the status. This can be an uncomfortable time in a group. But if the conflict is constructive, it may generate greater cohesion.
Norming - out of the storm, more enduring norms emerge for how the group will operate and what is acceptable behavior within the group is established.
Performing - provided that the necessary roles are being filled, the roup can how really start to perform well.
Some people suggest, that this important, to recognize the fifth stage. For groups that have worked closely together, there can be unhappiness, even distress when the group stops working together.
Managing conflict
A major advantage of groups is that they can draw on a range of expertise, assumptions, and perspectives. But, to exploit this advantage you need to be prepared to work constructively with people whose worldview is very different from yours. This diversity can steam from the type of personality, but also from cultural and other differences. In different diverse groups, conflicts will sometimes arise and you need to have the skill to manage this. Many workforces may operate around the globe. You are likely to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds. Different people have different values and different ways of working.
Most people are fairly tribal, and easily adopt an "us" and "them" position. This is a comfortable view as it preserves the familiar ways of thinking.
Working in mixed workgroups takes more effort. It becomes even more vital to check the understanding at every stage. Worlds may mean slightly different things within different cultures. Some cultures are more assertive than others. Some cultures express themselves very directly, in ways that may seem offensive to others but are just normal ways of saying things to them. Some cultures treat deadlines differently to others.
If you get an opportunity to work within a group from a range of backgrounds, seize it. The potential of learning about others, and about yourself is great. But to realize this potential you will need to make an effort in understanding these backgrounds and viewpoints. You will also need to pay particular attention to setting certain "team rules", agreeing on ways of operating and working together. This may need to include procedures for ensuring that less assertive members contribute at regular intervals and regular checks on how people are feeling about how other members respond to their contributions.
When conflict does arise we need to handle it as a phenomenon to be explored rather than a personal threat. Be assertive, not aggressive. In particular aim to explore the situation rather than judge it. What exactly is the nature of the disagreement? What are the core intentions? Are people perceiving facts differently, disagreeing about ways of working, or bringing assumptions to the situation?
It may also be useful to explore why people feel so strongly about a point they are making. They may feel threatened or undervalued. By exploring such issues, you might come to much clearer understanding of your own and other team members' attitudes. Feelings are dangerous territory, but the ability to appreciate how others are feeling is an important management skill and the key component of emotional intelligence. Focus on the behavior, not the person, and refuse to give up until the issue is dealt with.
Developing your leadership is an important skill in creating a successful and effective team. If you can manage the team with a positive influence, this is the best way of demonstrating your leadership skills.
I talk about this great skill in one of my previous articles "Discover the child in you to become a better leader". In the article, I explore in more depth the concepts of self-awareness, self-regulation, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills.
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