HR Pulse

Team development

The “team building” industry has acquired a fairly bad reputation over the past decade with every Tom, Dick and Sally qualifying themselves to do ‘team building’. Activities may be colourful and well-constructed but seem to lack a bit of depth. The focus is predominantly on 'fun' without delving into the deeper team dynamics at play within a particular social system.

Don’t get me wrong – sometimes fun is the only ingredient necessary to enhance the execution capacity of the team but more often than not, this is not the only 'missing ingredient'. So what if you can assemble puzzles or shoot 10 clay pigeons to pieces within a minute. How does this improve the team dynamics? Usually, this means that it is the athletes in the group who shine whilst the other regular people tend to walk away from such activities feeling more like failures who cannot contribute to the success of the team.

Sports teams are probably the best examples of for showing what makes teams successful. When competing on an international level the playing field is fairly even when it comes to physical attributes – all players practice hard and are strong, fit and specialists in their positions. So, if all the players are relatively equal why do we have winning and losing teams? The answer lies in the 'collective psychology' of the players. The team should be seen as an organism which functions as a unit. There should be synergy - the parts should move together in order to achieve a common goal. This does not imply that the parts should all look (and perform) the same. On the contrary, each part (individual) should play his/her special role effectively in the team - they should be different but complementary.

Then there are the competencies of the team members: How do they communicate with one another (verbally and non-verbally)? How does this communication influence trust, morale and a willingness to contribute towards the goal of the team? Does everyone have a clear picture of the goal – or is 'the goal' sometimes a vehicle to advance an individual’s own hidden agendas and motives? Do team members feel comfortable enough to ask for help? If they do ask for help (or question the status quo) how do the other members react? Are people given the opportunity to contribute to the team and is there someone (who is competent) to coordinate these contributions (as in effective management)? How does the team utilise individuals’ strengths and/or accommodate weaknesses?

With regards to the 'Presenter / Facilitator' of the team development intervention: Is he or she able to provide a (physically and mentally) safe environment within which to facilitate a thought provoking process that allows for learning to take place? Does he or she understand human behaviour according to well established and researched models and theories? Or is he or she the ex-Drill Sergeant who is only great at giving instructions as long as everything fits into the prescribed structure.

So, next time before you are seduced by the quad bikes; the white water rafting, or even whispering to horses, ask yourself the following questions: After the intervention, would the team be better equipped to work together (or are they only left with bruised egos)? What would happen if the real issues are brought to the surface? Will the intervention provide lasting change? The most important question: 'SO WHAT?'

To end, here are the five stages of team building that are set out on http://www.ksl-training.co.uk/free-resources/team-building/high-performance-teams-guide/stages-of-team-development/.

1.    Forming

The group is still ‘undeveloped’ and generally people are concerned with ‘who fits where’. This is normally the beginning stage of a group of people meeting for the first time, but it can also occur when a new member of a team joins an already established team. For example, a new leader, or a strong and independent character.

2.    Storming

The group is ‘experimenting’ and concerned with how they work as a team. They are testing where they fit within the group. Only a small amount is likely to be achieved at this stage. The group may be displaying signs of conflict and may be having lively debates.

3.    Norming

The group is ‘settling down’ and beginning to feel more comfortable working with each other. They are more productive and achieving greater results, although there is room for improvement.

4.    Performing

The group is now a proper team. The members have matured and goals are being achieved and an atmosphere has been established that is relaxed and purposeful. The team is now feeling confident and open and honest dialogue is taking place.

5.    Mourning

The group is disbanding. This stage needs to be kept in mind. An acid test of how well a team has worked together can often be found at this mourning stage. If there has been great camaraderie and the team has produced excellent results, the team is quite likely going to feel great sadness and loss when breaking up. Often successful teams once disbanded, stay in touch afterwards, and feel a bond when meeting up in the future.

Click on the toolbox to read guidelines on how to facilitate these stages by using effective team leadership techniques.

Author: Francois Wilbers is Work Dynamics’s Managing Director and Executive Consulting Psychologist. He has been a part of the company since 1993. He has an M.Com. (Personnel Management) (Cum Laude) and MBA and is currently completing his Ph.D on consulting psychology