6.2 Five Models for Understanding Team Dynamics
An important aspect of effective teamwork entails understanding group dynamics in terms of both team situation and individual temperament. This section reviews a variety of models often applied in workplaces that can help a team perform optimally and manage crises effectively.
The Tuckman Team Model
“Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development,” proposed by psychologist Bruce Tuckman in 1965, is one of the most famous theories of team development. It describes four stages that teams may progress through: forming, storming, norming, and performing, with a fifth stage that was added later: adjourning. According to McCahan et al., the stages move from organizing to producing, and although the stages appear linear, in fact, teams may move backward depending on events that may influence the team and the communications strategies that they use. Some teams can also stall on a stage and never fully realize their potential. Figure 6.2.1 outlines these stages. Please refer to the McCahan et al. text (2015) or to Bruton & Lumen Learning (n.d.) for a more complete discussion.
Note that at each stage, communication is a critical component of successfully moving to the next stage. The forming stage, when everyone is getting to know each other and are trying to make a good impression, is a good time to create a set of shared expectations, guidelines, or a team charter. A team-forming activity is also a good idea to help build trust and get to know the various strengths and weaknesses of the team members. This is an orientation stage, on both interpersonal and professional levels, when preliminary boundaries and expectations are established.
The storming stage is the one most often characterized by group conflict and dysfunction. It is often when the preliminary expectations and boundaries are challenged as individuals learn more about each other’s motivations. This also coincides with the “brainstorming” stage of the design process, in which each member contributes ideas that could potentially become the focus of the project. It is also the stage where teammates learn about each others’ strengths and weaknesses and try to determine what their roles will be in the project. Learning to harness the constructive potential of conflict and compromise in this stage is important to progress to the next stage. The key is differentiating between constructive conflict, characterize by disagreement over ideas, and destructive conflict, characterized by personal attacks. Avoiding the latter will create the momentum teams need to move to the next stage.
During the norming stage, if conflicts have been resolved and teammates have proved flexible, all is going well, each team member knows their role and works on their part of the project. Sometimes, people work independently in this stage but check in with teammates frequently to make sure the workflow is efficient and effective. Group cohesion ensures that everyone is responsible for