Lecture Notes: Team Building and Dynamics
Introduction
- Team Building: Historically associated with activities like wilderness retreats, aimed at morale boosting.
- Modern Approach: Focuses on addressing specific challenges or problems within the team.
Categories of Team Building Strategies
- Team Startup
- Formation of a team, setting goals, and role assignment.
- Task-Related Problem Solving
- Addressing known issues like communication or workload distribution.
- Identifying Problems
- Investigating unclear issues affecting performance.
- Social Process Resolution
- Resolving interpersonal conflicts within the team.
- Regular Performance Reviews
- Checking team alignment with goals and objectives.
Effective Team Building Techniques
- Role Analysis Technique
- Defines roles within a team, identifying responsibilities and interconnections.
- Improves role clarity, especially in new teams.
Belbin Team Inventory
- Role Classifications: Nine roles including Plant, Resource Investigator, Coordinator, Shaper, etc.
- Significance: Most people excel in 2-3 roles, and a balanced team should ideally cover all roles.
- Limitation: Roles might not always be well defined or necessary.
Conflict Management Styles
- Dominating: Assertive, win-lose.
- Accommodating: Prioritize relationship, potentially lose-win.
- Compromise/Collaboration: Middle ground or win-win outcome, though collaboration is ideal.
- Avoidance: Burying issues, generally ineffective.
Cultivating Cohesive Teams
- Characteristics of Cohesive Teams
- Shared information, strong relationships, effective conflict management.
- Strategies
- Keep teams small, enhance team status, promote cooperation, define and reinforce common goals.
Developing Effective Team Players
- Selection: Matching personality traits and skills.
- Training: Equipping team members with necessary skills.
- Recognition: Balancing team output with individual contributions.
Theories of Team Development
- Tuckman's Model: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning.
- Punctuated Equilibrium Model: Significant changes throughout team lifecycle.
Factors Affecting Team Effectiveness
- Team Composition: Skills, traits, diversity.
- Work Design: Demands, resources, autonomy.
- Group Processes: Psychological safety, cohesion, conflict.
Conclusion
- Considerations for Teamwork
- Task Complexity, Common Purpose, Interdependence.
- Caution: Teamwork may not always be suitable; assess the need before forming a team.
Next Steps: Attend the lecture debrief for further discussion.