Developing Effective TeamsBrought to you by PROCEED, Inc.

National Center for Training, Support and Technical Assistance

Facilitated by Damian Goldvarg, Ph.D.

Objectives

Identify elements of successful teamsExplore stages of team developmentDevelop facilitation skillsExplore strategies to enhance team work

Team Definition

A team is a group of people that: Have a goal in commonHave to collaborate to achieve personal and collective goalsIs mutually responsibleIt is measure as a team

Katzenbach & SmithThe Wisdom of Teams

Teamwork

People working in teams can achieve objectives they would never achieve by themselvesTeambuilding enhances communication between people and programsIt can motivate and make work more meaningful

TeamworkTeamwork

Identify a team experience in which you participated and were very effective as a team. Why was this team very effective?What were the key elements present that made that team effective? Share in triads the key elements and agree in the three more important.

Identify a team experience in which you participated and were very effective as a team. Why was this team very effective?What were the key elements present that made that team effective? Share in triads the key elements and agree in the three more important.

Characteristics of Effective Teams

Characteristics of Effective Teams

Clarity in objectivesCommitmentClear processesEffective leadershipCollaborationCoordination of tasksCapacityTrustEffective communication

Clarity in objectivesCommitmentClear processesEffective leadershipCollaborationCoordination of tasksCapacityTrustEffective communication

Paper TowerPaper Tower

Plan and construct a paper tower using only paper and tapeTry to make it as tall as possibleYou can’t talk during the exerciseYou have five minutes

Plan and construct a paper tower using only paper and tapeTry to make it as tall as possibleYou can’t talk during the exerciseYou have five minutes

Stages of Team Development

FormingStormingNormingPerforming

Forming

Getting to know each otherDependency, search for guidance, information, and directions from leaderProud of being part of the teamOptimismLack of structureAnxiety about the taskWho are these people?Why am I here?What is the task?

Team Leader’s Role in Forming Stage

Team Leader’s Role in Forming Stage

Fostering openness in communicationSharing information, expectationsListening attentively and genuinelyDirecting discussion to missionAcknowledging contributions of every member

Fostering openness in communicationSharing information, expectationsListening attentively and genuinelyDirecting discussion to missionAcknowledging contributions of every member

Moving from Forming to Storming

Moving from Forming to Storming

Team members feel comfortable with each otherTeam members are committed to the purpose for the teamTeam members are willing to risk challenges to their ideas and suggestions

Team members feel comfortable with each otherTeam members are committed to the purpose for the teamTeam members are willing to risk challenges to their ideas and suggestions

StormingFeeling of moving backwardsCompetitively/ jealousyConflictRoles and responsibility are challengedResistanceLess polite and more challengingHow I will get along with others? I don’t want to do that and you can’t make me!

Team Leader’s Role in Storming Stage

Team Leader’s Role in Storming Stage

Reminding team of overall purpose and objectivesSummarizing to clarify issuesInfluencing through “pulling skills”

Reminding team of overall purpose and objectivesSummarizing to clarify issuesInfluencing through “pulling skills”

Moving from Storming to Norming

Moving from Storming to Norming

Conflict is valuable resource not an obstacle to accomplish the taskAttitude change from competition to cooperation and active listeningEvery member feels significant to the team

Conflict is valuable resource not an obstacle to accomplish the taskAttitude change from competition to cooperation and active listeningEvery member feels significant to the team

Norming

Clarification of team members rolesCohesion/collaborationAcknowledgement of the value of each team memberMore camaraderieWhat do I need to do to get along with people?What are the rules?

Team Leader’s Role in Norming Stage

Team Leader’s Role in Norming Stage

Integrating contributions to keep discussion on trackDiscussing team norms and promoting norm changes when necessaryUsing constructive feedback about both task and relationship activities

Integrating contributions to keep discussion on trackDiscussing team norms and promoting norm changes when necessaryUsing constructive feedback about both task and relationship activities

Moving from Norming to Performing

Moving from Norming to Performing

There is high level of trust among membersThe team no longer look at the leader to initiate topicsTeam members offer feedback about task and relationship issues

There is high level of trust among membersThe team no longer look at the leader to initiate topicsTeam members offer feedback about task and relationship issues

Performing

Synergy between team membersAwareness of team strengths and weaknessesFlexibility ResourcefulnessProud and satisfied by resultsAm I contributing to the results?“I feel support from my team”

FacilitationFacilitation

What is the task of a facilitator?

What are the key challenges?

What is the task of a facilitator?

What are the key challenges?

Facilitation

Objective, neutralKeep team focusedAsk questions to clarifyAssure everybody participatesKeep ground rules being respected and followed

Promote CollaborationPromote Collaboration

Collaboration requires “the ability to raise and resolve the real issues standing in the way of a team accomplishing its goal, and to do so in a way that brings out the best thinking and attitudes of everyone involved.”F. LaFasto & C. Larson (2001). When Teams Work Best.

Collaboration requires “the ability to raise and resolve the real issues standing in the way of a team accomplishing its goal, and to do so in a way that brings out the best thinking and attitudes of everyone involved.”F. LaFasto & C. Larson (2001). When Teams Work Best.

Promote CollaborationPromote Collaboration

Collaboration is about focusing on working together cooperatively with others toward mutually beneficial, integrative, adaptive, and creative solutions to problems

Collaboration is about focusing on working together cooperatively with others toward mutually beneficial, integrative, adaptive, and creative solutions to problems

Promote CollaborationPromote CollaborationRequires a combination of openness—the ability and desire to raise relevant issues, offer necessary viewpoints, and consider others’ ideas— and supportiveness—putting the team’s goal first, working well and caringly with others, and helping others to excel

Requires a combination of openness—the ability and desire to raise relevant issues, offer necessary viewpoints, and consider others’ ideas— and supportiveness—putting the team’s goal first, working well and caringly with others, and helping others to excel

Promote CollaborationPromote Collaboration

“…the best barometer for determining a collaborative climate is to ask a simple question: Once a meeting has ended, do team members meet informally to discuss their real thoughts and feelings about an issue that should have been addressed at the team table? If so, there’s a problem.”F. LaFasto & C. Larson (2001). When Teams Work Best.

“…the best barometer for determining a collaborative climate is to ask a simple question: Once a meeting has ended, do team members meet informally to discuss their real thoughts and feelings about an issue that should have been addressed at the team table? If so, there’s a problem.”F. LaFasto & C. Larson (2001). When Teams Work Best.

Nine Ground Rules for Effective Groups

(From Roger Schwarz, 2002, The Skilled Facilitator)

Nine Ground Rules for Effective Groups

(From Roger Schwarz, 2002, The Skilled Facilitator)

Test assumptions and inferences.Share all relevant information.Use specific examples and agree on what important words mean.Explain your reasoning and intent.Focus on interests, not positions.Combine advocacy and inquiry.Jointly design next steps and ways to test disagreements.Discuss undiscussable issues.Use a decision-making rule that generates the level of commitment needed.

Test assumptions and inferences.Share all relevant information.Use specific examples and agree on what important words mean.Explain your reasoning and intent.Focus on interests, not positions.Combine advocacy and inquiry.Jointly design next steps and ways to test disagreements.Discuss undiscussable issues.Use a decision-making rule that generates the level of commitment needed.

Diagnosing Your Team

What stops your team to function to its greatest capacity?What is stopping me to be effective in this team?What things should continue, change or improve in this team?How this team could be even more effective?

BibliographyBibliographyEileen K. Aranda & Luis Aranda, with Kristi Conlon (1998). Teams: Structure, Process, Culture, and Politics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Gervase R. Bushe (2001). Clear Leadership: How Outstanding Leaders Make Themselves Understood, Cut Through Organizational Mush, and Help Everyone Get Real at Work. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black.Frank LaFasto & Carl Larson (2001). When Teams Work Best: 6,000 Team Leaders Tell What It Takes to Succeed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Leslie Perlow (2003). When You Say Yes But Mean No: How Silencing Conflict Wrecks Relationships and Companies … and What You Can Do About It. New York: Crown Business.Rick Ross (1994). “Skillful Discussion: Protocols for Reaching a Decision—Mindfully.” In Peter Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, Richard B. Ross, & Bryan J. Smith, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday.Roger Schwarz (2002). The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Eileen K. Aranda & Luis Aranda, with Kristi Conlon (1998). Teams: Structure, Process, Culture, and Politics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Gervase R. Bushe (2001). Clear Leadership: How Outstanding Leaders Make Themselves Understood, Cut Through Organizational Mush, and Help Everyone Get Real at Work. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black.Frank LaFasto & Carl Larson (2001). When Teams Work Best: 6,000 Team Leaders Tell What It Takes to Succeed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Leslie Perlow (2003). When You Say Yes But Mean No: How Silencing Conflict Wrecks Relationships and Companies … and What You Can Do About It. New York: Crown Business.Rick Ross (1994). “Skillful Discussion: Protocols for Reaching a Decision—Mindfully.” In Peter Senge, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, Richard B. Ross, & Bryan J. Smith, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday.Roger Schwarz (2002). The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Contact the FacilitatorContact the Facilitator

Damian Goldvarg, Ph.D.Dgoldvarg@aol.com(310) 836-7618www.thegoldvargconsultinggroup.com

Damian Goldvarg, Ph.D.Dgoldvarg@aol.com(310) 836-7618www.thegoldvargconsultinggroup.com