1. Forming

• At this stage, the group is just coming together and feelings may still be
• It is a period of transition from individual to group member
• In here, members try to learn each Members form opinion of team mates
• Period in which members guard their interactions(personal space) because they’re not sure what to expect from other team members
• During this stage, productivity of the group is
• Questions are asked about the task and how it will be done; who the other members are and if they belong; perceived concepts, issues and barriers.
• During this stage, people are generally polite and conflict is usually
• Individual team members are looking towards the team leader for direction and What should a team leader do at this stage?
• Concentrate on focusing the team;
• Defining goals,
• Roles and
• Set clear expectations
• Setting ground rules
• Developing a climate of trust and respect
  • Communication is primarily one-way from the team leader to team

2.Storming

• This is the most difficult stage for a
• Characterized by competition and strained relationships among team
• There are various degrees of conflict dealing with issues of power, leadership and decision- making.
• Conflicts emerge between sub-groups;
• The authority or competence of the leader is
• Individuals react over the efforts of the leader or group to control them
• The value and feasibility of the task is
• Co-operation can take second place as team members try to individually trust more in their own skills and attributes.

What should the team leader do?

• The leader clarifies team activities, fine- tuning roles and
• Communication is more multiway between team leader and team
• Return to ground rules if
• Continue to play the ‘traffic cop’ as

3.Norming

• Competition becomes co-operation
• Members realize their commonalities and learn to appreciate their
• Functional relationships are developed resulting in the evolution of trust among
• Guidelines and ground rules for getting the work done are
• Team members begin to value contribution of
• Team members share their feelings and ideas about how to do the task, how to work out differences and disagreement.
• There is a fresh ability to achieve harmony and express criticism
• A sense of team cohesion evolves.
• Personal conflicts are minimized.
• Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and agreed What should the team leader do?
• Involve the team in setting its own goals and
• Communication is multiway with the team leader acting as an active

4.Performing

• In the final stage, the team actually gets its work done, making up for the seemingly ‘lost time’ in the earlier stages.
• Team is acting and working as
• Individuals and their contributions are valued, objectives are
• Members fully understand their individual roles and the roles of others, problems are being solved and actions implemented.
• During this stage, the team gains insight into :
  • How efficiently it is getting the task done,
  • What more can be done,
  • How things can be done better and if the deadlines are being There is close attachment to the team and satisfaction with the process.

5.Adjourning

Temporary project team reaches this stage; celebrate their team’s achievements.

General note on stages of team Development

• Some teams spend very little time in forming, storming and norming
• If a team is relatively homogeneous and given a well-defined task, the first three stages might be as short as five (5) minutes.
• If on the other hand, people do not know each other, come from diverse backgrounds and points of view, and are given a complex set of tasks; these first stages may take considerable time over several meetings.

Team leader’s role

The supervisor as team leader plays an important role in a team:

• Sometimes involved in the selection of team members
• Ensures the achievement of standards and the discipline of team members
• Allocation and scheduling of duties
• Controlling the use of resources
• Directing the formation of team strategy and plans
• Spokesman/negotiator for the team
• Provides an open communication system
• Making follow-ups and encouraging members to do so
• Clarifying objectives and organizational policies to members

Benefits of team work

• Problems solving: A single brain can’t bounce different ideas off of each other. Each team member has a responsibility to contribute equally and offer their unique perspective on a problem to arrive at the best possible solution. Teamwork can lead to better decisions, products, or services.
• Accomplish tasks faster: A single person taking on multiple tasks will not be able to perform at a same pace as a team can. When people work together they can complete tasks faster by dividing the work to people of different abilities and knowledge.
• Healthy competition: A healthy competition in groups can be used to motivate individuals and help the team excel.
• Developing relationships: A team that continues to work together will eventually develop an increased level of bonding. This can help people avoid unnecessary conflicts since they have become well acquainted with each other through team work.
• Everyone has unique qualities: Every team member can offer their unique knowledge and ability to help improve other team members. Through teamwork the sharing of these qualities will allow team members to be more productive in the future.
• Improved Morale: Teamwork allows employees to take greater responsibility for decision making and also allows team members to control more of the work process. This can lead to improved morale as employees gain more authority and ownership over the projects they are working The extra responsibility can lead to a more rewarding work environment and lower turnover. Working on a team also gives employees a greater sense of belonging and of recognition, which helps them take more pride in their work, and their company.

Dangers of team work

• Teamwork may have an “unintended effect of fermenting hostility toward the managerial goal of making the teams fully self-managing.
• There is a potential of “social loafing” (i.e., an individual’s doing less work in a team than what he/she would normally do working individually). In order to minimize social loafing, management can make individual performance more visible while in a team setting. This can be done by forming smaller teams, specializing specific tasks to certain individuals, and measuring individual performance.
• Possible development of the dependence syndrome among team members
• Minority views and opinions may be easily neglected or frustrated
• There is delay in decision making

How to Improve Teamwork in the Workplace

Once you have your team in place, here are a few general tips to make sure the collaborative process runs smoothly:

• Don’t let individuals get lost in the shuffle. Even though a team is a collaborative effort, each member should be allowed to feel a sense of ownership and accomplishment. Members should be rewarded for a job well done, and given encouragement and guidance when they need additional help completing a task.
• Let each team member actively take part in the decision-making process. Making each member feel integral to the group’s success is crucial for the team’s morale.
• Minimize the importance of rank; instead take advantage of the entire group’s talents and skills to contribute to its overall success. However, there must be one clear leader who can make the final decision if the team can’t agree.
• Keep the balance of work equal. One or two team members shouldn’t be shouldering the burden for the entire group. Everyone should have a manageable and relatively equal
• Build a foundation of trust and mutual respect. Each team member should be encouraged to share his or her opinions openly and respect everyone else’s point of view – even if they don’t agree with it.
• Maintain open lines of communication. Everyone in the team should share ideas or express concerns with one another and with the company’s management.
• When conflicts arise, take a positive approach. Avoid confrontation and blame. Keep your focus on the issues.

Discuss the Features of a Bad Team

• Frustration (Self-denial, lack of commitment and motivation)
• Conflicts
• Un clear roles
• Dominance by some parties
• Expression employees wear on their faces (Unhappy show less team work)
• Openness and honesty (Lack of confiding in managers, fearful characters show less team work

Problems encountered with work processes

Working with teams present several problems in different areas as follows: Decision making

• Clarity of individual responsibilities
• The extent to which decisions need to be made by consensus
• How decisions are made in the absence of an individual

Problems with processes

• How are decisions taken? Are authority levels clear?
• Are communication processes across the team working?
• Are structures, content and processes in meetings effective?
• How are problems and conflicts resolved?
• How is activity coordinated? Are reporting procedures understood and adhered to? Problems with goals
• Do people understand and accept the team’s primary task?
• What are the team’s priority objectives? Do all agree?
• How are conflicts in priorities handled? Problems with roles
• What do team members expect of each other?
• Have these expectations been shared? Do they match?
• Do individual objectives fit with the team’s overall objectives?
• Are there areas of overlap or duplication between team roles that could produce conflict? Problems with relationships
• How do team members treat and feel about each other?
• Are people’s individual needs recognized and respected/
• Does the team climate allow for open debate and sharing of concerns?
• Do the team and leader encourage feedback on team and individual performance?