Teams A leadership training lesson from The Pennsylvania State University.

TeamsA leadership training lesson from The Pennsylvania State University. *This powerpoint should be used in conjunction with the Teams lesson plan found at http://leadership.cas.psu.edu/Training.html

Teams: Overview • Introduction • Lesson Objectives • Lesson Content • Reflection Questions

Introduction • Teamwork is essential • Individuals are becoming less autonomous • Top ten Fortune 500 Companies are globally diverse • Universities have international study programs • 4-H’s experiential learning method involves teamwork • College students #1 dislike about any leadership class: Group work • Because the process takes longer than we like, but team development process is essential to success

Lesson Objectives • At the end of the lesson, you will be able to: • Define a team • Discuss stages of team development

What is a team? • A team is a group of people working together to achieve a common purpose for which they hold themselves accountable • This team will: • Share a work product • Have interdependent tasks • Share responsibility of results • Have a commitment to work together • Manage relationships across boundaries

Why teams? • Complex tasks • Creativity is • Path/direction unclear • Efficient use of resources needed • High commitment is desired • Members have a stake in the outcome • No one individual has sufficient knowledge to solve the problem

Types of Teams • Problem resolution team • Resolve problems on an on-going basis • Creative teams • Explore possibilities and alternatives • Tactical team • Execute a well-defined plan

Information & Teams: Handling the Load • Define your information needs • What do you need to know? • Who has the info? • How will you get it? • When do you need it? • Share important news in team meetings • Especially if it is news that affects the whole team or the team product

Information & Teams: Handling the Load • Take and distribute minutes for each team meeting • This will help to keep all members on the same page • Develop routine reports like weekly team schedules • This will make all members aware of deadlines, responsibilities, etc.

Information & Teams: Handling the Load • Post important and needed data • If you discover something that will be relevant to another team member, posting it will help everyone • Keep team info reports simple • Bullets • Headings

Stages of Team Development • Kipp and Kipp (2000) say: • Dysfunctional teams/groups often prevent themselves from being effective and productive • Handle conflict badly • Follow unwritten rules that limit effectiveness and waste time • Research has provided steps to aid in successful development of teams

Stages of Team Development • Tuckman and Jenson (CITE) list different stages of development for a team • Team must go through the stages to maximize their potential and become a successful unit • Not necessarily universal or sequential in nature, but knowing these stages is helpful in • Recognizing where a team is in their development • Knowing what is happening to a team and why • Knowing what to do next

Stages of Team Development • Tuckman and Jenson model has 5 steps, but team development is a continual process • An event could move a team from stage four back to stage one or two • A team may be at stage three for one task, but stage for for another • Some teams pass easily between stages • Some teams reach a level and become stagnant • Each stage has it own characteristics

Stages of Team Development • Forming • Storming • Norming • Performing • Reforming/Adjourning

Stages of Team Development 1. Forming Team Activities/Characteristics • Get acquainted • Test boundaries • Task define • Initial goal setting • Rules established

Stages of Team Development 2. Storming Team Activities/Characteristics • Differences emerge • Conflict • Task related interactions

Stages of Team Development 3. Norming Team Activities/Characteristics • Issues are Conflicted and Resolved • Spirit of cooperation • Communication • Group Unity and Culture Established

Stages of Team Development 4. Performing Team Activities/Characteristics • Group self management • Autonomy • Team unity • Problem solving

Stages of Team Development 5. Reforming/Adjourning Team Activities/Characteristics • Evaluate the project • Evaluate the process

Checklist for development • Kipp and Kipp (2000) authored a checklist to aid in successful development of a team • Being authentic is key to team development • Know your strengths and challenges, as well as the strengths and challenges of your followers • Honesty will help you go authentically through the process • Willingness to bring a “whole person” is also key • Develop the capacity to be vulnerable with each other

Checklist for development • 6 additional elements/questions to ask about your team: • Goals: What constitutes success for us in a particular situation and overall? • Roles: What are our expectations and what do we expect from each other? • Rules: What are our agreements on decision making, work ethic, and follow-through? • Relationships: How do we handle conflict, ambiguity, rumor, secrecy, trust, etc? • Results: How do we determine performance day to day? What are our dials? • Rewards: What is in it for us individually and collectively? Are we ok with that?

Team BuildingFour reasons and strategies for each 1. New group formation and improved relationships • Self disclosure exercises • Team challenges • Temperament or styles profiles 2. Problems in group dynamics • Conflict management • Reflective listening • Communication • Community building

Team BuildingFour reasons and strategies for each 3. Barriers to goal attainment • Role definition • Decision protocols • Systems thinking 4. Resolution of goals and game plan • Business strategy • Management philosophy • Team charter development

Reflection Questions • What is a team and when should we use teams? • Describe an example in your own experiences where you have been involved in an effective team.

Teams A leadership training lesson from The Pennsylvania State University.