Building Effective Teams

Ron Mackinnon, P.Eng.EECE 285

January 17, 2006

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 2

Building Effective Teams: Objectives

Diagnose stages of team developmentBuild high-performance teamsFoster effective teamworkFacilitate team leadership

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 3

Characteristics of effective teams

Effective teams have interdependent members.Effective teams help members to be more efficient working together than alone.Effective teams function so well that they create their own magnetism.Effective teams do not always have the same leader.

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 4

Characteristics (continued)

In effective teams, members care for and nurture each other.In effective teams, members encourage and support the leader, and vice versa.In effective teams, there is a high level of trust among members.

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Advantages of teams

Produce more ideas and information than individuals; higher quality decisions and solutions.Improve understanding and acceptance among members.Have higher motivation and performance levels due to “social facilitation”.Are more likely to take risks and innovate.

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 6

Diagnosing the need for team building

Decline in productionComplaints, low moraleConflicts, hostilityConfusion, lack of clarityLack of commitmentApathy, lack of interest

Insufficient innovationIneffective meetingsLack of coordinationPoor working relationshipsPoor communicationLack of trustDecisions not understood

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 7

Stages of team development

Forming: members get acquainted, discuss team purpose & boundaries, trust is established. Leaders provide clarity of direction.Conforming: create cohesion & unity, differentiate roles, identify expectations, enhance commitment. Leaders provide supportive feedback and foster commitment.

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 8

Stages of development …

Storming: team faces disagreements, the need to manage conflict. Leaders focus on improving processes, recognizing team achievements, win/win relationships.Performing: continuous improvement, innovation, speed, competence. Leaders sponsor and facilitate implementation of new ideas, extraordinary performance.

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 9

Forming stageQuestions:• Who is everyone?• What will happen?• What is expected?• Where are we going?• Who is the leader?• What are our goals?• How much work is

there?

Tasks:• orient members• get comfortable• establish trust• establish

relationships with leaders

• establish clarity of purpose

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 10

Conforming stageQuestions:• What are the norms

& expectations?• How to conform?• What are the roles?• What about support?• Where are we

headed?• How much to invest

& commit?

Tasks:• maintain unity & vision• differentiate roles• determine levels of

personal investment• clarify the future• decide on levels of

commitment to the team’s future

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 11

Storming stageQuestions:• How do we handle

disagreements, communicate negative information, and make decisions?

• Should the team change?

• Do we have the right leader?

Tasks:• manage conflict• allow individuals to

have legitimate expression

• overcome groupthink• examine key work

processes of the team• interdependence, not

counterdependence

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 12

Performing stageQuestions:• How can we

improve continuously?innovate & be creative?build on our core competence?

• What improvements can be made?

• How can we maintain high energy & commitment?

Tasks:• capitalize on core

competence• improve continuously• anticipate customer

needs & respond• enhance speed &

timeliness• encourage creative

problem solving

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 13

Roles of team membersFacilitating roles

Relationship-building roles Blocking roles

Direction-giving Information-seeking Information-giving Elaborating Coordinating Monitoring Process analyzing Reality testing Enforcing Summarizing

Supporting Harmonizing Tension-relieving Energizing Developing Facilitating Processing

Overanalyzing Overgeneralizing Fault finding Premature decision-making Presenting opinions as facts Rejecting Pulling rank Dominating Stalling

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 14

Attributes of High Performing Teams

Performance outcomesSpecific shared purpose and visionMutual internal accountabilityBlurring of formal distinctionsCoordinated, shared work roles

EfficiencyHigh qualityCreative continuous improvementHigh credibility and trustClarity of core competence

January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 15

Thank you for your attention.

Questions?

Building Effective Teams