ExpertTeam Formation, Development, and Management
Learning outcomes
- Apply Tuckman's Stages of Team Development.
- Identify Belbin's Team Roles.
Tuckman's Stages of Team Development
Bruce Tuckman identified how teams form over time:
- Forming: Polite, getting to know each other. Leader directs.
- Storming: Conflict arises as personalities clash and people fight for roles.
- Norming: Conflict resolves. Rules and 'norms' are established. Trust builds.
- Performing: The team is highly functional and achieves its goals.
- Adjourning: The project ends, and the team disbands.
During which of Tuckman's stages is a team most likely to experience interpersonal conflict and power struggles?
Storming is Necessary
Students often think 'Storming' is a sign of a failed team. It is actually a necessary stage. Without conflict, the team never figures out its true dynamics and cannot reach the 'Performing' stage.
Belbin's Team Roles
Meredith Belbin argued that a perfect team needs a balance of 9 roles, including:
- The Plant: Creative, solves difficult problems (but ignores details).
- The Coordinator: Mature, delegates well, clarifies goals.
- The Shaper: Driven, pushes the team to overcome obstacles (can be aggressive).
- The Completer-Finisher: Painstaking, finds errors, ensures deadlines are met.
According to Belbin, which team role is highly creative and generates new ideas, but may be weak at communicating them?
Exam Focus
If a scenario describes a team that has too many 'Shapers', expect the result to be constant arguing. A team needs balance, not just a group of highly driven leaders.
In Tuckman's model, what happens during the 'Norming' stage?
According to Belbin, a team composed entirely of 'Plants' would likely:
What is the difference between a 'group' and a 'team'?
Ready to put this into practice?
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