Page 85 - (DK) The Business Book

LIGHTING THE FIRE 83

See also: Leading well 68–69 ■ The value of teams 70–71 ■ Effective leadership 78–79 ■ Make the most of your talent
86–87 ■ Organizational culture 104–09 ■ Avoid groupthink 114 ■ The value of diversity 115 ■ Kaizen 302–09

educational psychology, described work because the most effective setting the right tone is essential.
these stages as forming, storming, teams are those where members The tone should not be too
norming, performing, and trust one another, share a strong casual—teams perform better
adjourning. During forming, the sense of group identity, and have when challenged, so a sense of
group comes together, and confidence in their effectiveness urgency needs to be imparted.
members get to know one other. It as a team. The team should agree on clear
then moves into a storming stage, rules for group behavior and norms,
where members challenge each Effective team building and meet often, both formally and
other for coveted group roles, and In 2005, US researchers Jon informally. If possible, the team
group processes begin to emerge Katzenbach and Douglas Smith should be allowed to enjoy some
through trial and error. The middle identified a series of factors that early success; a few easy wins
stage—norming—marks a period seem to be essential for effective early on has been found to boost
of calm, where agreement is teamwork. First, team members performance later. Likewise,
reached on roles, processes, and must be chosen for their skills, not the group—and its individual
group norms. By the fourth stage, their personality. The team then members—needs to be lavished
members have become familiar needs to get off to a good start; with praise. Continuing motivation ❯❯
with each other, with their roles,
and with the processes involved.
At this stage, team performance
hits its most effective level. Once
their work is done, the group moves Mutual support
to adjourning, or disbanding. encourages team
Businesses are eager for teams members to
to move quickly through the early reach their
stages, reaching “performing” as potential.
soon as possible. This is why
companies invest so much in team- Teams produce Teams provide
more creative an environment
building activities, where teams
solutions to to manage
face and solve artificial challenges,
problems. talent.
often in a different environment.
Many companies also use the
architecture of their building to
Effective teams
encourage team interaction. For provide synergy.
example, at Pixar, the movie 2 + 2 = 5
animation studio based in
California, the cafeteria, meeting
rooms, employee mail boxes, and Individual Teams provide
bathrooms are located around a shortcomings security, so
centralized atrium designed for are balanced members feel free
collaborative working. The building out in a team. to take risks.
design and layout encourages Teams
members of teams to meet and establish
interact with one another, even positive group
when they are based in different norms that
departments within the company. encourage
openness and
Research has shown that team-
flexibility.
building activities and collaborative
work spaces help to improve team