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.
January 17, 2006 EECE 285 — Group Project 5
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