Leadership

Effective Teams

Mike Quinn

Teams vs Groups

» A group is a collection of individuals who coordinate

their individual efforts.
» A team is a group of people who share a
common team purpose and a number of
challenging goals. Members of the team are
mutually committed to the goals and to each other.
» Without purpose and goals you cannot build a team

Benefits of Teams

» Higher productivity
» Better use of people
» Higher degree of flexibility
» Increase motivation
» Democratises an organisation
» Clear unity of purpose
» Informal atmosphere
» Better communication
» Aids conflict resolution

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Different Types of Teams

» Department teams
» Problem-solving teams
» Virtual teams
» Cross-functional teams
» Self-managed teams

Characteristics of Effective Team

» Clear direction
» Open and honest communication
» Support risk taking and change
» Defined roles
» Mutually accountable
» Communicate freely
» Common goals
» Encourage differences in opinions
» Collaboration
» Team trust

Team Effectiveness Models

» GRPI Model of Team Effectiveness

» The Katzenbach and Smith Model
» The LaFasto and Larson Model
» The T7 Model of Team Effectiveness
» The Hackman Model
» The Lencioni Model

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GRPI Model of Team Effectiveness

GRPI Model of Team Effectiveness

» Rubin, Plovnick, and Fry’s GRPI Model of Team

Effectiveness stands for goals, roles, procedures,
and interpersonal relationships.
▪ Goals: Teams must have clear objectives and desired
accomplishments in order to be effective. Without evident
direction, it can lead to disputes and disagreements.
▪ Roles: Each and every team member is required to know
their responsibilities, authority, and what they’re
accountable for. Not knowing this can also lead to conflict.

GRPI Model of Team Effectiveness

▪ Procedures: There has to be set processes in place in

order for the team to operate successfully. This includes,
but isn’t limited to, decision making methods, workflow
procedures, conflict resolution strategies, and
communication best practices.
▪ Interpersonal relationships: It’s crucial for team members
to develop relationships with one another that are based
on trust, good communication, and adaptability.

» Best suited for: Teams who have lost their direction and
need to find their way back into the swing of things.

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The Katzenbach and Smith Model

The Katzenbach and Smith Model

» They define a team as “a small group of people with

complementary skills who are committed to a common
purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they
are mutually accountable.”
» The model suggests that there are five levels of teamwork:
1. Working group: Team members are operating as individuals and
not together.
2. Pseudo-team: Team members think they’re operating as a team,
but are in fact, still working as individuals.
3. Potential team: Team members are starting to work together.
4. Real team: The team has accomplished a shared goal.
5. High-performing team: Team members go beyond working
together and are dedicated to each other’s development.

The Katzenbach and Smith Model

» To get there, they must work on the following three team

effectiveness factors, which make up the sides of the
triangle:
▪ Skills: Problem-solving, technical, and interpersonal are a few
examples of the skills every team member should possess.
▪ Accountability: There should be mutual accountability as well as
individual accountability when it comes to group projects and
tasks.
▪ Commitment: Dedication to work is more likely when everyone on
the team is engaged and focused on group objectives.
» Best suited for: Teams with members who are finding it
difficult to transition from an individual working mindset to a
team working mindset.

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The LaFasto and Larson Model

» Initially called the “Five Dynamics of Team Work and

Collaboration”, they narrowed it down to five elements:
1. Team member: What kind of skills and characteristics do they
possess? Are they the right fit for the role?
2. Team relationships: When you select someone with a great
attitude, then forming good working relationships won’t be so
difficult.
3. Team problem solving: When there are good working
relationships within the team, it can assist in making group
decisions easier and reduce conflict.
4. Team leadership: Having a leader that encourages and engages
their team is crucial to their success.
5. Organization environment: The likelihood of commitment from a
team is increased when there are the right methods and
company culture in place.

The LaFasto and Larson Model

» LaFasto and Larson determined that although as individuals

we may possess high talent, it’s futile unless we’re able to
figure out how we can pool our talents together to work as a
team. It’s as a team that we can solve the most significant
problems.
» Best suited for: People who want to learn about the
dynamics of teamwork and collaboration.

The T7 Model of Team Effectiveness

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The T7 Model of Team Effectiveness

» Michael Lombardo and Robert Eichinger developed

the T7 Model in 1995 in hopes of better
understanding the factors behind team
effectiveness.
» It looks at both Internal and External factors

The T7 Model of Team Effectiveness

» Internal factors:
1. Thrust: The team has a shared purpose.
2. Trust: Team members have confidence in each other and
can rely on each other.
3. Talent: Skills to make things happen.
4. Teaming skills: The ability to work as a team.
5. Task skills: The successful execution of tasks.

The T7 Model of Team Effectiveness

» External factors:
1. Team leader fit: How well the leader works with the
team.
2. Team support from the organization: How well the
organization works with the team which includes
resource support and the authority to do things.
» Best suited for: Teams and/or people who want to
understand the elements that impact team effectiveness,
and how they operate with one another.

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The Hackman Model

» This model proposed that if you had the certain

conditions, the probability of team effectiveness is
pretty high.
» As one of the world’s leading experts on group and
organizational behaviour, Richard Hackman believed
that teams were at their best when certain
conditions were created by leaders to allow them to
manage themselves effectively. He believed that it
was the leader’s responsibility to ensure the teams
were self-sustainable.

The Hackman Model

» Five essential conditions that make up a successful

team:
1. Team stability
2. Clear and engaging direction
3. Enabling structure
4. Supportive organizational context
5. Expert coaching
» Best suited for: Leaders looking for insight on how to
best structure and guide their teams so they can be self-
sustaining.

The Lencioni Model

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The Lencioni Model

» Patrick Lencioni presents a team effectiveness

model that is slightly different to the others. Instead
of focusing on the elements your team should have,
this one focuses on the things it shouldn’t have.
» This model suggests that knowing the dysfunctions
of your team can help you establish an effective
team as you know what to expect and how to
manage it effectively.

The Lencioni Model

» The five dysfunctions are:

1. Absence of Trust: If team members can’t be vulnerable with one
another, it may prevent trust from being built within the team.
2. Fear of Conflict: Pretending to get along for the sake of artificial
harmony can stop potential conflict that can actually result in
productive ideas.
3. Lack of Commitment: If team members aren’t dedicated then it will
hinder their decision making and meeting deadlines.
4. Avoidance of Accountability: People need to get over any discomfort
and hold each other accountable.
5. Inattention to Results: If team members prioritize personal goals
over common success, then details on how to improve will be
overlooked.

The Lencioni Model

» Best suited for: People who want to acquire knowledge of

factors that could potentially cause a team’s demise, but also
know how to manage them should they ever face it.

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Tuckmans Team Development Model

» The progression is:

» Forming
» Storming
» Norming
» Performing
» Tuckman's Fifth Stage - Adjourning

Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development

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Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development

» Forming:
The initial stage of team development during which
individuals have not yet gelled together. Everybody is busy
finding their place in the team, sizing each other up, and
asking themselves why they are here!

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Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development

» Storming:
People begin to see themselves as part of a team. However
at this stage they may challenge each other, and the team
leader, about such things as what the team is doing, and how
things should be done. As the stage title suggests, conflict
and confrontation typify this stage, as differences surface.
This may result in some loss of performance or focus on the
task, as the diagram illustrates.

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Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development

» Norming:
This is the phase where team members start to come
together, developing processes, establishing ground rules,
clarifying who does what, and how things will be done. This
phase is characterized by a growing sense of “togetherness”.

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Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development

» Performing:
This is the final stage where increased focus on both the
task, and on team relationships, combine to provide synergy.
Performance is delivered through people working effectively
together.

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Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development

» Adjourning & Transforming

This is the final phase added by Tuckman to cover the end of
the project and the break up of the team. Some call this phase
Mourning, although this is a rather depressing way of looking
at the situation.

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Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development

» It should be noted that a team can return to any phase

within the model if they experience a change, for example a
review of their project or goals or a change in members of a
team.
» In a successful team when a member leaves or a new
member joins the team will revert to the Forming stage, but
it may last for a very short time as the new team member is
brought into the fold.

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Group Member Roles

» Task-Related Roles and Behaviours

» Task Leader
» Expediter
» Information Provider
» Information Seeker
» Gatekeeper
» Recorder
» Maintenance Roles and Behaviours

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Group Member Roles

» Social-Emotional Leader
▪ Supporter
▪ Tension Releaser
▪ Harmonizer
▪ Self-Centred Roles
▪ Monopolizer
▪ Insecure Compliment Seeker
▪ Joker

Group Member Roles

» Unproductive Roles
▪ Blocker
▪ Withdrawer
▪ Aggressor
▪ Doormat

Monitoring and Evaluation of

Team Progress
» Step 1: Define the scope and purpose
» Step 2: Define the evaluation questions
» Step 3: Identify the monitoring questions
» Step 4: Identify the indicators and data
sources
» Step 5: Identify who is responsible for data
collection, data storage, reporting, budget
and timelines

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Monitoring and Evaluation of
Team Progress
» Step 6: Identify who will evaluate the data
and how it will be reported
» Step 7: Decide on standard forms and
procedures
» Step 8: Use the information derived from
Steps 1- 7 above to fill in the M&E System
template
» Step 9: Integrate the M&E system
horizontally and vertically
» Step 10: Pilot and then roll-out the system

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