What strong teamwork looks like: 7 proven models

On the one hand, some models treat the group as an entity and describe its stages of development as a functioning unit or “intact system” (p. 101). In this case, the models should be independent of the specific details of the task that the group is performing. On the other hand, some models might describe phases of the group’s task performance and, because of this, tend to be stages of team development explained very sensitive to the type of task that the group is engaged in (the “acting system”, p. 101). Ideas, client base, experience, capital, connections — all this comes or leaves with time, so experienced investors are betting on the team firstly. Successful teams grow and develop in spite of changing market conditions, while ineffective collaboration can destroy any endeavor.

team development models

Lencioni suggests that a team should improve these 5 dysfunctions step by step. The model is illustrated as a pyramid and team leaders start from the bottom and reach the top of the pyramid. Inattention to results – when team members are overly focused on their own goals, they become inattentive to the team’s overall goals.

Five Stage Model of Group Development

In his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”, Patrick Lencioni described a model of team effectiveness, different from the rest of the frameworks. While other models focus on the components a successful team should have, Lencioni covers the components a team, on the contrary, should not demonstrate. Team effectiveness is an indicator that shows how a team collaborates and reaches shared goals and objectives.

team development models

We encourage you to voice your opinions, however in order for discussions to remain constructive, we ask that you remember to criticize ideas, not people. When individuals work together, it can produce better output for the business. Everyone on the team needs to be able to communicate, cooperate, and collaborate in order to innovate and get the best possible results. Google conducted interviews with more than 200 employees and analyzed over 250 attributes of more than 180 Google teams. Inattention to Results – If a team is not focused on collective results, they won’t reach them. This model allows you to examime the context of a team and is most appropriate for teams that are already formed.

Wheelan’s integrated model of group development

There is still a need for the team to focus on both process and product, setting new goals as appropriate. Changes, such as members coming or going or large-scale changes in the external environment, can lead a team to cycle back to an earlier stage. If these changes – and their resulting behaviors – are recognized and addressed directly, teams may successfully remain in the Performing stage indefinitely. Team development models are frameworks that describe the stages a team goes through to become a high-performing unit. These models help teams understand the different phases of group development, the typical challenges they will face, and the skills they need to develop to work together effectively.

team development models

Performing teams also get the job done with minimal supervision and conflict. Conflicts are no longer threatening and different perspectives are seen as valuable. The leader can also organize socialising events to encourage healthy team-bonding that moves a group into the performing stage. The team will also be developing trust – helping each other and asking for help, and many teams are socialising with each other by this stage.

GRPI Model of team effectiveness

If you are dealing with a team that seems to have no direction or is struggling to hit their goals, the GRPI model might be helpful to turn them from dysfunctional to functional. Try a teamwork chat app as an alternative to email and discover how this can help teams make decisions quickly on the go, build a rapport with each other and increase the likelihood of a team’s success. But there’s more to a successful team than simply grouping a bunch of people together and expecting them to deliver quality results.

  • He believed that it was the leader’s responsibility to ensure the teams were self-sustainable.
  • The team is equipped with all the sufficient resources by the organization.
  • It also helps teams become comfortable with natural differences and tension and work more effectively together.
  • In addition to helping businesses build effective teams, the Belbin Model can also be used to assess an individual’s training needs and development goals.
  • Team culture – having a healthy team culture is another key factor of high-performing teams.
  • What’s more, a report from TINYpulse found that employees are more likely to go the extra mile if they have the respect of their peers.
  • Rubin, Plovnick and Fry were among the first who published team effectiveness model back in 1977.

Commitment to the team’s mission is high and the competence of team members is also high. Team members should continue to deepen their knowledge and skills, including working to continuously improving team development. Accomplishments in team process or progress are measured and celebrated.

Cooperation and Integration (Norming Stage)

This is known as GRPI Model that stands for Goals, Roles, Processes и Interpersonal relationships as key aspects of collaboration. However, like it’s with Tuckman’s and any widespread model, the GRPI model has some limitations. Each model is focused on different elements of team effectiveness, including goals, roles, processes, resources, communication procedures, levels of trust, conflict resolution, etc. According to this model, teams might begin a given period of development at different stages and spend different amounts of time in the various stages. Teams are not always expected to progress in a linear fashion through all of the stages.

So, whether you’re forming a brand new team or want to figure out how to better support the one you already have, refer to these frameworks as your roadmap as you plot your way toward peak performance. Researcher, Harvard professor, and expert on teams, Richard Hackman, looked at all sorts of different teams – from musical ensembles to airplane cockpit crews – when developing his model. Next, does everybody have a clear understanding of their responsibilities? Managers should encourage feedback and work to resolve issues and build team trust.

The team is equipped with all the sufficient resources by the organization. The model was first introduced in the book called ‘The Wisdom of Teams’. The Katzenback and Smith model is usually conceptualized as a pyramid or triangle where each point represents the team goals.

team development models

Based on all the above-discussed models of building teams, Google determined key elements for team effectiveness. Team synergy – team members should cooperate effectively with each other and move forward to achieve shared goals. Team design – a team should be composed of the right group of people, capable of performing their duties. Effective team design includes the correct delegation of roles, a well-defined structure, and clear goals. This model is one of the late models of team effectiveness, developed by Salas, Dickinson, Converse, and Tannenbaum in 1992.

Group effectiveness – How each member feels and behaves within the team and how they work together. All factors are crucial for a team to perform at its highest level. Try our need tool to determine the direction in which you want to progress based on your HR career goals and capabilities. Being a Real Team – Everyone has a defined role with set tasks to complete. Procedures – Processes must be in place so the team can operate successfully.

Team support from the organization – if the organization provides enough resources and support to let the team function. Tuckman’s Team and Group Development Model empowers us to understand what stage we are at – and identify actions that we can take to help our team perform better. In addition, as well as taking specific action we can also decide to simply model great behaviour for others. Storming can still occur – especially when there is change or stress on the team, but in general the team is beginning to work effectively. In addition, the leader may need to step into a more directive role to ensure the team remains professional, and resolves conflict in a non-judgemental and healthy way. The team must come together to decide how to move forwards and solve the inevitable challenges and misunderstandings that come out as the task progresses.

The LaFasto and Larson Model

Bruce Tuckman reviewed about fifty studies of group development (including Bales’ model) in the mid-sixties and synthesized their commonalities in one of the most frequently cited models of group development . Tuckman’s model of group development describes four linear stages that a group will go through in its unitary sequence of decision making. A fifth stage was added in 1977 when a new set of studies were reviewed (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977). Quite honestly, I often wonder if we “professionals” make team development overly complicated for leaders. Many of the team assessments I’ve used seem to be self-serving, designed to sell team development products, services, and books.

Team Development Models FAQs

The book pointed out the causes of dysfunctions and interpersonal conflicts during teamwork. Real team members are independent and oriented towards collective goals. Richard Hackman developed another team effectiveness model in 2002 which is frequently called the Five Model of Team Effectiveness. High-performing teams take all internal team factors into consideration.

The manager’s role here is to facilitate introductions, provide context, set clear expectations and identify success metrics. The perfect solution is to take what works from each model and create a custom solution that fits your team’s needs. This is where each team member commits to continuing these new behaviors even when things are tough or stressful.

Members try to establish norms of appropriate behaviour and performance standards (McShane et al., 2018, p. 233). During this stage, the team focuses on developing ideas; they develop feelings of frustration or anger with members or processes and members try to see how others handle conflict. This stage could be considered the less polite one due to frustration and disagreements. The team develops tasks to redefine the goals and conflict management (Stein, as cited in McShane et al., 2018). Originally the model, Bruce Tuckman only included four stages of team development, these were Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.

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