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Team Dynamics Team Dynamics Introduction A group may be defined as a collection of two or more people who work together with one another regularly to achieve common goals. In a true group, members are mutually dependent on one another to achieve common goals, and they interact with one another regularly to pursue those goals over a sustained period of time. Groups are good for both organizations and their members, helping to accomplish important tasks and to maintain a high-quality workforce. Groups can also be considered as teams to the extent that they meet the demands of this definition. A team is a small group of people with complementary skills, who work actively together to achieve a common purpose for which they hold themselves collectively accountable (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2002). A group can become a team by learning how to form a group, learning the effectiveness of team dynamics, and by learning the decision making process. How Groups Form There are five stages of group development that begin the team building process: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. The group itself will pass through different stages in its life cycle. Further, depending on the stage the group has reached the leader and members can face very different challenges. In the Forming stage of team development, a primary concern is the initial entry of members to the group. During this stage, individuals ask a number of questions as they begin to identify with other group members and with the group itself (Schermerhorn et al., 2002). For example, their concerns may include: “What can the group do for me?” or “What can I contribute to the group?” Equally important, members are interested in getting to know each other and discovering what is considered acceptable behavior, in determining the real task of the group and in defining group rules. The Storming stage of group development is a period of high emotionality and tension among the group members (Schermerhorn et al., 2002). During this stage, hostility and fighting may occur, and the group typically experiences many changes. Cliques may form as individuals compete to impose their ideas for an assignment to the group. Moreover, outside demands, including premature expectations for performance results may create uncomfortable pressures (Schermerhorn et al., 2002). However, member’s expectations tend to be clarified, and attention shifts toward obstacles standing in the way of the group goals. Individuals begin to understand one another’s interpersonal styles, and efforts are made to find ways to accomplish group goals while also satisfying individuals needs. The Norming stage of group development is the point at which the group really begins to come together as a coordinated unit (Schermerhorn et al., 2002). Holding the group together may become more important to some members than successfully working on the group’s projects. Moreover, a premature sense of accomplishment at this point needs to be carefully managed as a “stepping stone” to the next higher level of group development (Schermerhorn et al., 2002). The Performing stage marks the emergence of a mature, organized, and well-functioning group (Schermerhorn et al., 2002). The group is now able to deal with complex tasks and handle internal disagreements in creative ways. For example, getting projects finished and ready for a deadline by passing around rough drafts and editing each other’s work in preparing for the final product. The well-integrated group is able to disband, if required, when its work is accomplished. The Adjourning stage of group development is especially important for the many temporary groups that are increasingly common in the new workplace, including task forces, committees, and project teams (Schermerhorn et al., 2002). Team Building Process Teamwork doesn’t always happen naturally in a group. It is something that team members and leaders must work hard to achieve. In the medical field, for example, the surgeon and surgical nurses focus as a team when preparing for surgery. Nevertheless, even experienced teams run into problems for instance, look at the world of sports and see how at times they play the game individually instead of as a team.
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