TABLE OF CONTENTS

Definition of a ‘Team’.........................................................1
Planning and Preparing for the Team to Work Effectively................2
Examples of ice breakers (5)............................................................................................2
Clarifying Team Goals and Purpose..........................................3
Stages of Work Team Development.........................................7
Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing........................................................................7
Forming........................................................................................................................7
Storming.......................................................................................................................8
Norming.......................................................................................................................8
Performing...................................................................................................................9
Adjourning and Transforming.....................................................................................9

Definition of a ‘Team’

The aim of this manual is to assist people within an organization to successfully create an
efficient team. However in order to do this it must first be established what exactly a
“team” is.

As defined in the New English Dictionary (1) a team ‘is a group of people working together’.
This definition however, is somewhat lacking. It makes no mention of the need for the team
to have a clear vision of its desired result, purpose, direction and goals (2). A team also
requires its team members to be committed to the team and its purpose as well as to accept
responsibility for both team and individual tasks related to the team, understanding that
there is a level of accountability for these.

____________________________________________________________________

In general, if asked the difference between a team and a group, most people would say not a
lot. However there are some fairly significant differences as listed below. These
differences highlight the importance of distinguishing between teams and groups (3).

Teams Groups
• shared leadership (though often with • strong leader
a designated facilitator) • individual accountability
• individual & mutual accountability • organisational purpose
• specific team purpose • individual work products
• collective work products • efficient meetings
• open-ended meetings • measures performance by influence
• measures performance from work on others
products

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 • does real work together • delegates work

Planning and Preparing for the Team to Work Effectively

Fostering teamwork is creating a work culture that values collaboration. In a teamwork
environment, people understand and believe that thinking, planning, making decisions and
taking action are better when done cooperatively. In other words the team members
recognise the belief that “no one of us is as good as all of us.” (4)

Preparing a team to work effectively and efficiently requires putting a high value on the
diverse ideas, backgrounds and experiences that each team member brings to the group. It
is when a value is put on these complimentary skills that a team starts to become truly
successful.

Ice Breakers
Using ice breakers and teamwork exercises prior to the commencement of a team task,
allows the team members to get to know each other in a relaxed way.
A successful ice breaker opens the lines of communication between team members and
encourages an environment, when the work begins, in which each member feels comfortable
to express their ideas and opinions.

Examples of ice breakers (5)

• Memory games
Prepare several trays with varied items, the more the better. Give each team an
opportunity to look at each of the trays (the shorter the look, the harder the game).
Cover each tray back up and remove one or more of the items. Ask the teams to
write down what is missing. After repeating this for each tray, mark the answers.
The team with the most correct answers wins.
• Rumor
Form teams of 5 or more people. Each group is to select a leader. The leader from
each team is to go out and make up a message together. This message will be used by

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 all teams. Once signaled to start, the first person on each team is to whisper the
Rumor to the next person on their team. They will whisper the Rumor to the next –
and so on. The last person to receive the Rumor will run to the black board and write
the message. The team that is the closest to the correct Rumor wins.
• Scavenger Hunt
Make a list of things for teams to look for through their wallets, purses, and what’s
on their bodies such as clothing and jewellery. Divide into teams by tables, pairs,
individuals or what seems best. To keep it interesting and to really open the lines of
communication try to list a few things that aren’t so obvious such as holograms
(normally found on drivers license or credit cards) or roman numerals (found on a
watch).
Make a copy of the list for each team. Have them check off which items they have,
the team with the most checked off, wins!!!! At the end, tell them where they could
have found some of the items.

Clarifying Team Goals and Purpose

Below is a frame work for analysing team effectiveness (6). The six components mentioned
are used when considering what is and what is not working within different kinds of teams.
It can also be used to guide the formation of new teams. For the purpose of this assignment
however, only the component of PURPOSE shall be discussed.

Purpose:

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The purpose or goal is the foundation upon which teams are built. As discussed by Susan. M.
Heathfield (7) team members need to understand why the team was created and why they
are participating in the team. The purpose is established by making clear the outcomes or
goals toward which team members can focus their energy and contribute their expertise.
Too often, team members are not clear about why the team was formed or exactly what is
expected from the team. This was highlighted during week 2 of this course when each team
was asked to build a card tower. No clear specifications were made, therefore each team
made their own criteria, which may or may not have produced the intended result. When
assessing if the team’s goals are clear and objective, consider whether the team would be
able to answer the following questions:

• Why was the team formed?

• What were the intended outcomes or goals?
• What goals require a team effort?
• What goals could be effectively addressed by individuals?
• Does everyone on the team understand the purpose?

Establishing an Appropriate Communication Climate for

the Team

The team climate is the “weather of the team.” Just as the weather can affect daily
activities, the team climate has an influence over team members’ behavior (8). The team
climate is determined upon a number of things; however, perhaps the most important of
these is communication. The way the team members communicate with each other
determines what sort of communication climate they create for themselves.

Sometimes when we communicate we feel very good about the conversation. We have an
impression that our statements are welcomed and valued. At other times, there is a negative
feeling about conversations we have. We might feel nervous and defensive. We are not
happy with the conversation and we are reluctant to say what is on our mind. The different
feelings we have in different conversations are due to different communication climates.

Communication is any behavior verbal or non-verbal that allows information of some type to
be passed from one person to another. The very second that we start communicating with
another person (by any means of communication) the creation of the communication climate
has already begun. With this in mind, it is essential that a positive communication climate is
created from the outset by the team facilitator.

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 Behaviours That Create A Positive Communication
Climate
• Initiate a positive climate when starting the conversation. This is the best time
to introduce a positive climate because at this time you can most easily create
messages that allow people to believe you value them.
A positive communication climates results in more effective interaction, therefore you
should attempt to use these behaviours whenever possible and appropriate.
• Acknowledge the other person whenever possible - send the message that you
care that he or she is present.

• Demonstrate an open-minded attitude. A closed mind can imply to the other

person that you don't care about the topic and that your mind is made up. Open-
mindedness allows for a more positive interaction between you and the other
communicator.

• Agree with the other person whenever possible. This can be accomplished
verbally or nonverbally. Discussion is usually more productive when the other
cares about what is said. It also shows you are listening and are interested in
what is being said.

• Describe don't evaluate. Statements that judge another person are likely to
provoke a defensive action. An example of describing and evaluating are as
follows:

Evaluating--You didn't show up last night and you ruined it for the rest of us.
Describing--I felt upset because my plans were ruined by your actions.

In other words, describe how you felt or how you were affected as opposed to
judging the other person's character.

• Show concern for the other person's interests. Showing that you care about
what the other person is talking about tends to lead to a positive climate.

• Communicate honestly. Honesty is the best policy. It builds credibility as well as

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trust between the communicators. This can only establish good rapport and
promote effective communication.
The following table is from the work of Gibb (9). Gibb’s work looks at the difference
between defensive and supportive communication behaviours. A supportive communication
climate encourages open, constructive, honest and effective interaction. A defensive
climate, on the other hand, leads to competitive and destructive conflict. The competent
communicator strives to maintain a supportive communication climate.

DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOURS SUPPORTIVE BEHAVIOURS

Evaluative: The evaluative message is Descriptive: Descriptive messages are
engulfed in judgment. The message can be clear and specific assertions. The creator
blatantly evaluative or can carry nonverbal of descriptive messages strives to avoid
overtones of judgment. "When are you loaded words and is aware of nonverbal
going to start coming to meetings cues.
prepared?"
Control: Control messages are not honest Problem Orientation: This message poses
attempts to persuade, but rather, attempts an invitation to the group to work together
to on
impose one's will on others by coercion or finding a solution to a mutual problem. This
manipulation? "If we knew what we were approach focuses on the issues.
doing, we would..."
Strategy: Strategic messages convey an air Spontaneity: Spontaneous messages are
of deceiving, or misleading. Although the characterised by openness and honesty.
receiver's perception plays a central role, This forthright message indicates that the
speakers should attempt to avoid producing speaker's contribution is unplanned and
strategic messages. free of ulterior motives.
Neutrality: The neutral message Empathy: The empathetic message is
demonstrates a lack of empathy or responsive to others' feelings and
interestedness. "I don't care what this thoughts. It conveys understanding and
group does” interest.

does."
Superiority: These messages not only Equality: These messages indicate worth in
attempt to portray the speaker as superior the other and in others' contributions. An

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but also imply the inferiority or inadequacy equality message asks for others' input and
of the listener. These messages also follows up with confirmation or clarification
discourage interaction since the speakers is of others' comments.
indicating a lack of desire for input or
feedback.
Certainty: Certainty messages portray Provisionalism: The provisional message
something as an absolute. The creator of poses a point of view, but with an open
these messages sees the world in black and attitude. This is an invitation to investigate
white, and believes to have a corner on the or explore alternatives.
reality market.

Stages of Work Team Development

Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing

The Forming – Storming – Norming – Performing model of team development was first
proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, who maintained that these phases are all necessary and
inevitable - in order for the team to grow, to face up to challenges, to tackle problems, to
find solutions, to plan work, and to deliver results. This model has become the basis for
subsequent models of team dynamics and frequently used management theory to describe
the behavior of existing teams. It has also taken a firm hold in the field of experiential
education, in outdoor education centers and organizations such as Outward Bound and
NOLS, where teambuilding and leadership development are key goals.

Forming

Tuckman called his first stage of group development forming, This stage always occurs
during group formation. This is the stage upon first meeting the group and introducing
yourself to one another, and therefore roles among the group are yet to be established.
Often within the forming stage of the group team members tend to behave more
independently rather than working as a team. Therefore it is important that any service
providers/supervisors are decisive, and are able to take control, as many individuals rely on
them for direction. At this stage conversation may lack assertiveness as many individuals
are nervous. Body language often shows their negative attitude as many people tend to sit

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with their arms and legs crossed, showing their defensiveness. Therefore group members
appear shy and unwilling to put across their individual view point. It is rare that all members
of the group will share the same view and get on with one another during the beginning of
this stage. However it is as this stage that the group begin to get to know one another.
Effects to the service user. Often at this stage service users are feeling nervous, and
confused. This stage therefore has a negative effect to the service users and it is
important that they move quickly away from this stage, in order to gain a bond within the
group. During this stage service users may often feel; confused, uneasy, nervous and could
have a low self esteem. Also as the group members do not know one another they often
develop stereotypes during this stage, which could lead to a build in tension within the
group. Within a health and social care setting, it is vital that the group moves quickly passed
this stage. For example if a group of doctors and nurses had joined together to decide on
the best way to treat a patient, it is vital the decision is made before the patient is at risk.

Storming

Every group will then enter the storming stage in which different ideas compete for
consideration. The team addresses issues such as what problems they are really supposed to
solve, how they will function independently and together and what leadership model they will
accept. Team members open out to each other and confront each other's ideas and
perspectives.

In some cases storming can be resolved quickly. In others, the team never leaves this stage.
The maturity of some team members usually determines whether the team will ever move
out of this stage. Immature team members will begin acting out to demonstrate how much
they know and convince others that their ideas are correct. Some team members will focus
on minutiae to evade real issues.

The storming stage is necessary to the growth of the team. It can be contentious,
unpleasant and even painful to members of the team who are averse to conflict. Tolerance
of each team member and their differences needs to be emphasized. Without tolerance and
patience the team will fail. This phase can become destructive to the team and will lower
motivation if allowed to get out of control.

Supervisors of the team during this phase may be more accessible but tend to still need to
be directive in their guidance of decision-making and professional behavior.

Norming

At some point, the team may enter the norming stage. Team members adjust their
behaviour to each other as they develop work habits that make teamwork seem more natural
and fluid. Team members often work through this stage by agreeing on rules, values,

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professional behaviour, shared methods, working tools and even taboos. During this phase,
team members begin to trust each other. Motivation increases as the team gets more
acquainted with the project.

Teams in this phase may lose their creativity if the norming behaviours become too strong
and begin to stifle healthy dissent and the team begins to exhibit groupthink.

Supervisors of the team during this phase tend to be participative more than in the earlier
stages. The team members can be expected to take more responsibility for making decisions
and for their professional behaviour.

Performing

Some teams will reach the performing stage. These high-performing teams are able to
function as a unit as they find ways to get the job done smoothly and effectively without
inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision. Team members have become
interdependent. By this time they are motivated and knowledgeable. The team members are
now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process without
supervision. Dissent is expected and allowed as long as it is channeled through means
acceptable to the team.

Supervisors of the team during this phase are almost always participative. The team will
make most of the necessary decisions.

Even the most high-performing teams will revert to earlier stages in certain circumstances.
Many long-standing teams will go through these cycles many times as they react to changing
circumstances. For example, a change in leadership may cause the team to revert to
storming as the new people challenge the existing norms and dynamics of the team.

Adjourning and Transforming

Tuckman later added a fifth phase, adjourning, that involves completing the task and
breaking up the team. Others call it the phase for mourning.

A team that lasts may transcend to a transforming phase of achievement. Transformational

management can produce major changes in performance through synergy and is considered
to be more far-reaching than transactional management.

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The table below shows the different styles, reactions and decision making processes as they
would occur within a team during the stages of work team development.

Forming Storming Norming Performing

Team More directive Leader needs to be Leader acts as a Leader takes

Leader's approach, outlining supportive, actively team member, as overview, but
Style how the process will listening to team leadership is within the day to
develop and laying members, starting to be day running, the
down a clear and managing the shared. Leader group is sharing
structure. conflict, generating helps to develop leadership
ideas, and explaining consensus. between
decisions. members.

Reaction to Team members take Leader is under General support for Personal
Leadership a tentative, wait and pressure from more the leadership relationships
see approach. vociferous team within the team. have developed
Leader will be members. Mutual respect which underpin
allowed to lead, but underpins this. the leadership
that doesn't relationship.
guarantee support.

Team Process is driven by Process likely to The core process Process

Process the leader. Some break down until should functions well,
people are reluctant conflict is resolved. operate smoothly, and is adjusted
to contribute although there is a as necessary.
openly. danger of focusing Leadership is
on smaller process shared and tasks
issues rather than delegated.
core team work.

Trust within Individuals are not Trust is focused As roles are Team starts to
the team clear about their into smaller groups accepted and operate on
contribution. as sub-groups and clarified, trust and higher levels of

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 "Getting to know alliances form. relationships start trust as loyalty
you" phase. Trust to develop to a and relationships
may start to be greater degree. develop.
built.

How Nominated leader is Decisions are hard Group is able to Decision making
Decisions expected to make to make. Members come to common is easier - some
are made decisions. Some are unwilling to give decisions. Win-win is decisions are
more vocal members way. Compromise is more likely than delegated to
may dominate. a frequent outcome. compromise. sub-groups or
individuals.

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 Recognising the Individual’s Needs,

Reactions and Feelings

Recognising the individual needs, reactions and feelings of team members plays a huge

factor on how the team performs with one another and their goals. The facilitator must

understand the differing personality types within their team if all members are to work

together effectively. For this to occur, a facilitator must:

• Have good interpersonal skills - being sensitive and understanding to

individual team member needs.

• Be able to get the work of a facilitator done - delegate tasks based on

team member strengths and communicate openly and regularly with team

members.

• Promote a positive team climate – gain team member trust, constantly

motivate and praise the team’s successes.

A team comprises of team members and without individualistic approach to every one’s

needs, reactions and feelings, a team will not be successful. The facilitator has the task to

lead all the members to one defined goal, but every individual comes with their own

thoughts, understanding, ideology and conception about the team and its goals. The

individual attributes of each team member and their needs are to be understood while

leading them to a goal.

A members brings a lot of things to a team, it has to be understood that they have their

own goals while fulfilling team needs. It is of utmost importance that they are driven to the

team goal without neglecting their individual needs in understanding, development, sharing

and eventually reward.

Aside from any required technical proficiency, a wide variety of social skills are desirable
for successful teamwork, including:

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Listening - it is important to listen to other people's ideas. When people are allowed to
freely express their ideas, these initial ideas will produce other ideas.

Questioning - it is important to ask questions, interact, and discuss the objectives of the
team.

Persuading - individuals are encouraged to exchange, defend, and then to ultimately rethink
their ideas.

Respecting - it is important to treat others with respect and to support their ideas.

Helping - it is crucial to help one's coworkers, which is the general theme of teamwork.

Sharing - it is important to share with the team to create an environment of teamwork.

Participating - all members of the team are encouraged to participate in the team.

With each of these skills one understands an individuals approach to the team and also that
these will make the grounds for the team collaboration and communication in the future.

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 Providing Opportunities for Participants

to Make Contributions

A team must know how to work together in order for it to be productive and successful. If a
team is able to work together and make positive contributions, they will be able to achieve
their goals.

It may be difficult for some team members to openly contribute to team tasks due to a
passive nature or they may feel they do not have anything of value to contribute. All team
members have individual strengths and differing points of view that are crucial when
working toward a team goal. The facilitator must be aware of each member’s contributions
and allow all team members to have equal say on team and goal-related issues. Should team
members find it difficult to make contributions, team-building and communication exercises
should be pursued.

Communication between team members and leaders is essential to provide opportunities for
each team member to contribute freely within the team. It is important for a team leader
to make team members feel comfortable enough to express their needs and their wants.
Team members want to feel that they know what is going on at all time and are informed
about things such as plans, priorities, and progress the group is making. Some ways to
communicate is by email, online messengers, telephone, or face-to-face methods. The most
important part of communication is not so much the tools you choose, but the dedication by
each member of the team to use the chosen tools regularly.

The role of a team leader or communicator is essential in providing grounds for individual
contribution. The following two points are the key needs of a team leaders role in order to
develop a team in which every individual can make valuable contribution:

Identifying and tackling barriers to performance

In principle, it’s simple. Knowing what the team is supposed to achieve and what it is
achieving, you identify and work on the reasons for the gaps. In practice, it takes a great
deal of reflective time, gathering of data and analysis of feedback to establish what the
barriers are, whether they are external or internal to the team, whether they reside within
the team as a whole or within specific individuals (for example, a skills deficiency), whether
they relate to structures, systems, know-how, or behaviour. The team leader’s role is to
facilitate the learning dialogue that explores these issues and ensures that “elephants in
the room” are acknowledged and dealt with openly. It is also about helping the team
recognise and avoid group think.

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Growing in confidence

A frequent role for the team leader is to work one-to-one separately with the team
members as well as bringing them all together. Crucial here are building the competence to
accept and value different contributions, to understand the different pressures each of
the team members are working under(and his or her role in protecting the team from some
of those external pressures) and to develop the feedback processes that recognise day to
day achievements.

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 Dealing with Conflict

Conflict is caused by a clash of opinions, values or needs. It can be between two people or a

group, or can be experienced by an individual. Conflict can be a positive force within the

team as people learn and grow when dealing with problems. There are four types of conflict:

• internal conflict

• external conflict

• realistic conflict

• unrealistic conflict

Internal conflict would be experienced by an individual when a need is not met or a past

experience has not been worked out and feelings build up inside.

External conflict is between more than one person. It could be personal, within the family

confines or at work within a group of people or a work team.

Realistic conflict can be resolved and worked through in different ways.

Unrealistic conflict cannot be resolved because none of the parties involved are willing to

compromise and come to a resolution.

With all types of conflict, communication is essential in conflict resolution. Work teams are

more diverse than they used to be. Teams can have members from many different

backgrounds. Learning to resolve conflict in a diverse team environment helps towards

growth and knowledge to increase the teams work potential.

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 Using Problem Solving Techniques

Different types of conflict require different problem solving techniques. Within the

workplace conflict can arise when you least expect it. People with experience and knowledge

handle conflict better then people who have only been in the workplace a short time. When

you experience conflict in your personal life or work place it is always best to keep a

positive attitude. A problem tends to be resolved quicker if you are positive from the start.

Ask lots of questions, the more you know about the problem or conflict, the easier it will be

to resolve. Discuss the situation with an outsider who can look at the conflict impartially,

this can be a good strategy as the third party can see it from a different approach. Always

have an open mind and take other people's opinions into consideration. A golden rule in

resolving conflict and using problem solving techniques is not to make it personal or become

emotional. Some of the techniques outlined are:

• Have a positive attitude

• Ask lots of questions

• Share the problem with an outsider

• Keep an open mind

• Keep it impersonal and leave out emotion

As always, communication is the key. In a team environment include all of the team and

respect each person’s views and opinions. Talking and brainstorming are vital to making sure

a conflict is resolved quickly and effectively. Listening is another important tool. Good

listening skills are very important when it comes to problem solving; a good listener is an

asset to help with problem solving. Empathy is another good skill to have depending on the

type of conflict.

Skills needed to help with the problem solving techniques are:

• Good communication

• Respect

• Listening skills

• Empathy

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 Using Decision Making Techniques

Making decisions to resolve a problem are always hard. Deciding on a resolution takes time

and effort and needs careful planning and investigation. You need to identify what the

problem is and why it happened in the first place. Compromise, discussion and concession are

the basis for any successful ending of a problem. The gathering of all relevant information

is a necessary part of the end result. Discussing your findings with a team member or

manager will help in making the correct decision relevant to the problem. Once the steps

have been taken, your decision can be passed onto the relevant parties.

Some of the decision making techniques outlined are:

• Identifying the problem

• In depth investigation

• Using compromise, collaboration and concession

• Discussing with other members of your team

• Coming up with a solution

Making decisions and implementing them comes with some form of delegation within the

workplace. Empowerment is given to the team members to allow them to implement their

own resolutions. This puts people in a position of power.

Five different forms of power are listed here:

• legitimate power

• expertise power

• reward power

• coercive power

• consultative power

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Legitimate Power
This power is based on the person's position within the company. The knowledge and control
exercised by that person gives them the power that is recognised by others.

Expertise Power
this is a power based on knowledge and experience. People will confer with team members
who have skills and strengths and rely on this power to assist with decisions.

Reward Power
this is held mainly by people in management positions. They have the ability to reward team
members for completing and implementing tasks.

Coercive Power
this is a negative power as it can be used against team members. Those who use force,
emotional or physical are using this power.

Consultative Power
this is where discussion and consultation work hand in hand to produce the best result and
make the best decision relevant to the task at hand.

There are three outcomes when resolving conflict, these are:

o Win/win
o Win/Lose
o Lose/Lose

In the win/win situation the conflict is solved to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.
This is the best outcome in resolving any conflict.

In the Win/lose situation, an outcome is still reached but one of the parties loses out on the
end result but this may still be a good outcome for all concerned.

In the lose/lose situation a resolution cannot be reached and this may need to go to a third
party to help bring the conflict to a close.

There will be some situations where a resolution cannot be found and this is where the
Management or other third party’s will need to make a determination to help resolve the
conflict.

Making any decisions is a complex and exhausting process be it personal or in the context of
your workplace. Investigation and discussion will go a long way to helping find a solution.
Conflict is part of everyday life and facing that conflict head on will make the decision
easier to come by. Ignoring or not facing up to conflict will not make the problem go away.
Always remember that a problem shared is a problem halved and burying your head in the
sand will not help towards resolving your conflict. Resolving conflict and making well thought
out decisions builds confidence and makes the decision making process easier as you face
more challenges within your personal and working life

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 Using Communication Strategies to Support and

Motivate Team Members

An important ingredient in any team environment in communication. Without it, teams would
be unable to work together toward a mutual goal. Facilitators must ensure a supportive team
climate that enables team members to openly communicate and address current issues. A
facilitator with good communication skills will be able promote listening between team
members and promote an understanding of differing viewpoints.

It is important for a team facilitator to make team members feel comfortable enough to
express their needs and wants. Members want to feel that they know what is going on at all
times in relation to the team goal and are informed about team plans, priorities and
progress.

It may be difficult for all team members to meet face-to-face regularly or at all due to
restraints such as time and distance. Communication between team members must still stay
open. Other ways to communicate are via email, online messengers (such as wiki’s and blog’s),
the telephone and webcam.

Motivating Your Team

Strategies:

1. Communicate goals. Communication cannot be overemphasized, particularly in down times.

Positive communication should indicate where the company is going and begin to align
employee performance goals with the changing objectives of your organization.

2. Make each team member part of the solution. Team members need to be involved in
decision making, because their buy-in is critical for motivation and performance. They
should be involved in even the most difficult decisions.

3. Offer alternatives. In uncertain times, team members need more, not less, structure and
focus. Reviewing goals frequently is a critical element in keeping people on track. Ask your
team to develop goals for professional or skills development that will help them achieve the
team’s contribution to the whole.

4. Measure. Make sure team members can measure their own performance against the key
performance factors of the goal. This is a key element of team motivation because if they
cannot measure their progress, it is unlikely their progress will improve.

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5. Reward. It is especially important that members feel a sense of accomplishment in their
work. By setting up the proper recognition and rewards, they can feel a sense of team work
and be acknowledged for their efforts during these difficult times. If rewards are
structured properly, your team will appreciate their involvement and stay motivated.

Factors That Influence Team Motivation

I. Purpose
The characteristics of most successful and rewarding team experiences is a clear purpose,
focus, or mission. But further, for long-term motivation, it must be a purpose or mission
that they find aligns with their personal wants and needs.

One can be asked to participate on a temporary task force. If the mission is clear, he might
be able to sustain motivation for the duration if he feels it is important. However, if it is a
topic that is not in line with his wants and needs, his motivation to continue may diminish.

So one strategy with a lethargic team might be to stop the process, re-visit the team’s
purpose or mission, and see if there’s alignment on it. Even with a team that seems well-
motivated, it still is a good strategy to recheck once in a while.

II. Challenge
The human species, as with most animals, has been given a survival mechanism called fight or
flight syndrome. When presented with a challenge, our defenses are alerted to move us to
action....to run away from danger or address it directly.

Many people will say that their most rewarding team experiences resulted from some sort
of challenge. The challenge itself is the motivator.

An additional criteria for a challenge is the level of difficulty. If a challenge is too

difficult, perhaps perceived as impossible, then team members may give up before they
start. However, the same result may occur if the members perceive the challenge as too
easy. Little energy is required to accomplish something so easily obtained.

So for ongoing teams, periodic stimulation in the form of a worthy challenge is another
method of maintaining motivation.

III. Camaraderie
If one studies highly effective groups, one finds that the most successful groups over the
long haul tend to address both the technical needs and human needs. These groups are at
the same time competent in the work they perform and highly functional in their
interpersonal relationships. The group is well balanced in both technical and human skills.

Another factor that emerges from my queries about successful teams is camaraderie,
meaning comradeship, fellowship, and loyalty. The people on these teams genuinely like each
other and work hard to develop and maintain their relationships.

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Although they are probably not aware that research supports this behavior, they just seem
to understand that it’s a lot easier to support your team member when you have a good
relationship. The fallout from this kind of relationship building is open and direct
communication, frequent praising of each others’ contributions, and mutual support.

Much of the time we like or dislike someone, it relates more to how well we understand
them. And since our formal training has not addressed this, most of us enter adulthood ill-
equipped to deal with the myriad of personalities, temperaments, cultures, values, beliefs,
ideologies, religions, and idiosyncratic behaviors of those we meet.

IV. Responsibility
In general, people and teams are stimulated by being given responsibility. Having ownership
of an identifiable block of work is a long-held tenet of motivation in groups.

Responsibility can be tricky, however. Implied in this concept is the understanding that the
responsibility comes along with authority to make the necessary changes. Teams that have
both the responsibility and authority tend to maintain motivation over longer periods of
time.

Responsibility can be demotivating if the consequences of error or failure are too

great. If the organization, for example, has a history of punishing mistakes, then the giving
of responsibility is viewed more as a negative. The short-term performance may be good
(remember fear is a motivator), but long-term motivation will suffer. It is difficult to
sustain high performance when energy is being sapped by fear.

V. Growth
Personal and team growth can provide another basis for sustained motivation. When people
feel they are moving forward, learning new concepts, adding to their skill base, and
stretching their minds, motivation tends to remain high. Personal growth adds value to the
individual, enhancing self-esteem and self-worth.

Accordingly, team members and team leaders should look for opportunities that help add
knowledge and skills. A good technique is to simply ask members what they would like to get
from their association with the team, then listen for areas of possible growth.

VI. Leadership
A good leader can be a catalyst for motivation in the short term, but the best leaders
create the conditions for the team to motivate itself.

But the charismatic leader that can be so effective in the short term, cannot necessarily
sustain motivation indefinitely. Motivation is inherently intrinsic, residing within oneself.
Therefore, if one depends continually on another for their source of motivation, eventually
it ends.

Great leaders have a knack for helping others see the best in themselves, providing the
stimulus for self-actualizing behaviors.

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But great leaders also understand the importance of team purpose, challenge,
camaraderie, responsibility, and growth, and focus much of their time on creating the
conditions for these to exist.

Great leaders understand that their team members have needs, and that for motivation
to grow and continue, the activities of the team must help in some way to meet these needs.

Summary
A team whose members are aligned with its purpose, feel a challenge in their task, have a
strong sense of camaraderie, feel responsibility for the outcome, and experience growth as
a team and in their personal lives, will tend to sustain motivation over the long haul.

This is not to say that they will not have difficulties at times, or that members’ wants and
needs won’t change over time. In these cases, sometimes changes will have to be made. A
member who no longer feels the team is meeting his or her needs may have to leave the
team to continue on their own path.

“We must be the change we wish to see.” Gandhi

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