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Leading and Managing Effective Teams

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Introduction

For a team to be managed effective and efficiently, one needs to highlight the essential

characteristics of an effective team, and the tool and techniques that need to be implemented to

realize an effective team. A team can be referred to as a group of few individuals who are self-

directed and share the same main objectives (O'Neill & Mcarnon, 2018). The group has to

operate in a collaborative manner for I to achieve set objectives. Effective team leading and

management paves the way for the attainment of common goals not only between individuals but

also between teams (Bojović et al., 2022). Failure to implement effective team management can

only result into a less effective team in terms of performance. This report begins by defining the

what is effective team management, identifying tools and techniques that can come in handy

when implementing an effective team, effective team management theory based on the

Tuckerman’s five staged of development. All in all, it contains information that anybody looking

to become an effective team manager should adhere to for successful and efficient teams.

Effective Team Development and Management Theories and Strategies

In the process of developing a team, it is essential to conduct effective team management

in the various stages. Doing so will endure there is increased output from the team, and efficient

management. Many theories exist regarding the different ways that a team can be developed and

managed. However, the Tuckerman’s five stages of team development has become widely

accepted in various organizations with different settings (Bojović et al., 2022). Tuckerman’s

theory involves five stages namely; storming, forming, performing norming and adjourning. The
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stages are further expounded in the order they should be followed in team development and

management.

Forming

It is the first stage of team development. Forming entails team members getting to know

their colleagues better. This stage is characterized by an increased level of task uncertainty, and

the team members have low trust on each other. To effectively manage a team and especially at

this stage, it is critical that the team leader gives the members enough time to familiarize and

socialize (Robb, 2022). Mostly, socialization should involve activities that are not related to the

work environment. When a team manager allows for this, they allow the team members to

become more acquainted and end up trusting each other. Trust is a central aspect of any effective

team since members can be relegated duties that they are capable of undertaking, without having

to worry other team members on different assignments.

Storming

Being the second stage of the Tuckerman’s model, storming is identified as one of the

most challenging stages of team development and management. It is very challenging because

the individual members start to showcase varying personalities, leading into mayhem and

conflict among personalities. Also, the members start to question their part in the team. During

this stage, it can be very helpful if the team manager applies the strategy of encouraging mutual

respect and open communication within the team to allow members to air out their preferences

and opinions. When open communication is present within a team, the individual members are

empowered to talk about disagreements, opinions, and to discuss their disagreements towards the

process of achieving an amicable solution. At the same time, there is advocated standard of
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treatment and level of respect, both which help to improve collaboration and cooperation of the

group. At the end, the team emerges having developed further.

Norming

This is the third stage of Tuckerman’s model. It is characterized by conflicts resolution.

The team members gain a sense of interpersonal relationships; therefore, making the team a

cohesive group. In the course of this stage, teams come up with expectations, responsibilities and

guidelines for every member. It is essential that the team manager applies the technique of

communicating the team goals to the members (Robb, 2022). Team leaders should also establish

the roles to be played by each member towards the realization of goals. Also, in times of teams’

collaboration there should be organized schedules for work and meetings to ensure that

individual members are doing what is expected of them, towards realizing objectives.

Performing

It is the fourth stage of Tuckerman’s model. Performing involves the team members

concentrating and working on the set goals and objectives, as the name suggests. In the

performing stage, a team leader should apply effective managing techniques like conducting

frequent meetings, reassuring the members of the team goals, providing encouragement and

assisting with tasks (Robb, 2022). When such techniques are applied, the team ends up being

unified and focused in its endeavors, making it achieve objectives successfully.

Adjourning

It is the last stage in Tuckerman’s five stages of team development. It entails disbanding

the team or teams, once the set objectives and tasks are attained. It may not seem like a crucial

stage in team development, nevertheless, the team manager ought to apply serious team
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management techniques like reassuring team members of the achieved success and encouraging

them. The team leader can also encourage the team members to continue interacting (Bojović et

al., 2022). By doing so, the team ends up preserving its trust, cooperation and cohesiveness, and

it ca be rapidly implemented to undertake new goals and objectives.

Tools and techniques for assessing and developing current and future team capabilities.

Among the crucial tools and techniques to apply for an effective team include trusting

team members, clear and concise expectations and communication.

Trusting team members

Effective team management for current and future success entails having trust on the

team members to complete the relegated assignments. Each individual within a team shares

similar objectives with the rest of the members. Therefore, then success of the team is anchored

upon each member completing their tasks in a timely and accurate manner (O'Neill & Mcarnon,

2018). It is crucial that the team becomes less micromanaged, and the leadership trusts that the

members can achieve the objectives. In such an instance, the team’s general trust is strengthened

allowing the members to efficiently and effectively attain team goals.

Clear and straightforward communication

An effective team should be characterized by straightforward and clear communication in

every aspect of the team (Bass et al., 2018). There should also be an effort to make each member

aware of the expected within the team. Transparency and clarity in communication is crucial in

improving the level of responsibility for the members and the group involvement. Additionally,

good communication develops and fosters trust among the team members, at the end supporting

the success of the team.

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Dealing with conflicts and resolutions

Conflict is defined as the disagreement or argument that can occur externally or internally

among teams, individuals or organizations. For effective team management, there should be

expected conflicts within the team or teams setting. Therefore, management should be prepared

to deal with conflicts in a prompt manner. Failure to amicably solve conflicts only results into

dysfunction of the team (Tjosvold et al., 2019). For instance, a conflict between two group

members can have an adverse effect on the whole team. A team can experience a variety of

conflicts in the course of its operation. These conflicts include relationship conflict, process

conflict, and task conflict.

Task conflict among team members or teams refer to conflict that emanates from a

particular task. It is characterized by varying points of view, approaches, opinions and

interpretations on a task at hand. This type of conflict is highly expected within a team

considering that each member possesses differing perspectives on challenges, and how the et

goals can be attained. To deal with task conflict for effective current and future teams, effective

management techniques should be applied. These techniques include honest and open

communication among team members., while still observing collaboration between teams and

individual members for the purpose of reaching the same goal.

Relationship conflict is the conflict that is witnessed among team members when they

differ on issues like opinions, ideas and personalities. This type of team conflict is quite

counterproductive since it eventually leads to major complications (Bojović et al., 2022).

Relationship conflicts can be avoided or mitigated through effective team management. The team

leaders can advocate for compromising, collaborative and accommodating strategies in the
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process of ensuring that work conflict is resolved quickly, leaving room for the team to operate

efficiently in the current and future times.

Process conflict is mainly regarding how tasks are distributed among the team members

and how the members complete the assigned tasks. This type of conflict mostly happens when

certain members of a team fail to complete their tasks within the required timeline. It can also

occur when the tasks are completed but at a level that is undesirable, that is, below expected

standards. Process conflict should be solved to make a team more productive and to produce

quality work. Techniques and tools for process conflict resolution include providing guidance

and assistance to team members that appear to be struggling. Notably, trust should also be placed

on the overall team since they share the same objectives.

Effective Team Management Skills and Techniques Gathered

It is essential that each team manager possess some team management skills. Managers

should strive to regularly improve on team management skills. I have come to learn that effective

team management skills are of paramount to the teams involved, and the manager. Such skills

make sure that the manager and the team are at per regarding objectives (Gauthier et al., 2010).

Everyone also gets to know what is expected of them within the workplace. Effective

management skills will also give me the tools that I require to successfully lead a team. All

effective team managers share a set of characteristics, tactics and attitudes. Good management

entails more than applying tried and tested management techniques.

Beginning my journey in team management will come with the main purpose of regularly

improving my managerial skills. I have gained the following insights on effective management

that will become part and person of my core and ethical management values.
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Prioritize on transparency

When a workplace is transparent, team members get a sense of connection with each

other. This move will encourage accountability and creativity. I will practice transparency

through consistent and open communication. In such a case, I will have encouraged the team

members gain a sense of respect that is crucial for the general productivity and job satisfaction.

Transparency can also help the team members to possess confidence in the event that they are

required to contribute their ideas and opinions (Yang, 2014). This will ultimately make the team

more effective. A good way to practice transparency will be allocating tasks through the project

management system to make members aware of their roles, and what is expected from them.

This way, the team members will feel more obligated to complete their tasks timely.

Encourage effective and constant communication

Communication is one of the most essential aspects of effectively managing a team.

Being a manager, I will provide my team members with every relevant information regarding a

project. This will be done regularly, and I will advocate for the members to provide their

feedback (Kinicki, 2017). Since effective communication can only be attained where there is

effective listening, I will be a trend setter for my team members by listening to their opinions

when they air them out. I will also be considering their perspectives and opinions. I will also

strive to establish a work environment where freedom of speech is encouraged, provided it is

respectful and polite. Positive and constructive communication does not necessarily involve in-

person talking. We live in the age of social network platforms where one can air their ideas and

considerations. Therefore, I will stay in contact with my team members not only physically but

also through the social media platforms.

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Encourage and support team growth

As a manager, I will ensure that am supportive of my team members. My staff will be

aware that I have their best interests at heart, and that I am in support of their dreams and goals. I

will be keen on finding new ways of developing and improving my team. This includes proving

team members with opportunities to participate in conferences and workshops, as well as ensure

they are up to date through training and certification (Bonebright, 2010). I will not only dwell on

encouraging team members to expand their knowledge base, but also motivate and nurture them

by using positive feedback to improve their performance. Nevertheless, I will also apply

constructive criticism in some scenarios, considering that it can be quite helpful in the

professional development of team members.

Accommodate Change

For me to be an effective manager, I will have to be open minded. Being open to change

involves implementing one’s management style in scenarios that call for it, and coming to terms

with the fact that various teams and team members have different perspectives and ways of

carrying out operations (Gauthier et al., 2010). I will also be open to implementing new

technological trends, and moving away from the traditional ways of management which do not

provide desired results.

Conclusion

Effective leading and team management entails doing all that is expected, and going

overboard to carry out what is unexpected in ensuring that a team performs successfully.

Effective team management involves open communication providing team members with

guidance, and collaborating to attain similar objectives (Yang, 2014). Team management is the
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process of organizing and coordinating team members to complete set tasks. It also includes

assessing and addressing possible risks, resolving conflicts and solving challenges. Effective

management attains this through applying concise communication, availing guidance and

assistance to members, and fostering the spirit of interrelationship and team bonding. Effective

team management is central towards developing trust, cooperation and cohesiveness within a

team.
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References

Bass, A., 2018. Why Is Team Communication Important When in Teams? [online] Career Trend.

Belbin, R., 2010. Team Roles at Work. 2nd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann

Bonebright, D. A. (2010). 40 years of storming: a historical review of Tuckman's model of small

group development. Human Resource Development International, 13(1), 111-120.

Gauthier, J., Cohen, D., & Meyer, C. R. (2019). Top management team characteristics and social

value creation. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 10(2), 252-263.

Kozlowski, S. W., & Chao, G. T. (2018). Unpacking team process dynamics and emergent

phenomena: Challenges, conceptual advances, and innovative methods. American

Psychologist, 73(4), 576.

Kinicki, A., 2017. Management: A Practical Introduction. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill Education.

Lacerenza, C. N., Marlow, S. L., Tannenbaum, S. I., & Salas, E. (2018). Team development

interventions: Evidence-based approaches for improving teamwork. American

psychologist, 73(4), 517.

O'Neill, T. A., & Mclarnon, M. J. (2018). Optimizing team conflict dynamics for high

performance teamwork. Human Resource Management Review, 28(4), 378-394.

Robb, M. A. (2022). Stages of Group Development and Group Preparation. Group Art Therapy,

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Stojadinović-Jovanović, S., Bojović, I., & Dašić, B. (2021). Team and teamwork in the function

of effective management. Ekonomski signali: poslovni magazin, 16(1), 95-112.

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Tjosvold, D., Wong, A. S., & Chen, N. Y. F. (2019). Managing conflict for effective leadership

and organizations. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Business and Management.

Yang, I. (2014). What makes an effective team? The role of trust (dis) confirmation in team

development. European Management Journal, 32(6), 858-869.