Building Trust in Remote Teams Using Tuckman’s Model

1. Introduction

In today’s globalized and digital world, remote teams have become increasingly common. The rise of remote work has been accelerated by technological advancements and the recent global pandemic, which forced many organizations to adapt to new ways of working. However, managing remote teams presents unique challenges, particularly in building and maintaining trust. Trust is a critical component of team success, influencing communication, collaboration, and overall performance.

Recently, We have been working on a project which involves collaboration with? a remote team in the oil & gas sector, consisting of professionals across three different time zones. In this experience, I encountered challenges that Tuckman’s model can help address.

One effective framework for understanding and improving team dynamics is Tuckman’s model of team development, which outlines the stages of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. By applying this model to remote teams, leaders can proactively address trust-related challenges at each stage, fostering a cohesive and high-performing team.

2. Problem: Lack of Trust in Remote Teams

When trust is not fostered in remote teams, several issues can arise. Team members may feel isolated and disconnected, leading to decreased morale and engagement. Communication breakdowns can occur, resulting in misunderstandings, conflicts, and duplication of efforts. Without trust, collaboration suffers, and team members may be reluctant to share ideas or take risks, fearing criticism or lack of support. This can ultimately lead to reduced productivity, missed deadlines, increased employee turnover, and project delays.

Additionally, without face-to-face interactions, team members might struggle to gauge tone and intent in digital communication. Misinterpretations can arise from emails, instant messages, or video calls, leading to unnecessary conflicts. This lack of non-verbal cues can make remote collaboration more challenging compared to in-person teams, requiring additional effort to ensure alignment and mutual understanding.

We faced challenges due to the team being remote and consisting of new members without prior collaboration experience. Initially, this caused delays in the project as the team was not communicating to an extent which was required to meet the timeline. Conflicts of different levels were coming up as the team started working together and multiple people were being defensive during their meetings and were sharing unsolicited critical feedback.

3. Strategies for Fostering Trust

Building trust in remote teams requires intentional strategies and consistent effort. Trust can be fostered through clear communication, transparency, and reliability. Leaders must be proactive in creating an environment where team members feel valued and heard.

Here are some key strategies to consider:

• Establish Clear Expectations: Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and expectations from the outset. For example, a software development team using Agile methodologies can set expectations on sprint deliverables, communication frequency, and performance metrics.
• Promote Open Communication: Encourage team members to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns openly. Creating a safe space for open dialogue prevents miscommunication and ensures alignment.
• Honest Communication: Be honest about challenges and setbacks. A leader who transparently communicates roadblocks and seeks collective solutions fosters a strong relationship with his team.

In our case, we had open and honest communications around the roles, responsibilities, expectations and limitations of each team as well as the team member. Time spent on this activity helped in creating a smoother working relationship among team members where people understood each other and their respective roles in a better way.

• Foster a Sense of Belonging: Make an effort to include all team members in discussions and decision-making processes. Recognizing and celebrating individual and team achievements in virtual meetings can strengthen bonds among team members.
• Scheduled Meetings: Hold regular team meetings to discuss progress, address issues, and plan next steps.
• One-on-One Check-Ins: Provide individualized support by scheduling regular one-on-one meetings with team members.
• Use of Communication Tools: Leverage tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom to facilitate real-time communication and collaboration.

A sense of belonging was fostered among the team members using increased communication using virtual tools, in our case it was MS Teams. We held regular schedule meetings (thrice a week) and multiple meetings with agreed upon time frames which intersected between time zones. These are not prescriptive methods or the frequencies. These need to be evaluated and agreed upon by team, keeping in mind the phase and requirements of the project.

• Open Access to Information: Use shared platforms like Confluence, Google Drive, or Microsoft Teams to store and disseminate information, ensuring accessibility for all.

A shared repository goes a long way to help remote teams collaborate. We use Microsoft's platform to make our documentation live where multiple people could work on it and it automatically keeps track of revision history which is a really useful tool for us.

• Be Consistent and Reliable: Follow through on commitments and be consistent in your actions. Reliability builds trust over time, as demonstrated by leaders who set clear deadlines and meet them consistently.

Last but not the least, “Be consistent”. This value was weaved into our ways of working and eventually way of being. It made working with the team a lot easier because it is the pillar for fostering trust. Leaders were consistent in their expectations, communications and feedback. Team members were consistent in their deliveries and reporting. All in all, the value was adopted by the team wholeheartedly which was the crux for better working relationships.

4. Applying Tuckman’s Model to Remote Teams

Now let’s look at the above situation from the lens of Tuckman’s model of Team development. These stages are commonly known as: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. Tuckman's model explains that as the team develops maturity and ability, relationships establish, and leadership style changes to more collaborative or shared leadership.

1. Forming: Team members get to know each other and establish initial relationships.
2. Storming: Conflicts arise as team members assert their opinions and challenge each other.
3. Norming: Team members resolve conflicts, establish norms, and develop cohesion.
4. Performing: The team operates efficiently towards achieving its goals.
5. Adjourning: The team disbands after achieving its objectives.

4.1 Forming Stage

In the forming stage, team members are getting to know each other and understanding their roles. This stage is crucial for setting the foundation of trust. Leaders should focus on:

• Introductions and Icebreakers: Virtual coffee chats, introductory videos, or fun quizzes can help team members establish initial connections.
• Clear Role Definitions: Providing detailed job descriptions and workflows can reduce confusion.
• Set Ground Rules: Outline expectations for communication, response times, and availability.

4.2 Storming Stage

The storming stage is characterized by conflicts and disagreements. This stage is an opportunity to build deeper trust through conflict resolution and open communication.

• Encourage Open Dialogue: Create a psychologically safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing concerns.
• Conflict Resolution: Utilize structured problem-solving techniques, such as mediation or guided discussions, to address disagreements constructively.
• Clarify Expectations: Reiterate goals and align team members through shared objectives.

4.3 Norming Stage

During the norming stage, team members establish working norms and operate more cohesively. Leaders should:

• Reinforce Positive Behaviors: Recognize and reward team members who exhibit collaborative and proactive behaviors.
• Establish Team Norms: Develop agreements on response times, feedback mechanisms, and workflows.
• Promote Collaboration: Utilize paired programming, co-authoring documents, or cross-functional projects to encourage teamwork.

4.4 Performing Stage

In the performing stage, the team operates efficiently with well-established trust and collaboration. Leaders should:

• Empower Team Members: Allow individuals to take ownership of their responsibilities and make independent decisions.
• Provide Resources: Offer continuous learning opportunities, such as training programs or mentorship initiatives.
• Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge milestones with virtual celebrations, bonuses, or public recognition.

4.5 Adjourning Stage

The adjourning stage occurs when the team disbands or transitions to new projects. Leaders should provide closure through reflection and support.

• Recognize Contributions: Acknowledge the hard work and achievements of the team members, whether through formal awards or personal messages of appreciation.
• Conduct Exit Interviews: Gather insights from team members about their experiences and potential improvements for future projects.
• Document Lessons Learned: Maintain a knowledge base that captures best practices, challenges, and solutions encountered during the project.
• Maintain Professional Relationships: Encourage team members to stay in touch via professional networks like LinkedIn or internal alumni groups to foster future collaboration.

4.6 Mapping of Stages on the Project Challenges

1. Forming: Teams were formed and introductions were carried out in multiple remote sessions. This was followed by setting clear roles and set of ground rules for communication and availability.
2. Storming: Conflicts arose in the team as team started to work together. These included conflicts due to different technological backgrounds, different understanding of roles (which were not clearly defined) and different age groups. Empathic and servant leadership was used to resolve individual conflicts in parallel to maintenance of psychologically safe environment which allowed the conflicts to arise as well as to be resolved.
3. Norming: As the conflicts started residing, team started setting its norms. Definition and clarity in roles and expectations facilitated this phase and team started collaborating without the need for a mediator
4. Performing: In this stage the team performed at its peak and presented true image of self-organizing team with minimal intervention from team lead. Individual members were empowered and the achievements were celebrated as a team.
5. Adjourning: As the project neared its ending, the team said its goodbye and documented the lessons learned. All while recognizing each other's contributions in the combined success.

5. Conclusion

Building trust in remote teams is a continuous process that requires deliberate actions and strategies. By leveraging Tuckman’s model, leaders can guide their teams through each stage, ensuring that trust is established and maintained. Establishing clear communication, fostering transparency, and recognizing team members' contributions are key components in building a high-performing remote team.

References

• Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental Sequence in Small Groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384-399.
• Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383.
• Goleman, D. (1998). Working with Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.
• ProjectManagement.com. (n.d.). Agile Project Management. Retrieved from https://www.projectmanagement.com/wikis/295569/Agile-Project-Management