High Performance Teams

In Procurement, effective teamwork is essential for achieving successful outcomes.

Being able to bring together cross-functional teams quickly, agree common objectives and function efficiently is a vital skill for procurement professionals.

To understand the evolution of a team, we can turn to Tuckman's Stages of Team Development. Developed by psychologist Bruce Tuckman, this model describes the stages that teams typically go through as they form, grow and mature.

By recognising this, we can be clearer on the strategies we should deploy to move to the next phase and, ultimately, to where we enhance collaboration, perform and drive better outcomes.

Many of you may have seen this model before from leadership training courses - it's been around since the 1960's, but is still just as relevant today.

It's important to note that teams may get stuck on a phase, transition through some very quickly or go backwards during the team development. Not all progress is linear!

Let's explore how teams can navigate each stage successfully.

Stage 1: Forming

This stage represents the initial phase of team development, where procurement and stakeholders come together to achieve a common goal. Team members get acquainted, establish roles, and define objectives.

Team members should communicate openly, build rapport and foster a supportive environment to promote collaboration.

Procurement super skills vital at this stage include facilitation and influencing.

Stage 2: Storming

During the storming stage, team members may encounter conflicts, differences of opinion and challenges. This could be disagreements over sourcing strategies, conflicting priorities or differing views on approach or roles.

Finding common ground through frank, open dialogue can help overcome storming and moving towards alignment. You may need to go back to stage one if your shared purpose isn't strong enough.

Effective communication and constructive conflict resolution are procurement super skills crucial to navigating this stage.

Stage 3: Norming

As the team progresses, they enter the norming stage, where we see the establishment of norms, shared values and greater cohesion.

This could be a standard way of working, joint performance expectations or simply a culture of mutual support.

Regular team meetings, knowledge sharing and clear communication channels help build trust and promote a sense of belonging among the team.

Super skills useful at this stage are teamwork and taking responsibility for outcomes.

Stage 4: Performing

The performing stage is where the team operates at a peak performance level.

By leveraging the strengths of individual team members the team becomes more than the sum of its parts to achieve the shared desired outcomes. A deep understanding of how each other works, including acknowledgement of strengths and weaknesses, plays a vital role in sustaining high performance during this stage.

Procurement super skills: Creativity, being data driven and strategic thinking.

Stage 5: Adjourning

In the adjourning stage, teams celebrate achievements, reflect on lessons learned, and prepare for future endeavours.

A Post Implementation Review (PIR) helps review what went right and what could be improved for next time. It's important to document best practices, and share success stories with the wider business.

Take time to acknowledge individual and collective contributions, recognise accomplishments, and conducting knowledge transfer sessions ensure that the team's learnings are carried forward to future projects.

Procurement skills - being disciplined and thorough to make sure this happens and we have a record for the next time round!

Hope this helps - have you used this model and did you find it to be effective?