SMS/SAG Team Stages & Dynamics

According to B. W. Tuckman’s “Developmental Sequence in Small Groups,” teams typically go through the stages of?: forming, storming, norming, and performing

I will try below to project this approach on a SAG team, one of the pillars of a successful SMS

1/Forming :?

Members struggle to understand the team's purpose and what it means to them, Each new team is a new experience for every team member, with new members with new expectations and possibly in a new environment. This creates difficulties for the members, and they proceed with caution at the beginning.

1. the team get to know each other.

2. The group is immature.

3. Sense of belonging to the group.

4. Be proud to belong to the group.

5. Trying to please yourself.

6. May tend to agree too much on initial topics of discussion.

7. Little work is done.

8. Orientation of the members on the objectives of the team.

9. Members understand roles and responsibilities.

10. The group is going through the "honeymoon" period

2/Storming.

Members express their own opinions and ideas, often disagree with others.

Team members reflect on individual experiences.

The collaboration has not yet taken place. Members may want to redefine the purpose and objectives of the team, and some will test the authority of the leader.

1. Team members express their ideas.

2. Understanding of scope and members' roles and responsibilities will be tested.

3. Ideas and understanding begin to conflict.

4. Disagreements start to slow the team down.

5. Little work is done.

6. The necessary evil each member of the team must go through to position themselves in the team.

7. Be careful to be aware of negative interactions between team members because too many disagreements can completely block the progress of the team.

3/Norming

Members begin to understand the need to function as a team rather than as a group of individuals.

Team members begin to think in terms of common goals and team goals. Interpersonal conflicts are less and less frequent and the search for goals begins to progress. Team members begin to communicate.

1. Team members resolve their conflicts.

2. Team members agree on mutually agreeable ideas for moving before.

3. A certain amount of work is done.

4. Begin to function as a team.

5. Team members begin to trust each other and share their ideas and work products without hesitation.

4/Performing

Team members work together to achieve their common goal.

Team members work smoothly and continuously.

The team is cohesive and communication is open, honest and fluid. Members understand and recognize each other the strengths and weaknesses of others.

1. Team is effective, skills complementary, synergy is created.

?2. Team members realize interdependence.

?3. Develop ability to solve problem as a team.

?4. Large amount of work gets accomplished

These four steps are considered traditional. Recently, however, two additional steps have been added

5/Transitioning / Adjourning

A final team meeting takes place, during which management decisions regarding the project are discussed and other details are ironed out. This is a critical step. The formal closure of teams is important because it generates a sense of accomplishment. Too often, team members are left behind, unsure if their role on a team is over or if they can reallocate their valuable time

1. The team is dissolved.

2. Team members pursue other activities of their work.

3. If the project continues with additional scope, some team members may be changed.

4. The team dynamic changes and tends to revert to one of the previous stages.

5. Major changes may cause a return to the formation stage.

6/Recognition

The team’s contribution is acknowledged. The techniques of reward and recognition addressed above are employed.

Recognition is the often forgotten element of team dynamics, or rather, often taken for granted. Even if the team members are salaried or paid for their time and skills, this does not mean that the team is already recognized. Teams can be recognized in many ways, from a simple pat on the back by senior management, to thank you notes, bulletin boards, organization-wide emails, newsletters, all employees, certificates of achievement, bonuses, stock-options, and more. This is the typical evolution of team stages. Depending on organizational cultural issues, some steps can be shortened or lengthened, but the team goes through them all the same. It's healthy for the team to go through these stages as they set ground rules and expectations for themselves. These stages also depend on the maturity of the team, the complexity of the task (project) and the leadership of the team.

Bibliography

The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Handbook Third Edition?: T. M. Kubiak and Donald W. Benbow

The Certified Six Sigma??Green Belt Handbook Second Edition : Roderick A. Munro, Govindarajan Ramu,?and Daniel J. Zrymiak