| Consider
the 4-Phase Team Development Model as the foundation for
your next team building session. The 4-P Model offers an
effective method of examining how well the team is maturing
and developing into a cohesive unit capable of productive
work, creativity and synergy.
Groups form into teams as they define and agree on:
- Their purpose
- The positions each member will assume
- The processes for working together
- The measures
of successful performance
 When
the 4-P's are clearly defined, relationships will be good and the team operates
effectively and efficiently together to produce the expected results. Conflict
among team members is usually a sign that one of the 4-P;s has not been defined
or agreed upon. The most common causes of conflict are:
- Opposing, incompatible or unrealistic purposes
- Gaps, overlays or disagreements in positions
- Unclear or unacceptable processes
- Poor definition
of performance measures
Purpose
A workgroup will be more effective and work better
as a team when each of the members is absolutely clear as to
its purpose,
the mission, vision, and values the workgroup brings to the organization.
Each member of the team must have and demonstrate a unified perspective
on what they do as a function and why. They must be committed
to behaving in ways that reinforce the common purpose in the
everyday
contact with the organization's customers, suppliers, employees,
and stakeholders.
Position
The purpose of any team has a higher probability of
being consistently and successfully fulfilled when each member
of the
team is clear about their positions, what each other does, why
and how they do it, and what interpersonal styles and time lines
are pushing individual and collective behavior. They must strategically
and tactically operate like a champion basketball team that has
well defined position that are filled with individuals who bring
significant diversity, but consistently demonstrate special expertise
as a team. They must consistently demonstrate special expertise
in a way they learn and leverage the way each of their roles interface
with each of the other roles; and how they look for ways of leveraging
the individual expertise that each brings to the team.
Process
Teams also increase teamwork and therefore overall performance
when they follow well-designed and predictable processes. There are
three types of processes that enable successful teamwork. The first
set of processes, task or technical processes, are most
often considered by groups who are striving to strengthen their teamwork.
Task processes are what the team does. Cognitive or interpersonal
processes describe how the team members need to work
in order to fully leverage the task process. Business processes focus
on such things as how money is made, tracked and measured from the
task processes,
or how quality is tracked and measured. Business processes typically
describe the why of the work. Teams can increase effectiveness
when they think about how they can continuously improve their internal
processes and the way the serve their customers. Cognitive or interpersonal
processes included such things as how the team works together to
make decisions, solve problems or communicate information. All processes
must be defined, agreed on, and reinforced to foster teamwork and
focus.
Performance
Workgroups operate more productively as teams when they
receive quantitative and qualitative feedback on the extent to
which they are fulfilling their purpose by leveraging their positions
in order to optimize the output of their process. Identifying
what to measure and how best to measure it is the task of this
principle. Sometimes teams measure an outcome, by don't measure
how they achieve it. The team may benefit from better exploring
how they have achieved their successes to provide them with a foundation
for continuous improvement in everything they do.
Free
Guide
For
a free Team Self-Assessment, Diagnostic and Action Planning
Tool ("Team Health Audit") based on the 4-Phase Team Development
Model, please email our training experts at Training@iriSolutions.com,
or call today.
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