W1_LUCKY_Tuckman Assessment

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Problem Definition

·         Determine which of Tuckman’s Stages or Phases our team is in and

·         Use that to determine which leadership style is appropriate for me to be using.

Problem/ Need Formulation and Evaluation

On Monday, October 22, 2012, 26 persons from various professional backgrounds commenced the first of the two face-to-face sessions of the AACE Exam Preparation Course delivered by PTMC.  The primary objective of the course is to help prepare the 26 persons for the AACE and/or PMI certification exams and pass at least one certification exam. There is a lot of material to cover before the exams.  To achieve these tasks, the group must work as a team. However, the concern is given the need for a team and the stages of development of a team, which leadership style will be appropriate for the team leads?

One famous methodology that can be used to resolve this concern is Tuckman’s Forming Storming Norming Performing model. Tuckman’s model shows stages of group development from formation stage to performance stage. (See figures 1)

QUESTIONAIRE RESULT
Item Score		Item Score		Item Score		Item Score
1	5	2	4	4	5	3	5
5	1	7	5	6	1	8	1
10	2	9	2	11	4	12	5
15	5	16	1	13	5	14	5
18	5	20	1	19	5	17	5
21	2	23	1	24	1	22	4
27	1	28	1	25	3	26	4
29	5	31	1	30	4	32	4
Total:	26		16		28		33
	Forming Stage		Storming Stage		Norming Stage		Performing Stage

Table 1: Working on Teams: What Stage is our Team in?  Results

Using the survey methodology from http://www.cscaweb.org/EMS/sector_team/support_files/tools_for_the_team/tool_stage.pdf, the highest of the four scores is 33. I perceive that our team is operating in the performing stage at this time in my view.

 

Feasible Alternatives

Using the questionnaire method, we can predict the stage the team is in. I relied on my own scoring of the questionnaire and analyzed the results using the interpretation criteria.

From table 1 above, we can say that our team is in performing stage, the stage with the highest value. The other stages, forming (26), and norming (28) are close in values to the performing stage (33) thus I would say that the results do not show us the perfect stage we are in.

In my view, and in the absence of an actual survey of all team members, the depth of understanding and connection amongst team members as expressed in some terms and conditions in the questionnaire cannot be fully assessed under the 5 days (50 hours at most) of being together in the preliminary face to face session.

Identified problems/opportunities include

·         anxiety amongst team members,

·         need for individual motivation,

·         appreciation and building trust, and

·         reinforcement of team norms

Criteria Selection

I favor the use of Tuckman’s Forming Storming Norming Performing model stages definition as it helps to identify the stage of the team’s development through studying team member behavior during the 5 days interaction.

Figure 2: Tuckman’s Development Stages Tasks and Behaviors

Our team is in the Forming stage - team development stage (Figure 2). We have done all tasks and exhibited behaviors akin to those of the forming stage. However, we are just about to get into the storming stage. We already express behaviors resident in storming and norming stages that are still rudimentary, based on the real condition of the team during the 5 days – people trying to get to know each other better.

New Alternative

There exists another approach for team development proposed by Susan Wheelan, popularly called the Unified or Integrated model. The model describes the team development stages which provides for the maturity of the team in achieving a better understanding between members instead of simple behavioral signs to define its developing stages. (Wheelan et al, 2003, p. 9).

Figure 3: Wheelan’s Integrated Model of Group Development

Using the above Wheelan Scale, it is safe to say we are in early stages of the team development stage Wheelan’s Scale I equivalent to the Tuckman’s Forming Stage.

Conclusion

Leadership styles that can be adopted to address the identified problems are transactional leadership and transformational leadership styles.

·      Transactional leadership involves providing guidance or motivation to the followers in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements. Management by exception (Active or Passive types)

o     Looking out for deviations, taking corrective action, intervening only if standards are not met

·         Transformational leadership entails the capability of having a profound and extra ordinary effect on the followers by inspiring the followers to go beyond their own self-interests for the good of the team in this case, focus on paying attention to the concerns and developmental needs of the individual followers; changing the follower’s awareness of issues and exciting, arousing and inspiring followers to put out extra effort to achieve group goals. (Giammalvo, 2012, p. 101).

o     Idealized influence

§  Providing vision and sense of mission, instilling pride, gaining respect and Trust.

o     Inspirational Communication

§   Communicating high expectations, using symbols to focus efforts, expressing important purposes in very simple ways

References:

1.     Tuckman’s Team Developments Stage. Retrieved from http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingperforming.htm

2.     Survey: What Stage is Your Team in? Retrieved from http://www.cscaweb.org/EMS/sector_team/support_files/tools_for_the_team/tool_stage.pdf

3.     Tuckman’s Development Stages Tasks and Behaviors. Retrieved from http://www.e3smallschools.org/download/TuckmansTeamDevelopmentModel.pdf

4.     Giammalvo, P. (2012, October 22). AACE Certification prep. course

5.     Wheelan, S., Davidson, B. & Tilin, F. (2003, April 2). Group Development across time Reality or illusion. Retrieved from http://imap.teleosleaders.com/assets/pdf/Group_Development_Across_Time.pdf