W1_Mervyn Ajimmy_Tuckman's Team Assessment

1.                   Problem Statement

The task at hand is to evaluate and determine which of Tuckman’s Stages the Bistro 12 team currently finds itself in its evolvement and be able to determine which leadership style is appropriate to use in managing the team to get the desired objectives of: Pass at least one of the AACE certification examinations and have Return of investment on Training to our various organisations and business units.

Dr. Bruce Tuckman presents a model which identified the stages that teams move through. These stages are commonly known as: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.

The Tuckman model was evaluated using the 32 questionnaires answered by team members and hereby analysed as below:

·         Forming Stage       : 32

·         Storming Stage     : 28

·         Norming Stage      : 26

·         Performing Stage :  22 

Based on the above, the team is currently in the Forming stage, with the highest score of 32.

2.                   Develop Feasible Alternatives Models

Several models exist for evaluating the operating stage of a team. These includes amongst others:

·                     Tuckman Forming Storming Norming and Performing model

·                     Hersey & Blanchard's situational leadership model

·                     Tannenbaum & Schmidt Continuum

3.                   Develop the outcomes for each alternative

·                     Tuckman's model explains that as the team develops maturity and ability, relationships establish, and the leader changes leadership style. Beginning with a directing style, moving through coaching, then participating, finishing delegating and almost detached. By understanding these stages leaders will be better prepared to detect what is going on and take appropriate action to help the team.

4.             Analysis and comparison of the alternatives

·                     The criteria are the possible leadership styles utilizing Tuckman's four stages of team development, when overlaid on the Hersey and Blanchard model of determining the appropriate team leadership styles, suggests four levels of leadership to support the four phases of team development.

·                     Forming               - Directing

·                     Storming              - Coaching

·                     Norming              - Supporting

·                     Performing         - Delegating

5.                   Selection of the acceptable criteria

·         Based on the assessment above, Bistro 12 is currently in the Forming stage characterized by independency, lack of clear team vision and direction, roles and responsibilities of team members and effective operational guidelines.

·         The leadership style to adopt here at this identified forming stage will be a visionary type of leader, who is able to give clear direction, provide structure and clear tasks to each team member. Be able to create an atmosphere of confidence and optimism.  The leader would show leadership by example by getting involved. The leader will be directing.

6.             Performance Monitoring & Post Evaluation of Result

·         The effectiveness of the team’s leadership will be evident as the project team matures, reflecting in the increased performance of the team in successive weeks.

·         The team's performance would also be measured as its moves along with the number of members who are “fired” or drop off voluntarily. The Bistro 12 team can only go far and meet its objectives if it is willing to go with others and not to go alone stressing the importance of team work.

7.             References:

1.            Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing:  Helping new teams perform effectively, quickly

Retrieved from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_86.htm

2.            Forming – Storming – Norming – Perfroming

Retrieved from: http://www.teambuilding.co.uk/Forming_Storming_Norming_Performing.html

3.            Different leadership styles for different team development stages

Retrieved from: http://www.theindependent.co.zw/2012/05/31/different-leadership-styles-for-different-team-development-stages

4.            Leadership Style and Team Development Stages

http://www.pmcomplete.com/BPM/HTML/bpm03hv.asp

5.            Different Leadership styles for different team development stages

http://www.theindependent.co.zw/2012/05/31/different-leadership-styles-for-different-team-development-stage

6.            (Tuckmans Team Development Model. StudyMode.com.

Retrieved, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Tuckmans-Team-Development-Model-544313.html

7.         Tuckman, B. (1965). Bruce Tuckman forming storming norming performing team development model. Retrieved from Web site: http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingperforming.htm

8.            Donald Clark Questionnaires, Retrieved from: http://www.lx.nhs.uk/kms/Trafford/Trafford%202006%20-%202007/PPI%20Forum%20South%20Manchester%20University%20Hospital/Donald%20Clark%27s%20Tuckman%20Questionnaire.pdf

W1_Folakemi_Tuckman Analysis Assignment

1.      Problem recognition, definition and evaluation

Bistro 12 group (Nigeria AACE Preparatory Group Run 4 2013) is a team of 26 people, established with a team governance agreement and two key objectives. The objectives of the team are to pass at least one (1) AACE examination and also to implement the new skills acquired during the learning process in our daily work. The team has just been established during the face to face workshops held from 22 to 26 October 2012. This write up seeks to answer the question: Which leadership style is appropriate for the Tuckman stage that Bistro 12 is in? A questionnaire based on Tuckman’s four stages of team development was completed in order to identify Bistro 12’s stage of development. My perception of the team, based on this questionnaire, is that we are currently in the Performing stage.

 

2.      Development of the feasible alternatives

Various perspectives of leadership and leadership styles have been proposed by researchers over the years. This includes the following:

 

3.      Development of the outcomes

For the purpose of identifying the leadership style that best fits the Bistro 12 Team, I will focus on Likert’s four systems of leadership and the Situational Leadership theory of Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. These two theories are selected based on the fact that it is easier to relate them to a project team and Bistro 12 is a project team.

 

4.      Analysis and comparison of the alternatives

5.      Selection of the preferred alternative

Leadership style contributes a lot to how easily and how quickly a team can move from one Tuckman stage of development to another. In addition to this, different leadership styles may be required for the different Tuckman stages, this is the underlying theory of Situational Leadership. Based on the analysis done in Section 4 above the leadership style required for each stage of team development are as follows:

The recommended leadership style for Bistro 12 at the performing stage is Likert’s Democratic leadership style or Hersey and Blanchard’s Participating style. However, just as the Situational Leadership model suggests, different leadership styles may be required for different situations faced by the team, therefore the other leadership styles may also be used as required.

6.      Performance Monitoring & Post Evaluation of Result

The effectiveness of the team’s leadership will be evident as different decision making situations arise. The performance of the team each week will reflect the level of effectiveness of the team’s leadership.

7.      References

Andrzej A. H. and David A. B. (2007)

Folakemi Fadahunsi. Leadership and Business Success in Nigeria (MBA Project)

Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing: Helping New Teams Perform Effectively, Quickly. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_86.htm

Geof Lory. Project Parenthood: Leadership Style through the Team Stages. Retrieved from http://www.projectconnections.com/articles/032905-glory.html