Team Development

An effective team can be characterised by setting itself goals and targets. Goals which team members believe in and which motivates them to do their utmost to achieve them. Team members focus on both the personal goal of each member and the common learning goals of the team as a whole. Together they define the indicators of success, the team roles and the responsibilities within the team. In addition, they specify the basic principles for the way the team wants to function accordingly how to inform and consult each other, make decisions and how to handle a conflict of interest. Team members are clear to each other on the standards and the values which are important within the team. Aspects like appointments, commitment, transparency and accuracy define the team’s culture.
The realisation of the goals demands a commitment from every individual member towards learning ability and a contribution and application of all the qualities and skills regarding the targets set.
These 108 unique cards give you insight and focus on your own blind spots. Sharing your insights in a team creates trust and provides room for development.

Groupdynamics
These days you might already work within a team or you simply work together with colleagues. Perhaps you are at the forefront of the kick off of a new project with members you don’t or barely know. It would be then wise to check in advance where you think the group stays, before you start working with the Team Development Cards.
You will always have to deal with group dynamics and group development, whether you are consciously trying to create this or not. Your interventions will influence the natural course of events within a team. That is why it is important to be aware of the developments in order to anticipate or constructively dealing with it.
A much used method which can help you further is the team development model of Bruce Tuckman (1965). This model is based on group dynamics. Group dynamics proves that one can expect and notice a team development which is fairly analogous of every development in a team. This goes to show that there is some sort of basic pattern which can be found in every team. Tuckman describes five development stages which every team goes through. It reflects on the process of growth and the team’s level of maturity.


Naturally team building is not a linear process during which these stages are
followed in a sequential order. Due to a variety of events, such as the arrival of a
new team member or the intervention of management; a properly functioning
team can fall back in an earlier stage. Every stage of a team has a number
of characteristics which shows the stage you are in. See picture showing
these characteristics of each stage.

Task maturity of teams
The development phases of Tuckman are connected to the level
of task maturity of a team. This level of maturity comes from
thesituational leadership model of Hersey and Blanchard. In
the scheme below the characteristics and behavioural patterns
of teams per level are shown. Read more...