SEMM 1921 Lecture 13: Leadership & Teamwork

Course Information

• Course Title: SEMM 1921
• Lecture Number: 13.0
• Topic: Leadership & Teamwork

Learning Outcomes

• Students should be able to describe leadership skills in team working.

Contents

• Introduction
• Five Stages of Team Development
• Team Roles
• Qualities of an Effective Team Player
• Leading a Team
• Qualities of an Effective Team Leader

Introduction

• Teamwork can achieve much more than individuals working alone
• Significant differences exist between high-performing teams and those that struggle
• Team meetings can sometimes be unproductive, focusing on power struggles and conflict rather than collaboration

Five Stages of Team Development (Bruce Tuckman's Model)

• Forming: Initial stage, characterized by politeness and anxiety among members, as they work out roles and responsibilities. Leaders play a dominant role.
• Storming: Reality sets in, challenging authority, and clarifying roles. Members express their opinions and approaches, potentially leading to resistance and conflict. Leaders must manage expectations and team dynamics.
• Norming: Hierarchy is established, respect develops for leaders, stronger commitment to team goals, and constructive criticism. Members communicate effectively
• Performing: High-performance stage, focused on achieving shared goals. Leaders delegate, and members work smoothly.
• Adjourning: Project or team concludes, and there's often a period of mourning or reflection. Addressing the team's goal and personal conclusions is crucial.

Forming Phase Details

• Members are positive and polite, anxious due to unfamiliar team dynamics and processes.
• Leaders can play a prominent role in clarifying responsibilities and duties
• Discussions on team structure could be frustrating to members focused on work
• This phase is usually brief and focuses on introducing members to each other, defining the workspace, and initially structuring the work environment.

Storming Phase Details

• Team moves into a phase of conflict, challenging authority.
• Members jockey for position and roles are further clarified.
• Team members may feel overwhelmed by the required work and tasks
• Resistance to tasks and questioning the team's overall goals may emerge.
• Leaders must recognize and manage potential friction and conflict

Norming Phase Details

• Team develops respect for leadership.
• Team members communicate more effectively.
• Support, trust, communication and cohesion develop between members
• Team develops shared goals and makes progress.
• Occasional returns to storming behaviour may occur

Performing Phase Details

• Hard work leads to progress towards the shared goal.
• The team is proficient and able to delegate successfully.
• Individual members can leave or join the team without affecting the team culture.
• Team work is efficient

Adjourning Phase Details

• Project teams cease, or restructured, often temporary.
• Concern for member well-being, and the team goal is important.
• Adjusting to the loss of routine or shared experiences for team members can cause stress to both members and leaders.
• Leaders should anticipate stress and emotionally support team members

Team Roles

• Even expert teams with capable individuals may encounter difficulties in achieving goals if roles and personalities don't align.
• A balanced mix of roles with suitable skills is important for success

The 9 Belbin Team Roles

• Identified roles (Plant, Resource Investigator, Implementer, Coordinator, Shaper, Team Worker, Completer/Finisher, Monitor Evaluator, Specialist)
• Each role has a set of strengths and potential weaknesses.
• Balanced teams benefit from individuals with diverse roles and strengths.

Qualities of an Effective Team Player

• Reliability
• Constructive communication
• Active listening
• Active participation
• Sharing information
• Cooperating and helping
• Flexibility
• Commitment
• Problem-solving skills
• Respectful and supportive behavior

Leading a Team

• Team Charter Examples (defining scope, objectives, deliverables, success factors, measures)—identifying key people, their roles, and clarifying specific tasks.
• Effective meetings with defined roles, ground rules, minutes, project plans, and milestone charts.
• Importance of building trust within the team (respect for people and ideas, honest communication, understanding).
• Showing genuineness, understanding, empathy, openness to ideas and constructive feedback, clear communication, fairness and kindness

Qualities of an Effective Team Leader

• Clear communication
• Strong organizational skills.
• Confidence in their abilities and the abilities of team members.
• Respectful of team members
• Fair and kind
• Demonstrating integrity
• Influential in guiding the team towards meeting goals
• Willing to share leadership through delegation
• Facilitating action plans
• Skilled negotiation, working for the best possible results for everyone

This quiz explores key concepts in leadership and teamwork as covered in SEMM 1921 Lecture 13. Topics include the five stages of team development, effective team player qualities, and the role of a leader in guiding a team. Assess your understanding of how teamwork enhances productivity and collaboration.