Team Dynamics

Jon Boyes

Curriculum and Work-Related Learning Officer

Team Dynamics

Learning outcomes

• • • •

Explain the difference between a group and a team, and identify the characteristics of an effective team Gain an overview of key models of team development and team roles Develop a greater awareness of their own role as a team-player and value differences in other team members Identify strategies for building effective teams

Team Dynamics

Characteristics of teams

• • • •

Shared identity Shared goals and objectives Structured patterns of communication and interaction Consider themselves to be a team

Team Dynamics

Team task 1: Bridge building challenge Construct the longest paper-based bridge using only the paper supplied.

Bridge can be supported at two points only.

Team Dynamics

Tuckman’s team development model

Developmental Sequence in Small groups. (Bruce Tuckman, 1965)

Team Dynamics

Team task 2: Floating stick challenge

Team Dynamics

Floating stick challenge - reflection

• • • • •

What improved team performance?

Focus on team goal vs personal failure Leadership – who was guiding your team’s efforts?

Communication before and during task Strategy – how to achieve the goal e.g.

• Linking arms, touching fingers • Counting down • Following a ‘lead finger’

Reflection and refinement

Team Dynamics

Honey’s team roles

Carer Doer Achiever Leader Thinker

Team Dynamics

NASA moon survival challenge

Work on the problem but… Be conscious of

your

role and that of others whilst you work on it.

Team Dynamics

Lost at sea challenge

Team Dynamics

Survival scoring

0 - 25 Excellent 26 - 32 33 - 45 Good Average 46 - 55 56 - 70 71 - 112 Fair Poor Very poor

Team Dynamics

Summary

Key factors for effective teams

• • •

Leadership (and particularly leadership style) Improving team comms, reinforcing identity, clear task focus and clear roles Self awareness [your own role, strengths and weaknesses etc.] and modifying your behaviour accordingly for the well being of the team is key, and highly valued by employers

Team Dynamics

Jon Boyes

Curriculum and Work-Related Learning Officer