Question

As the leader of an organization that struggles with collaboration, communication and motivation issues, you will be holding a meeting with all managers and team leaders to discuss team-building to address these 3 areas. You will, in your meeting, help them to understand the stages that teams go through in order to fully realize their respective potential as “performing” teams (the most effective stage). You will also write up three suggested corporate team-building exercises. Each exercise will address one of the 3 identified issues (above) and explain the reasoning behind each exercise.

Create a document (Word, not PDF) that introduces the topic of teams:

• define a team and differentiate it from a ‘group’;
  
• explain why teams are vital to an organization;
  
• define the stages of team development (brief paragraph in your own words);
  
• explain what takes place in each stage.

Then research and write about 3 different corporate team-building exercises, one of which would be appropriate for each of your three issues (collaboration, communication and motivation). This means you will need to:

• research and carefully select those that will address each issue;
  
• explain each exercise in a good-sized paragraph. You may utilize exercises you find in research if you:
  
  • modify and reword them completely, and
    
  • provide a citation and reference for each exercise.

Answer 1

I. Team is a group of people who have a common team goal to accomplish and are committed to fulfilling their duties towards the completion of the goal. They are also accountable for the work they do in the team and the result that is obtained.

A group is merely a set of people who come together and coordinate their efforts taken.

II. Teams are important:

1. They create a bond and help in accomplishing the objectives or goals.

2. A sense of motivation would help build the team's spirit and in turn, a focus is created.

3. Even challenging goals will be accomplished if the teams are committed and motivated. This helps the company grow overall.

4. Teams can also elicit specific roles where each member's talent lies. This will help in the growth of the individual as well as of the team.

5. The concept of consensus will be highlighted, as every member of the team will be asked to contribute their ideas and suggestions to accomplish the goal.

6. The motto of commitment and development of self towards the team's output will encourage the member to work harder.

7. Sometimes, peer pressure will also encourage oneself to work at the maximum potential, unveiling the talent/skill that the member has or acquired.

8. With a review of the performance of the individual, there will be scope for improvement of each member, and ultimately, of the team.

III. Team development stages:

1. Forming:

This is the stage where a group of people come together to accomplish the task/goal assigned to them. They are aware of their individual responsibilities for which they have become a team to perform together.

2. Storming:

This is the stage where the team members do brain storming to get or reject ideas. Everyone does their best to get to the other's perspective so that they would come to a consensus on doing the activity.

3. Norming:

This is the stage where the team members somehow manage to start working together with a set of norms in place. They will know whom to contact for which activity, as their roles would have been made clear.

4. Performing:

This is the stage where the team actually performs the tasks assigned and know how to progress towards the goal. They are aware of the steps that need to be taken to fulfill their duties as a member of the team. They will be responsible for the outcome of their task.

5. Adjourning:

This is the stage where the team formed has completed the job and has dispersed for other projects. Once the work is completed, it is expected of them to find other teams where their competency will be needed.

IV. Exercises:

1. Expectations can be written down and discussed.

A team leader can ask the team to assemble in a conference room, hand out a sheet of paper to each member and ask them to jot down their expectations from the team and the project they are handling. Once they are done, the team leader can collect them all, place them on a pin board and discuss every aspect. This will motivate the team members to speak and voice out their opinion, help them understand each other's expectations to improve on collaborating when needed and motivate them to perform better, while they discuss needs and results expected.

2. Treasure hunt:

The team leader must divide the team into smaller groups and provide each of the team with a set of equally challenging tasks to reach the treasure. The teams will be able to communicate, collaborate and help them motivate each other to think in the direction of the goal. They'll also understand where each member's competency is and how to put forth their talent.

3. The glass package:

The team leader must again divide the team into smaller groups and give them materials to pack a glass cup. They must use just those materials efficiently and pack the glass cup. This will let them use their ideas and collaborate to understand how efficiently the packaging materials can be used. The ultimate goal is to see if the packaging done by each team can sustain the drop of the package and keep the glass cup unbroken. That goal will motivate the team to use the best method of packaging, by communicating ideas and collaborating the team's efforts.