Team working theories - Essay Example

Team working theories Introduction The essay is about critical analysis of effective team working theories in managing human resources. In this essay, I will start by providing brief descriptions of four team working theories namely Belbin’s model, Tuckman’s model, Adair’s model, and Maslow’s model. I will then analyze the theories according to their similarities and differences. Next, I will propose the theory that I consider better than the rest. Lastly, I will provide a conclusion, which comprises my proposals about the team working theories. Team working theories According to Belbin’s Theory, there are nine team roles that determine the success of a team. They are resource investigator, plant, shaper, coordinator, monitor evaluator, team worker, completer finisher, implementer, and specialist. Each team role makes a unique contribution to the team. In a team, people will almost always have a mix of roles including dominant and sub-dominant roles (Belbin, 2013, 9). According to Tuckman’s model, there are five stages involved in building an effective team. They are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. During the formation stage, the team is entirely dependent on the leadership of one person. It is at this stage that clear and specific aims are formed. In the storming stage, everyone is concerned with the impression they are making than the job in hand. It provides an opportunity to challenge other members or the set aims. Conciliation is necessary because different people will challenge for supremacy or the best method of leading. In the norming stage, the challenges are recognized, and some terms agreed. It is the stage whereby team spirit and respect develops. In the performing stage, the team is at its best performance. All the members are in agreement, happy and understand their roles. In the adjourning stage, a sense of closure is brought to a team whose project is completed (Wilson, 2010, 2-3). According to John Adair’s action-centered model, there are three parts that contribute to effective team building. They are the task, team and individuals. Identifying the task means setting the vision, purpose and direction of the team. In managing a team, the leader and other team members establish style, culture and ethics of the group. In the management of individuals, the leader should understand the team members as individuals and find the best ways of supporting them (Stellarleadership.com, 1-2). According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, individuals cannot commit themselves to moving to a higher level of needs until the previous need is fully attained. Once a need is satisfied, it ceases to be a motivation and individuals look at the next need to satisfy themselves. If a leader can identify the hierarchy position of individual members, then he or she will understand how to motivate them (Jerome, 40). Similarities between team working theories Adair’s model is similar to Belbin’s model in action roles. In Belbin’s model, the completer finisher, implementer and shaper can be categorized as action-oriented roles. Task in Adair’s model is identical to the action-oriented roles in Belbin’s model. In both models, emphasis is placed on controlling and maintaining activities against some parameters. The persons involved in each stage monitor and maintain the overall performance against a predefined plan. For instance, the shaper, implementer and completer finisher thrive on pressure, turn ideas into action, and searches out errors respectively (Belbin, 2013, 9). Belbin’s and Tuckman’s models are similar in social roles. In the Tuckman’s formation stage, focus is on the leader. The teammates trust and rely on the leader’s guidance and leadership. In the Belbin’s model, coordinator, resource investigator, and teamworker can be categorized into social roles. For instance, the coordinator identifies talent, clarifies goals, and delegates duties effectively. The resource investigator explores opportunities and develops contacts between teammates. The teamworker listens and averts unnecessary friction (Belbin, 2013, 9). On the other hand, the leader in Tuckman’s model provides information, leads, and answers questions from members (Wilson, 2010, 2). Thus, it is evident that the two models are similar in social roles played by different individuals in a team. Adair’s model is similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In the Adrian’s model, the performance of a team depends on the satisfaction of individual members’ needs within the group. If the needs are satisfied, the individuals will perform their duties efficiently. The situation is similar to Maslow’s model whereby an individual seeks to satisfy higher-level needs. Unless the immediate needs are satisfied, the individual will not perform as expected. In the Adrian’s model, the leader is supposed to manage individuals by building them. Building an individual in Adrian’s model is similar to self-actualization in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The individual members can attain self-actualization by developing their skills in certain areas. Tuckman’s model is similar to Belbin’s model. In the Belbin’s model, a plant, specialist, and monitor evaluator can be categorized as thinking roles. The monitor evaluator weighs all options and judges accurately. The plant generates ideas and solves difficult problems facing the team. The specialist provides unique knowledge and skills within the team. Thus, from these roles, there is a concept of the unique contribution from a few individuals within a team. The similarities of these roles to Tuckman’s model are evident in the norming and performing stages. In the two Tuckman’s stages, everything within the group is operational due to unique contributions from different members. The team members in the norming and performing stages make unique contributions so that the team proceeds beyond the storming stage. Differences between team working theories Belbin versus Tuckman model In the Belbin’s model, emphasis is placed on individual roles that can contribute to efficient team building. However, in the Tuckman’s model, emphasis is put on the stages through which an efficient team is build. Thus, in the Belbin’s model, it may not be possible to identify the areas that make the team fail. Also, in the Tuckman’s model, it may not be possible to assess individual contribution towards the common good of the team. Belbin versus Adrian model In the Adrian model, emphasis is placed on one individual (the leader) unlike in Belbin’s model where the contributions of all members are put together. Because Adrian’s model puts much emphasis on the leader’s role, it can be used to distinguish leadership from management. Adrian’s model may not be used to gauge how to maximize individual contributions other than what the leader considers appropriate. Tuckman versus Maslow’s model The Tuckman model focuses on the stages that an efficient team undergoes while Maslow’s model focuses on the stages through which individuals pass as they seek self-actualization. Thus, Tuckman’s model reveals more about what strengthens or weakens a team while Maslow’s model reveals the factors that hinder individual progression towards self-actualization. Adrian versus Maslow’s model While the Adrian model is entirely focused on the leader’s role, Maslow’s model puts emphasis on both the leader and other members of the team. For instance, in the survival stage of Maslow’s model, the team will survive if there is an efficient manager and also if the employees think for themselves. Thus, team survival will depend on the manager and other team members. On the other hand, team survival in the initial stage of Adrian’s model only depends on the leader’s skills rather than the contributions of other members. A better model Out of the four team working theories discussed, I consider Belbin’s theory the better. It is because of its emphasis on individuals as a team. The model considers the contributions of individual members towards team building and also their efficiency while working as a team. Thus, it becomes a great platform when sharing or allocating roles. The model equips the team members with the necessary knowledge of where they fit properly in the team. The members will then have the opportunity of getting the best out of themselves. Personal perspective Tuckman’s model should be used to form a team while Belbin’s model should be used to keep the team together. When the team is undergoing difficult times during the storming stage, the Adrian and Maslow’s models should be used to build and guide the members in order to create unity. A leader should use Maslow’s model to identify the level of every member in the hierarchy. If this is done, the leader will be in a position of managing them effectively. Conclusion In any organization, working as a team is much better than working as an individual because of increased productivity. Thus, there is a need to build efficient teams in several organizations. But the task of building a working comes with its challenges, which may vary from organization to organization. However, the benefits of teamwork outweigh the challenges of building a team. In my opinion, when a team is in the storming stage of Tuckman’s model, the ideas of Adrian about managing individuals should be incorporated. The move will enable the team to overcome the difficult stage and progress towards the more rewarding stages. Also, the ideas of Adrian should be incorporated into Maslow’s model because of close resemblances. Reference List Belbin. (2013). ‘Method, Reliability & Validity, Statistics & Research: A Comprehensive Review of Belbin Team Roles.’ Belbin.com. Available at: www.belbin.com [Accessed 6 August 2014]. Jerome, Nyameh. (n.d). ‘Application of the Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory; impacts and implications on organizational culture, human resource and employee’s performance.’ International Journal of Business and Management Invention. Volume 2 Issue 3, March. 2013 PP.39-45. Available at: http://www.ijbmi.org/papers/Vol(2)3/Version-2/G233945.pdf [Accessed 6 August 2014]. Stellar Leadership. (n.d). ‘Action-Centred Leadership.’ Stellarleadership.com. Available at: http://www.stellarleadership.com/docs/Leadership/articles/Action%20Centred%20Leadership.pdf [Accessed 6 August 2014]. Wilson, Carol. (2010). ‘Bruce Tuckman’s Forming, Storming, Norming & Performing Team Development Model.’ Indiana.edu. Available at: http://www.indiana.edu/~t581qual/Week_4/Wilson_TuckmanTeamDevelopmentModel.pdf [Accessed 6 August 2014]. Read More