Team Building

Working in a Team

  • Achieve goals by maximizing each member’s abilities
  • Build a team to accomplish this :arrow_right: Team Building
  • Turn 1 + 1 into 10
  • A mere collection of individuals is not enough

If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together. — African proverb

Building a Strong Team

  • Sharing goals and challenges as a team (shared vision)
  • Coordination and communication within the team (teamwork)
  • Providing feedback that fosters individual growth (skill development)
  • Clarifying roles and responsibilities within the team

Notes

  • A shared vision gives the team direction and motivation.
  • Good teamwork requires open communication and mutual trust.
  • Constructive feedback helps individuals improve and contributes to overall team performance.
  • Clear roles reduce confusion and help team members take ownership of their contributions.

Group Development Model (Tuckman’s Model)

  1. Forming（形成期）
    • In the forming stage, team members come together, get acquainted, and begin to understand their roles and responsibilities.
  2. Storming（混乱期）
    • The storming stage is characterized by conflicts, differing opinions, and struggles over roles and influence within the team.
  3. Norming（統一期）
    • During the norming stage, the team establishes norms, shared values, and a sense of cohesion and group identity.
  4. Performing（機能期）
    • The performing stage marks the point at which the team achieves high maturity, collaboration, and productivity.

Forming & Storming Stages

Ensuring Psychological Safety

  • A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking
  • Team members feel confident that others will not reject, punish, or humiliate them for speaking up

Common Barriers

  • Fear of being seen as ignorant :arrow_right: Avoid asking questions
  • Fear of being seen as incompetent :arrow_right: Hide mistakes
  • Fear of being seen as disruptive or negative :arrow_right: Stop making suggestions or speaking up

How to Foster Psychological Safety

  • Change the environment (e.g., one-on-one conversations, informal gatherings like team meals)
  • Encourage participation and actively seek everyone’s input
  • Consider who and what your comments serve
    (e.g., team goals, users, project success)
  • Show respect to others when they speak

Notes

  • Psychological safety is especially critical during the Forming and Storming stages of team development.
  • Leaders and team members alike play a role in creating a safe and open team climate.
  • Without it, learning and collaboration are severely hindered.

Norming & Performing Stages

Setting Team Goals

  • A team cannot function effectively without shared goals
  • The goal must be something that everyone agrees with and empathizes with
  • In the Forming and Storming stages, it is difficult to define such a shared goal
  • A temporary or imposed goal (set by only one person) is unlikely to work
  • Goals can (and should) evolve over time

Clarifying Roles

  • Identify what roles are needed for the team to succeed
  • Team members differ in skills, abilities, and values
  • Assign roles that match each member’s strengths and perspectives
  • Don’t dump tasks on someone without regard for fit or growth
  • Use pair work or mentoring to build skills and support learning
  • Roles may shift over time — that’s okay and even desirable

Notes

  • In the Norming stage, trust and cohesion begin to form — now is the time to build structure.
  • In the Performing stage, the team is productive, autonomous, and adaptable.
  • Clear goals and well-matched roles are essential for long-term success and member satisfaction.

Summary

  • Team building is essential for achieving shared goals and maximizing individual strengths.
  • The Group Development Model (Tuckman’s Model) describes four stages:
    Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.
  • Psychological safety is crucial for open communication and collaboration,
    especially in the early stages.
  • Setting shared goals and clarifying roles are key to building a strong, effective team.