In my first blog post I thought I would continue along the same line with Kristiina about things relating to groups. So I look a bit into the subject that was also briefly discussed in class: how groups develop. This post is based on things said in the lecture and the ”Aspects of teamwork” - material.
Groups will typically go through five stages of development: forming, storming, norming, performing and mourning.
In the forming phase the group comes together. The roles of the group are defined, as well as goals, objectives and work plans. In this phase not much real work is achieved.
In the storming stage it is decided who controls the group and pecking order between members may be established. There can be fighting and competition in this stage and the group morale can be low. It is also said in the material that many groups do not develop beyond this stage because they can not resolve conflicts due to poor communication.
In the norming stage the group comes together better and members accept the team and its norms. Members usually try to avoid conflict and develop a high level of trust. They can also form friendships and usually have high group morale.
In the performing phase the group efficiency is at its highest and the group is capable of solving problems and making decisions. People in the group are also more likely to share personal problems and discuss group dynamics. Members also identify closely with the group and achieve much work. However some groups never reach this stage.
The mourning phase is the final stage of group development and applies more to contemporary teams. In this stage the group disbands and the members may feel happy or disappointed about how the group worked.
References:
http://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/eng/BENG0001/LEARNING/teamwork/index.html
0 comments:
Post a Comment