Going from Group to
Team… Enjoying the
Bumpy Ride
SARA A. REED, ED.D.
“
The way a team plays as a whole determines its
success. You may have the greatest bunch of
individual stars in the world, but if they don't play
together, the club won't be worth a dime. ~Babe
Ruth
Learning Objectives:
•
Learn about the phases of team development
•
Distinguish between groups and teams
•
Develop a better understanding of team dynamics
•
Learn techniques to build a team
”
Overview

Get to know each other

4 Stages of a team

Conflict in Teams

Characteristics of effective teams

Team Building Tools
Setting the Stage: Why are we
here?

Name

Something interesting that happened to you in the
last week

What you think is the difference between groups &
teams
Who am I?

Dr. Sara Reed

Wife, Mom, Higher Education Administrator,
Reserve officer

Director of UC Davis’ Shared Services Center

20 years studying and practicing leadership ,
especially in building teams

Passionate about growth of others

My assumptions about leadership:

Leaders are everywhere, not based on position

Leaders are passionate about something – a
place they want to see a change or make a
difference

Leaders are developed individually and enjoy a
journey each our own

Leadership learning is for a lifetime… you don’t
“arrive” at being a leader
Small Group Discussion Questions

Why are teams important?

How would you describe your current or recent experiences with
teams?
Individual Reflection/Group
Discussion


3 minutes individual

Think about a time you were a part of a team (or a current team), what
phase do you think your team is in now?

What are examples of behavior, etc. that you saw as the team was
forming?
3 minutes for shared group discussion

What themes do you see across your groups?
Question: Conflict in Teams

What role do you think conflict has
in teams?

How can conflict help a team or
damage a team?
Conflict in Teams
Functional Conflict
Dysfunctional Conflict

Derails team from intent

Creates anxiety or pain around
teamwork

Expands team knowledge

Avoids group think

People change and grow personally from
the conflict

Disrupts ability to arrive at shared
goals

Results in a solution to a problem

No decision is reached and problem
still exists

increases involvement of everyone
affected by the conflict

Diverts energy away from more
value-add activities

Builds cohesiveness among the members
of the team

Destroys the morale of the team
members

Polarizes or divides the team
Common Sources of Team/Group
Conflict

Values of team members

Attitudes of team members

Goals/Expectations - the processes and expected outcomes

Roles and responsibilities of team members

Limited resources

Personalities

Interdependency

Increased interaction (frequency)
Source: Cappozzoli (1995) and Alessandra (1993):
Small Group Discussion

What characteristics do you think an
effective team has?
Characteristics of Effective Team
1. Clear unity of purpose.
2. Self-conscious about its own operations.
3. Clear and demanding performance goals
4. Informal, comfortable, relaxed atmosphere
5. Active discussion with robust participation
Sources: The Human Side of Enterprise, by Douglas MacGregor The Wisdom of Teams, by Kaztenbach and Smith
Characteristics of Effective Team
(cont.)
6. Freedom of expression in feelings and ideas
7. Disagreement exists and is viewed as good.
8. Decision making comes from general agreement.
9. Each individual carries his or her own weight
10. Criticism is frequent, frank and relatively comfortable.
11. Leadership of the group shifts from time to time.
Leaders’ Role in Teambuilding: Small Group
Discussions

What can leaders do to facilitate team building?

As a team member, what type of leader have you most admired?
Least admired?

What types of team building have you experienced that have been
helpful (or not)?
So what can I do to build a high-performing
team?

Set clear rules of behavior

Practice patience – team building is a process, not an event

Be creative in ways to help team members get to know each other

Build in time for knowing each other as people

Consider use of a tool (e.g. MBTI, Strengthfinders, Whole Brain, etc.)
to facilitate individual learning and team appreciation of
differences

Teach the members of your group or team the team building
process

Provide a challenging performance goal

Exploit the power of positive feedback, recognition, and reward
“
Questions?
”
References

Characteristics of Effective Teams. http://www.stanford.edu/class/e140/e140a/effective.html

“Teambuilding: Maximizing Team Performance.” http://www.dsperformancegroup.com/?submit=TB

“12 Tips for Team Building.” http://humanresources.about.com/od/involvementteams/a/twelve_tip_team.htm

Team Building Exercises for Tough Times:
https://hbr.org/2009/03/teambuilding-exercises-for-tou.html
The New Science of Building Great Teams
https://hbr.org/2012/04/the-new-science-of-building-great-teams
Cappozzoli, Thomas K. (1995, Dec). Resolving conflict within teams. Journal for Quality and Participation. v18n7, p. 28-30.
Alessandra, Tony Ph.D. & Hunsaker, Phil Ph.D. (1993) Communicating at Work. New York: Fireside Publishers.