WHY TUCKMAN WAS CROWNED KING
This was a real toughie. The choice lay between Belbin and Tuckman with Wheelan a very close third. I’ve used Belbin extensively in the past but opted for Tuckman because he emphasises the actions you need to take to forge a group of individuals into a great team. His process is simple but brilliant. You need to get them:
- together;
- talking;
- thinking along the same lines;
- resolving conflicts; and
- taking responsibility for their own work/performance.
When choosing team members, it’s not only essential to have people with the skills Belbin identified but also people who can complement your strengths and compensate for your weaknesses.
Once you have your team, spend time clarifying your aims and objectives. Whatever your aim is you can only ‘build it’ if you have a clear picture of what ‘it’ will look like when complete. Don’t go off half-cocked. Be certain about where you want to go before you take a single step. Only then should you brief each person individually on their roles and responsibilities. Then brief the entire team on who is responsible for what. This will clarify roles and responsibilities, eliminate confusion and enable the team to hold its own members to account.
As the team starts to work and develop its own personality be aware that you may need to change your management style. Part of any maturation process involves learning to deal with your own problems. At some stage, you must give the group the freedom to deal with its own conflicts. You may be tempted to intervene but if you do you’ll stunt team growth.