Stages of group development
Project managers are entrusted with the responsibility to expose certain attributes for enhancing the personality. These attributes are motivation, competence, precised decision making capability and leadership skills. When the managers are regulating the performance of the team members, they need to expose confidence and enthusiasm towards the allocated duties and responsibilities. Here, one of the other essential qualities of the manager is effective communication skills.
This assignment attempts to develop a reflective journal on the aspect of relocating the office. This would be done through the means of Tuckman’s stages of team development. Along with this, several other methods would be incorporated within the discussion. Focus of the assignment is on the project of self-reflection upon working with the project management team. However, organizational theories have been used for enhancing the awareness towards the projection of teamwork. The usage of the theory has been done with minimal scrutiny.
There is no doubt that there was intense pressure from the beginning of the project. The project related activities had to be completed within a time frame of 3 months. The stages of the team development exposed various characteristics. I felt that the group devoted most of the time venturing through the storming and norming stages.
At the initial stage, the members were divided into a team comprising of five members. The task was a brainstorming one, as language barriers were one of the crucial challenges. Along with this, absence of prior experience was a major issue. Keeping these issues in mind, a Sharepoint was created and the discussions occurred through Whatsapp. The creation of the site proved beneficial for the team members in terms of discussing the issues, which they encountered in the process of executing the assigning the allocated duties and responsibilities. The team members regularly met and discussed the issues. I felt priviledged upon the creation of the Sharepoint, as it resulted in the transfer of knowledge from one team member to the other. This transfer of knowledge broadened our preconceived knowledge, skills, competencies and abilities. This expansion was assistance for us in terms of undertaking prospective decisions for making the project successful.
It was very disappointing when the team members did not respond to the Whatsapp messages. This compelled me to call face to face meetings, as I would be able to gain an insight into the approaches of the members regarding the levied responsibilities. In the absence of the team leader, I was assigned the responsibility to lead the team. Therefore, forming stage witnessed the emergence of two leaders.
Reluctance of the team members compelled the team leaders to exercise control. In this case of office relocation, others were provided the chance of taking control of the team performance. The emergence of many leaders resulted in a power struggle, leading to confusion, as to whom to approach upon encountering doubts. I took the opportunity to relax and observe the situation. Instead, I thought of devoting the time in completing the other project related activities. I think that undertaking challenging and enduring tasks helps me in proving my skills, capabilities and talents. I feel that this approach of mine is flexible enough to improve the team dynamics. I think participative leadership style proved beneficial in terms of providing the platform to the members to raise their voice over the issues, which they are facing while executing the allocated duties and responsibilities.
Forming
One of most crucial challenges of this stage was the lack of trust between the team members. When there was no need for duplication, the works were repeated which delayed completion of the activities. This compelled me to adopt a resentful approach towards the team members. Discussing the issues with the team members would have helped me to solve the issues. I thought discussing the issues with the team members would obstruct the creation of ideas. However, I realized that discussing the issues with the team members would have enhanced my awareness towards the approach, which I am supposed to display when I am leading the team.
I can refer to one of the team members, who was constantly finding faults within the performance of the others. I can place him under the category of black hat (refer to appendix 2). He mis-utilized my appreciation and maintained consistency in finding fault within others. When I asked his opinion, he pretended to be passive and agreed to my instructions. The attitude of this particular team member compelled me to perceive the situation different perspectives would broaden my skills, knowledge, expertise and capabilities.
The characteristics of the norming stage was presentation. There was coordination within the team members. I need to point out that the team members obeyed my instructions and delivered the assigned work within the stipulated time. After the completion of the presentation, I made the team members aware of the stages proposed by Belbin for exposure of collaborative output (refer to appendix 3). I think instead of delegating the works, being conscious about the performance is fruitful. Experience from the military background helped me in this aspect. I felt that delegation was needed in terms of maintaining equality in terms of dividing the tasks between the team members. Considering the capability of the team members is crucial in terms of allocating the duties and responsibilities.
I think the team members are not yet prepared for entering into the performing stage. This is because of lack of commitment towards the allocated duties and responsibilities and handing over the assigned work on time. Being an ex-military, I exposed my punctuality in the meetings and discussions. However, it fills me with immense sadness that the team members were not at all punctual, which delayed the transmission of instructions. Therefore, I can highlight that time management is one of the essential characteristics, which I need to make the team members learn.
I can refer about the approach of the member, who was assigned with the task of preparing the Gantt chart. I think judging the people needs to be based on their approach towards modification of the mistakes. When he was asked about the delay, he said that he thought the time was four months. Moreover, he also claimed that he would provide justification, as there is no time for redo. According to my opinion, providing justification does not aligns with the characteristics of the performing stage. I can point to the day, when I had to wake up at five, for upgrading the standard of the project. I felt that altering the work of the others would demotivate them. However, I felt that correcting their mistakes would help them learn better. I feel a brainstorming session at the initial stage would have enhanced the clarity of the members about the ways and means of performing the tasks. The sessions would have proved beneficial in enhancing the awareness of the members towards undertaking rational decisions in the process of executing the assigned duties.
Storming
As the duration of the project was short, I failed to create relationship with the team members. However, I would meet them in the university, where I can discuss about any specific issue, which needs to be communicated.
Overall, I was satisfied with the quality of work submitted by the team members. I think of the team members contributed more, the quality of the project would have been better. Carrying out the project in a real world environment would have enriched the ethics of the team members. I think the member with whom I had more conflicts, would be my next project partner. Keeping aside the conflicts, the team members strived for exposing quality work in terms of executing the allocated tasks in an efficient and effective manner.
I feel my learning needs to be improved in terms of delegating the tasks in an efficient and effective manner. Approaching the tasks from different perspectives would be helpful in terms of expanding the knowledge horizons. Along with this, I would be able to reach the appropriate decisions for the issues. I need to increase my adjustability skills in terms of understanding that my co-workers hail from different socio-cultural background. Preconceived experience from the military background can have noticeable implications in this aspect. Apart from this, I need to work upon my communication skills. Attending spoken English classes would bring fluency in my communication skills. This fluency is needed in terms of luring the team members towards my propositions.
Conclusion
I think motivation is one of the most important attribute, which the managers need to expose towards the team members. I agree that I indulged in conflict with one of the team members. This was due to the sudden responsibilities, which I was to perform in the absence of the team leader. I felt that organizing brainstorming session would have proved beneficial in terms of enhancing the awareness about the execution of project related activities. Along with this, I personally felt that motivation would have generated urge among the team members towards exposing better performance. I could have exposed strategic planning in terms of providing technological training to the team members. This would have benefitted in terms of helping them in coping up with the intense pressure within short time.
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