Leading Teams: Meeting Teams Where They Are
Everyone on your team is in a different place in their journey, and being an effective leader means meeting each person and the team as a whole where they are. There are signs leaders can look for and questions they can ask to determine “where is this person” and “what does my team need most from me right now.” Use the models in this blog to help you choose the best approach.
What is a team?
As defined by Katzenbach and Smith, a team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
Without these four shared qualities, a group of people who simply share a task may actually be more of a working group than a team. A working group may have a specific task that they come together to work on; however, they aren’t as reliant on each other's roles and talents, and the task may not contribute to an overall vision.
Identifying whether you are part of a working group or team can help you determine how best to support the group and what is needed for the group to come together.
The Journey of a Team (Tuckman Model)
The Tuckman Model is a tool for diagnosing where a team and the individuals on it are concerning their relationship with each other and their journey as a whole.
Phase I: Form
Why are we here?
When left unresolved, people may experience uncertainty and fear.
When resolved, people can find a sense of purpose and understanding of others
The leader’s role is to define a clear mission and goals, help the team get to know each other and their work styles and establish team norms and rhythms.
When establishing norms and rhythms, have team members outline their answers to the following prompts and put them somewhere they can be accessed and updated frequently.
What behaviors will help us work together?
What protocols do you prefer for team meetings? (i.e. How often? Via what platform?)
How will we communicate between meetings to stay aligned?
What steps will we take when conflict occurs?
How will we ensure everyone's ideas are heard?
How will we "team" for success? (i.e. Define roles and duties)
To help with this phase, we’ve provided a template that you can use to facilitate this conversion. Grab the template here.
Phase II: Storm
Who are we? What are we doing?
When left unresolved, skepticism, resistance, competition and conflict may arise.
When resolved, teams establish a sense of trust and reliability between one another.
The leader's role is to act as a coach and support problem-solving amongst the team.
Phase III: Norm
How will we do it? Who does what, when and where?
When left unresolved, dependence and misalignment may arise.
When resolved, roles and processes are clearly defined, resources are allocated and accessible and there is a disciplined execution.
The leader's role is to remove barriers, empower the team, check-in frequently, offer feedback, celebrate wins and facilitate decision-making.
Phase IV: Perform
When left unresolved, team members may feel overload or team disharmony may arise.
When resolved, there are opportunities for spontaneous interaction and surpassing results. Team members can keep up frequent communication with each other, ask for feedback.
The leader's role is to set back and allow team members room to work. Take time to envision the future, and think about how to keep practices sustainable and prevent burnout.
Phase V: Transform/Adjourn
What did we learn? How will we continue?
When left unresolved, it can lead individuals to experience burnout and frustration.
When resolved, teams can focus on learning and celebrating success. Appreciation is very important at this stage.
The leader’s role is to recognize wins, facilitate the ongoing learning process, help achieve a sense of closure and offer next steps and opportunities.
This step is often missed and when it doesn’t happen, the opportunity to learn and cement knowledge and practices is lost. It’s important to take time regularly to capture learnings and redesign working practices.
How To Lead Using This Model
While the team as a whole may be in one stage, individuals may find themselves in different stages, as one prepares to adjourn and another continues to perform. As a leader, you may find yourself working in multiple phases at the same time.
This model is not linear and you may find yourself or your team cycling through the stages. In the Tuckman model, it is common to find yourself in a “form-storm-norm” spiral. When a new team member joins, the team must be re-formed. If this step is skipped, uncertainty may prevent the team from re-norming.
TRY THIS: How Can I Meet My Team Where They Are? (5 MINS)
Think about your team. Even if you don't have direct reports, you can still use this to think about a team you are currently on.
Where is my team right now overall? (i.e., form, storm, norm, perform)
Where are some members vs. others?
How might you lead a team through a project or change, knowing this?
What's one thing you'd like to try over the next week?
Let's talk about adjourn:
What can you do to support a team as members leave?
What does the team need as a whole? What do individuals need?
Leading Situationally
The Blanchard model of situational leadership is a four box model featuring two axes: one measuring the level of direction needed and one measuring the level of support needed.
Situational Leadership (Blanchard Model)
Working relationships with high direction and low support are classified as directing relationships, (i.e., I do, you watch.)
Working relationships with high direction and high support are classified as coaching relationships, (i.e., We do together.)
Working relationships with low direction and high support are classified as supporting relationships, (i.e., You do, I watch.)
Working relationships with low direction and low support are classified as delegating relationships, (i.e., You do; I’m available as needed.)
Think of this model as a journey. It is common for teams and individuals to move through these stages. When a new employee is hired or a new team forms, there may be more directing. As they experience more and improve at their job(s), there may be more coaching and lots of feedback. As trust and confidence is built, they move into supporting and delegating.
As a leader, we may want to skip right to delegating, but people need different levels of support. The best way to determine what an individual needs is to present them with options and ask what they need.
At times, employees may need more support than you are able to provide, or employees may be in different stages at the same time. In these cases, you may delegate one employee to coach or direct another.
The Blanchard model aligns with the Tuckman model:
As a team is forming, they require more direction.
As a team is storming, they require more coaching.
As a team is norming, support is often enough.
As a team is performing well, you can relax into more delegation.
TRY THIS: How Might I Adjust My Leadership Style Situationally? (15 MINS)
Consider a project or change initiative that you’re working on.
Schedule a call or meeting with a member of this project or initiative who you might be confused about how to approach or lead.
Let them know why you called the meeting and that you’d like to ask them about how you can best support them.
Show the model and walk them through it.
Ask, “What do you feel that you need most right now?”
Design next steps around this feedback.
BONUS: Check in on this after a few weeks and see if they are ready to move into a different leadership space.
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This blog is part of a series — 10 Steps to Grow Yourself as a Leader:
