W16_TRI_ Tuckman and Leadership Analysis on Project Team “A”

1.      Problem recognition, definition and evaluation

Project team “A” had conducted activities in Define Phase (FEL 3) to finish some required deliverables such as FEED (Front End Engineering Loading), schedule and budget authorization.  The team needs to be assessed to obtain and improve team performance.

2.      Development of the feasible alternative

Bruce Tuckman stated in 1965 that teams normally go through four stages of development: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. A decade later, Tuckman updated the model with fifth stage, Adjourning, to describe the break up team after project completed. For 40 years, that model has become reference in many modern corporates in analyzing their team growth.

Figure 1. Team Stages (source: Wilson, 2010)

3.      Development of the outcome

The Tuckman model was used to stage the project team stages. The team was divided into two categories, i.e. engineering and planning team, in order to see the consistency. The test took about 25 minutes on average to complete. Here is the result of the test.

Figure 2. Tuckman Test Result (source: author)

4.      Selection of criteria

Based on Figure 2, the team was on Performing stage, in which the assessment was resulted either from engineering and planning team.

5.      Analysis

It was excited seeing the result that the team had positioned in Performing stage. Referring to Donclark (2010), the Performing includes the feelings and behaviors as follows:

ü  Members have insights into personal and group processes

ü  An understanding of each other's strengths and weakness

ü  Constructive self-change

ü  Ability to prevent or work through group problems

ü  Close attachment to the team

6.      Selection of alternative

There are 4 main Leadership Styles based on Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership (HBSL) Theory:

a)      Telling, Leader tell what and how to do

b)      Selling, Leader “sell” the message to get the team onboard by provide information and direction.

c)       Participating, Leader focus on the relationship, works with the team, and shares decision-making responsibilities

d)      Delegating, Leader monitor the progress and less involved in decision

“Telling” & “Selling” style are focused on getting the task done, while “Participating” & “Delegating” style are more concerned on developing team abilities to work independently. According to HBSL theory and Tuckman-based team stage, the most acceptable leadership style for “A” team are Participating and Delegating.

7.      Performance monitoring and post-evaluation of results

Although the team was already in Performing stage, the results still indicated it was also in transition period between Forming-Storming and Norming-Performing. The team growth was in forming because there were some members were not well informed about the project status was, included the retender process due to high bidder price. On the other side, the team was also in performing since it successfully worked out some deliverables required in Define Phase (FEL 3).

To summarize, the result of Tuckman assessment was fairly accurate and consistent since the test completed by all team members. And the leadership style should be taken are Participating and Delegating which are more focused on developing team abilities to work independently.

References:

·         Donclark. (2010). Matrix Teams. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadtem2.html

·         http://www.cscaweb.org/EMS/sector_team/support_files/tools_for_the_team/tool_stage.pdf

·         The Harsey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory, retrieved from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_84.htm

·         Wilson, Carol. (2010). Bruce Tuckman’s Forming, Storming, Norming & Performing Team Development Model. Retrieved from www.performancecoachtraining.com