In pre-workshop interviews when I begin working with a team, I ask everyone, “So, how good is this team on a scale of 1 to 10?”. Most people will score their team around 7, 8 or 9. I then ask a second question: “OK, but really, in terms of unity of purpose, unity of vision and unity of action, how good is this team?”. “Ah well,” is the usual response, “if you’re talking in those terms, errr … 3 or 4?”

We all know that a team should have ‘unity of purpose, unity of vision and unity of action’ if it is to perform its function; that it should be ‘greater than the sum of its parts’; that it should enable its members to achieve things that they can’t do on their own. Some of us have experienced such a team or are lucky enough to be in one – but all of us have experienced teams that are not teams by this definition at all, that in reality are just groups of people that try to work together …

Why do we team members so often experience conflict, competition, withdrawal, self-protection, ego and fear instead of cooperation, commitment, creativity, challenge, unity and trust? What gets in the way of a group of people transforming itself into a high-performing team?

We do, you and I – we get in the way. Because when you or I enter a group of people we are subjected to a whole host of emotional and psychological needs and paradoxes.

Prime amongst these is our need to belong – if we are not careful, this can override everything, even our deepest values and the truths we hold dear, because it is so deeply embedded in us from our first moments. If our parents rejected us, what would happen? If our tribe, our gang, our friends – which later becomes our workmates, our boss, our company – reject us, what will happen? Catastrophe, of course!

On top of this are the paradoxes we experience in a group. For example, I want to be an accepted member of the group, but I don’t want to lose my individuality; I want people to trust me, but can I trust them?; I want strong, clear leadership, but I don’t want to be told what to do …

You know Tuckman’s classic 4 stages of team creation – Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing?

The problem lies in the fact that the first three phases are usually allowed to happen by default – the team ‘forms’ because the people present have the needed functions or job titles; the ‘storming’ takes place on the basis of individual emotional/psychological need and insecurities – who needs attention/control/to be liked/to dominate etc. (recognise these in your team?); and, therefore, the interpersonal behavioural ‘norms’ that result have nothing to do with the team’s purpose or needs. This is where Lencioni’s ‘5 Dysfunctions of a Team’ come from. This is why most teams only perform to about 40% to 60% of their potential.

How to overcome this? By focusing first on how the team does what it does, not what. By being intentional about your team’s Forming, Storming and Norming:

1. At the forming stage, focus everyone’s attention on the Purpose of the team
2. Focus the storming phase on identifying the Team Values by which it will fulfill its purpose, and enable each individual to contract with the team on what they will do to fulfill those values
3. Set the team norms on the basis of these values by developing ‘Rules of Engagement’ – we do this, we do not do that; we expect this, we do not accept that – and enable every member to contract with everyone else on the basis of these ‘rules’.

And give people the choice. If anyone can’t accept and commit to the behaviours and rules of engagement that the team has agreed, let them go and find someone who can …

To see me talk more on team development, see Developing Team Performance by ScreenpostVideo and High Performing Leadership Teams by xleadership

Picture credit: Photoconcepts/Frank And Helena/Getty