5 Stages of Team Development

5 Stages of Team Development5 Stages of Team DevelopmentOrganizations have used gruppes for years with some mora successful than others. In a quest to determine why so many teams failed to achieve their goals, team development became a hot topic. The differences between successful and unsuccessful teams were studied, and organizations gradually learned to manage teams more effectively through all of their stages of development and contribution. Successful Team Development Traditionally, a team goes through five stages of development, with each stage presenting its own challenges. The goal is for a cohesive team of people to produce a positive outcome that contributes to the success of the organization. Proper Team Support The team and the organization take specific actions at each stage to support the teams success inaccomplishing its mission. Supporting the team at each stage of development will help it accomplish its goal. With a thoughtful look at each stage of team developmen t, you can solve problems before they derail the team. You canleid treat a team the same at each stage of its development because the stages dictate different support actions. behauptung support actions, taken at the right time, will allow your teams to develop and successfully meet their challenges. Leadership Is Key Most importantly, at each stage, the behavior of the leader must adapt to the changing and developing needs of the group. An effective leader who other members of the team want to followis indispensable when the group is trying to progress through the stages of development. Generally, the leader reports to a manager. The manager, as the team sponsor, must understand how to support the team at each stage of development. This understanding by company leadership is critical to the teams success. Stages of Team Development Dr. Bruce W. Tuckman, a professor of educational psychology at the Ohio State University, who researched the theory of group dynamics, published one of his theories in 1965 called Tuckmans Stages of Group Development. Thus, emerged a four-stage team development model, Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing, with a fifth stage, Adjourning, added in 1977. The five stages of team development include suggested actions to best support the team Forming A group of people comes together to accomplish a shared purpose. Their initial success will depend on their familiarity with each others work style, their experience on prior teams, and the clarity of their assigned mission. As a sponsor, your role is to help the team members get to know each other whether you offer team building activities or just a listening ear.Storming Disagreement about mission, vision, and ways to approach the problem or assignment are constant at this stage of development. This struggle is combined with the fact that team members are still getting to know each other, learning to work with each other, and growing familiar with the interaction and communicatio n of group members. As a sponsor, once again, your role is to help the team get to know each other whether you offer team building activities or just a listening ear. Help your team leader clarify each of these assignments so that the team succeeds. Norming The team has consciously or unconsciously formed working relationships that are enabling progress on the teams objectives. The members have consciously or unconsciously agreed to abide by certain group norms and they are becoming functional at working together. As a sponsor, ask for periodic updates from the team. Regularly check the teams progress at agreed-upon intervals and critical steps on the path to a successful conclusion.Performing Relationships, team processes, and the teams effectiveness in working on its objectives are syncing to bring about a successfully functioning team. This is the stage at which the real work of the team is progressing. As a sponsor, ask for periodic updates from the team. Help solve problems and provide input as needed. Make sure that team members are communicating with all of the other appropriate parties in your workplace. Adjourning The team has completed its mission or purpose and it is time for team members to pursue other goals or projects. As a sponsor, make sure that the team schedules an ending ceremony. Whether they debrief the project and discuss how the team could have been more successful or they just order pizza, you will want to mark a clear ending to the team or project. These stages can be applied to all teams. However, in the case of ongoing teams, such as a department team, social media team, a customer service team, the Ending stage is not applicable. The length of time necessary for progressing through these stages depends on the experience, knowledge, and skills of the members and the support they receive. In addition, teams may work at varying rates based on issues and obstacles they may encounter, such as changing team members, tasks, and goals. Closing Thoughts The purpose of creating teams is to provide a framework that will increase the ability of employees to participate in planning, problem-solving, and decision making to better serve customers. Increased participation promotes A better understanding of decisionsMore support for and participation in implementation plansIncreased contribution toproblem-solvingand decision makingMore ownership of decisions, processes, and changes In order for teams to fulfill their intended role of improving organizational effectiveness, it is critical that they develop into working units that are focused on their goal, mission, or reason for existing. They do this by effectively progressing through the stages of development.

Dalai Lama has the antidote to destructive emotions

Dalai Lama has the antidote to destructive emotionsDalai Lama has the antidote to destructive emotionsEmotions are deceiving - some can even pollute urmind.In a groundbreaking move, the Dalai Lama joined forces with top Western psychologists with a lofty mission. He purposefully wanted to put religion aside. hThe ultimate goal?He wants to help turn people into mora self-aware, compassionate humans. If we can learn to navigate ur (destructive) emotions, we will be able to achieve calmness and inner-peace.Any person capable of angering you becomes yur master. EpictetusOur emotions shape our lives, not just our thoughts and behavior. However, in western culture, managing our emotions is associated with moral and social interaction, not for being a good person. Unlike Buddhists, we dont think of emotions as a way to a harmonious inner-life.But, what happens when we bring both science and Buddhism together? Thats what the Dalai Lama found out.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders mag azines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraThe Science ofEmotionsWestern science has been measuring what mental hygiene looks like for ages - unfortunately, most studies have created division, rather than alignment, among experts.The Dalai Lama imagined a map of our emotions to develop a calm mind. He asked renowned emotion scientist, Dr. Paul Ekman, to realize his idea but to keep religion out of it.The first step Ekman took was finding some common ground among scientists - his survey provided a shared foundation to how emotions work. The majority of experts agree thatEmotions are universell - facial signals to emotions are similar across cultures tooWe all experience five fundamental emotions anger, fear, disgust, sadness, and enjoymentThere are universal triggers to emotionWe getangrywhen something blocks us or when we think were being treated unfairly.Sadnessis a response to loss - feeling sad allows us to take a timeout and show others that we need support.Feelingdisgustedbywhat is toxichelps us avoid being poisoned - both physically or socially. Ourfearof danger lets us anticipate threats to our safety.Enjoymentdescribes the many good feelings that arise from experiences both novel and familiar.Thoughts are private emotions are public.According to Dr. Paul Ekman, Professor of Psychology at UCSF we can know someones emotion, but not the thought that provoked it. He cites the example of someone whos fearful when arrested. Is he afraid because he was caught or because he is innocent?Emotions are an instant brain response - they happen to us, we dont choose them.But, when do emotions become destructive?Science says all emotions are natural and okay, and that emotions become destructive only when they are expressed inappropriately. For example, its normal to experience sadness when someone dies, but a depressed person is sad in an inappropriate way.Buddhism, on the other hand, believes that destructive emotions are obstacles - we must overcome them to achieve happiness.Constructive emotions help improve a situation destructive emotions make it worse.The Emotional TimelineThe Atlas of Emotions is a visual representation of what researchers have learned from studying emotion. It helps us be aware of our emotions - how they are triggered, what they feel like, and how we can respond.Dr. Ekman, who formerly worked as an advisor in Pixars Inside Out film, recalled the Dalai Lama telling him When we wanted to get to the New World, we needed a map. So make a map of emotions so we can get to a calm state.Our emotions unfold on a timeline - they begin with a trigger that initiates the emotional experience and ultimately results in a response.The trigger occurs in a context defined by our circumstances and feelings, the event itself, and our worldview. The same stimulus can lead to different responses.For example, we might suppress feelings of frustration at work, but express our frustrat ion by yelling at a family member at home. Emotion suppression can create a short-term win - like avoiding an argument - but can become destructive if you are hurt by not speaking up for yourself.Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame. BenjaminFranklinNot all emotions are equal - they have varying shapes and intensities. For example, annoyance is a mild expression ofanger, while fury is the most extreme version of that same emotion.Our emotional experience clouds our perception of a situation - we filter people and events through our emotions. Your reaction can turn an emotion into a destructive one.Emotions are a signal - they can prevent danger, or get you in trouble.Our response is the last element - and the most important one - of the emotional timeline. Although its not always easy to control our emotions, some responses are moredestructivethan others. Rather than reacting to them, we must learn to understand our emotions.In the past, compassion was something of a sig n of weakness, or anger a sign of power, a sign of strength. Basic human nature is more compassionate. Thats the real basis of our hope. Dalai LamaDestructive emotions, according to Daniel Goldman, refer to an emotion that can lead us to harm ourselves and others - either mentally or physically.Though anger, paralyzing fear, and depression are the most frequent ones, almost any emotion can cause harm. Craving and addiction - even an obsessive pursuit of happiness - can become destructive.Emotions distort our ability to think clearly making it more difficult to choose the right response. After a destructive emotion arises, there is a refractory period - we dont let new information enter our mind, andwe keep rehashing one particular emotion.Time and distance help us gain clarity and make better choices.Take the example of a colleague that frequently arrives late to a meeting. You might think s/he is deliberately insulting you and interpret everything s/he does as a personal attack .Therapy, mindfulness, and meditation train our mind to shorten the refractory period - we learn to reflect rather than being blinded by our feelings.By increasingself-awareness, we learn to pause before we respond and choose a constructive reaction.The Antidote to Destructive EmotionsScientists have learned that recurring negative emotions can create long-term harm.Thats the case of people who suffer fromcynical hostility,a pattern defined by high anger and frequent thoughts that others cant be trusted. People who experience cynical hostility tend to get more cardiovascular disease and oftendie at younger ages.The antidote to a destructive emotion is a constructive emotion.To fight anger, hatred, and fear, we must develop compassion, love, and patience. Destructive emotions are impulsive - they are based on misconceptions and illogical reasons. Constructive emotions are realistic - they are grounded in valid observation and reasoning.The Dalai Lama recommends we use valid reason ing to develop a mental state to overcome destructive emotions.For example, love, as an antidote to anger, must be cultivated through reasoning.A calm mind directly leads to peace of mind DalaiLamaThe result of constructive emotions is a calm mind - we see and experience life more vividly and realistically.What destroys a calm mind?Fear, suspicion, hatred, anger, greed, and too much ambition.The Dalai Lama believes that Just as we teach about physical hygiene in the interest of good health, we now need to teach about emotional hygiene.Dr. Mark Greenberg, Professor at Pennsylvania State University, trains young children how to manage their destructive emotions, especially anger. His program helps children calm down - to decrease the refractory period - and become more aware of emotional states in themselves and others.The programcoaches kids to discuss their feelings as a way to solve problems, plan ahead to avoid difficulties, and be aware of the effects their behavior has on oth ers.Children learn to identify the various emotions and their opposites. They use a set of cards with different facial expressions of emotions, so others know how theyre feeling.Greenbergs approach teaches that emotions are important signals, but we must be calm to behave appropriately.The Dalai Lama coined the termEmotional sauberkeitto encourage us to get anger, frustration, and anxiety, under control. Negative emotions cloud our mind - we must wash them away.The spiritual leader believes that, in plus-rechnen to managing destructive emotions, we need to cultivate positive ones as well. Although they may not be usable in the heat of the moment, positive emotions build a good foundation - they strengthen your emotional immune system.Scientists agree that when we practice something positive often, our brain changes for the better.How to Develop Emotional HygieneThe same way we learn standards of physical hygiene, we must develop our emotional hygiene. Start by increasing your emot ional awareness - you want to understand your emotions, not get rid of them.1. Recognize emotionsTake time to step back and observe your emotions. How do you feel? What do you experience? Naming our emotions is the first step to increase awareness.Learn to discriminate your feelings - some people confuse anger with fear. Get familiar with how each emotion manifests. The post below can help you dive deeper into each emotion.2. Know thetriggersUnderstand what sets you off. Recognize the signals or stimuli that can cloud your judgment. Are there any particular event, context, or person that usually triggers destructive emotions?Review recent incidents and use the Emotional Timeline to reflect on your reactions.Trigger ? Emotional Reaction ? Behavioral ResponseWhat have you learned? What would you do differently next time? Why?3. Connect with yourbodyOur facial language is not the only way we communicate our emotions. Recognize how your feelings affect your body. Notice changes in you r breathing pattern, body temperature, heart rate, muscle knots, skin sensitivity, etc.Our body is a great emotional conductor - notice your physical well-being and reactions. Learn to prevent tensions or to avoid damaging your body, by making space before you act - dont let emotions create damaging patterns.4. Manage your reactionsReflect on how you usually react to a specific situation? Learn to pause before you respond. Emotions usually create a quick impulse to react, by training our mind, we make room to think before our emotions hijack our behavior.The following mindfulness exercises are a great start to help you pause, reflect, and be more present.5. Adjust andlearnEmotional Hygiene requires learning to perceive, appraise and express our emotions accurately. You emotion-management ability not only improves well-being and social interactions but will also help you overcome limiting behaviorssuch as procrastination.Training your mind is not a linear path - it requires ongoin g practice and adjustments. If you feel angry, learn to deal with that anger. You need to let go of that emotion to act more skillfully.Practice will improve your ability, but dont get frustrated when you get back to overreacting mode. Be patient and kind to yourself.A clean mind creates space for loving-kindness, compassion, and happiness. Emotional Hygiene is the antidote to destructive emotions.The Atlas of Emotionsis a powerful visual tool to help you familiarize with your feelings. Play with it. The interactive map lets you click through the emotional timeline from identifying emotions to exploring its multiple layers and expressions.This article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Save HR Dollars, Learn to Onboard Like a Pro

Save HR Dollars, Learn to Onboard Like a ProSave HR Dollars, Learn to Onboard Like a ProIts a well-known fact that one of the largest staffing related costs businesses face is employee turnover. During the hiring and firing process, employee turnover costs the average company approximately 150% of an individuals total compensation package. Whats perhaps not as well known is that an effective onboarding plan can help drastically decrease employee turnover. The result is not only seen in immediate dollars and cents savings. A successful onboarding strategy also contributes to employee productivity which has a corresponding effect on staffing output and your ultimate bottom line. While developing such a program may seem like a time and resource consuming task, in reality, many of the most common solutions require little in the way of resource expenditure and a modest amount of planning. The three largest goals of any onboarding plan should include helping your new hire get up to speed i n their job role, orienting the employee on company culture and policies, and integrating the individual positively within the new team. The best onboarding processes begin early at the recruiting stage and continue throughout the first six months to a year of employment. Here we break down how to craft an effective onboarding plan and provide advice for implementation that cost less than $100 total for each new role.Stagger Your New HiresWhile the tendency may be to combine multiple hiring opportunities into unified start dates, the reality is that this approach often stretches existing limited HR and training resources. Whenever possible, stagger your new hires by several weeks to allow your key onboarding professionals time to get back to tackling their everyday tasks. Even in larger companies that have dedicated training and hiring personnel, scheduling your new groups of candidates by priority will allow the best application of resources and will keep your existing team fresh a nd energetic.Take Advantage of EfficienciesThat being said about staggering if you have the opportunity to onboard several new hires within the saatkorn department or with similar job functions every effort should be made to bring the new employees on with the same start date. Not only will you save resources by offering one training to several individuals, but there are also proven benefits to establishing strong working and team relationships at the outset of any new employment. Evaluate your anticipated and one-off hiring needs in order to determine the right balance between optimization and over taxation of your hiring and training staff. Treat Each Position IndividuallyWeve all heard the common idiom about trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Much like our childhood building blocks games, treating the onboarding process the same across all company job levels and descriptions often lead to a one-size-does-not-fit-all scenario. While there will be certain essential HR or ientation and company-wide training that apply to all hires, individual department and seniority level specific training strategies should be utilized to help make the onboarding process as impactful and useful as possible. Create a Mentorship StructurePerhaps one of the most vital tools in any successful onboarding process is a companys existing talent pool. Current longterm and otherwise standout employees can provide vital support, mentoring, and leadership to newer counterparts. Hiring managers should identify current team members that display an acumen for guiding and mentoring current staff. These individuals should be partnered with new hires to help provide the kind of firsthand guidance that cannot be replaced by an employee manual or first-day hire presentation.Utilize 360 FeedbackGoing hand in hand with mentorship, allowing new hires to provide feedback on the hiring and training process is an important step to crafting and refining a successful onboarding program. Oftent imes a new set of eyes can provide crucial insights into the efficacy of existing policies and procedures. Allowing new hires to provide feedback on their individual experiences can also create opportunities for these individuals to feel appreciated and involved in their hiring process and the larger company. At various stages throughout the onboarding process, be koranvers to provide prompts for feedback on both structure and various individual interaction. Utilizing this information will allow leadership to fine-tune individual policies and procedures and will return dividends beyond a single new hire experience. Successful Onboarding as Company CultureLast but not least, when it comes to creating and maintaining a successful hiring and integration platform, hiring managers should remember that onboarding isnt as much a one time process as it is a company culture phenomenon. An impactful onboarding program will speak to both a commitment to finding quality talent and your internal company culture. Both of these aspects will resonate with both current and incoming candidates. The result? The ability to not only attract but retain top-notch quality individuals for all of your essential job roles. Want to learn more about how to improve your hiring process? Stay tuned to the Simply Hired blog for the latest and greatest advice from those in the know when it comes to best practices and impactful trends in the world of recruiting.