Team Development - knowing what to expect during every stage will save you a lot of headaches

 

Team development happens in stages and as a leader it will be important for you to be prepared on what to expect during every stage and how to encounter it. This will help you remain proactive rather than reactive and serve your team better. I will tell you why most teams fail, and that’s because many leaders think their job ends when the team is created, or worst that the only way to create a good team atmosphere is simply by disciplining those who are not doing things right and rewarding those that are. What if I told you that coming together as a team and having chaos or conflict is not just normal, but should be expected? In fact, my recommendation is that you do and provide your team with the guidelines they need to handle conflict, even before that arises.

            Bruce Tuckman is a behavioral psychologist who created the team development model I’m about to explain to you. According to Tuckman, teams develop in stages and every stage is characterized by a series of emotions and events. The five stages are forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning.

Forming

This stage is characterized by excitement and anticipation. The team comes together, and they are all happy to be there. During this stage they are tolerant of one another and may even miss personality clues of the other that they would not like otherwise. They like each other and look forward to working together. Over time however, the second stage begins.

Storming

 

As the name alludes to it, during this stage team members clash personally, professionally, or both. The honeymoon is over! During this stage the tolerance that existed before is no longer there. They are now more comfortable with calling each other out when something is not done according to the others’ standards and that feedback is not always received well. During this stage they are getting to know each other deeper and finding out that not everyone is as good as they thought.

Norming

You will be able to recognize this stage because conflicts occur less frequently, and team members find ways to work together despite differences. But don’t get too excited! While the team members are in the process of getting to know each other and understand their personality differences, they may resort back to the storming stage before landing on this stage again.  

Teams will fluctuate between storming and norming for a while!

Performing

During the next stage of performing the team members have now learned conflict-resolution skills. Their tolerance levels are higher as a result, and they might spend less time focused on personality dynamics and more on team effectiveness. Here’s something to remember about this stage though, without the right guidance that for the sake of peacekeeping people will work in silos and thus impact negatively the team’s performance.

Adjourning

And on to the last stage, which is called adjourning. This is heaven! Or so you think! During this stage the team members go about the business getting the work done. The problem is that if there were no problem guidelines provided to the team during the first four stages, it is during this stage that you will notice with time a lack of motivation and morale. As a result, you might see an increase in absenteeism, lower quality and possibly start getting resignations. But that’s a story for another time!

 
Let’s dive into what are the guidelines you should be providing at every stage!

 

During the forming stage, have some fun! This is a great opportunity to create team-building activities and help everyone get to know each other better. It is also time for you to let everyone know what to expect next and how you expect them to conduct themselves when conflict arises, because guess what? Oh, it will!

 

Here’s the guidelines I use for getting through that storming phase! Remember, these are not good for anyone unless you provide those with your team before they enter the storming stage. Trust me, this will save you a lot of headaches!

 

·        No gossip! Don’t do it and don’t allow anyone to come to you with it either! Remember the gossip ends when it reaches the ears of the wise. This will be important, because gossip can affect morale, but also the mental health of your employees.

·        Talk! Talk, but also listen. Teach your team that is okay to be in disagreement with one another and create a safe environment for them to know that it is okay that they speak up if they don’t feel something is right, but to do so in a respectful manner. Encourage them to talk to each other but make yourself available for mediating purposes only. Here’s where some leaders disagree with me! As a leader I do not issue judgment during these conversations! That’s of course unless something illegal or unethical is happening. But it's important that you remain subjective during these conversations if you are mediating them, because the opposite can lead to the team thinking there’s favoritism and we all know that’s not good for any team atmosphere. How do you do that? The same way you have your children fighting and you don’t intervene unless it’s about to get physical! Simply put!
Let them talk it out and if you see the conversation is not going anywhere give them guidelines on how to conduct themselves with each other moving forward to get the job done.

Now when encouraging these conversations make sure they understand the purpose or goal of these. The purpose is not to show who’s right and who’s wrong, it is to learn how YOU (each employee) will learn to move on and make things better for the team.  

·        Show appreciation! We all have something to contribute to the team! Creating a culture of appreciation will be important so everyone is focused on what the other has to contribute. Everyone plays a role in the company achieving their operational goals, making that clear to the team and will give them purpose in what they do. Psychologists believe creating purpose or finding meaning in what they do will be important to keep them engaged and motivated.

·        Here’s something they won’t like hearing, but it’s important so no one ends up disappointed. Personalities won’t change so focus on the positive. Ditch the negative! Let them know that if someone’s negative aspect of their personality affects the team atmosphere or team performance, that’s when you as a leader will address it directly with that individual. Remove the possibility of them thinking it is their role to address that part, as it is not.

·        Lastly, remind everyone of the importance of feeling included. Be clear as to what exactly this means. This means if you are inviting someone out to lunch, you are not purposely excluding others. It means that if you come into the office you say good morning to all, not only a specific group.

  

Guidelines for the norming stage

·       Fortunately, there is not a lot for the team to do here other than conduct themselves respectfully with each other. You on the other hand, as a leader will need to pay close attention to this stage and that’s because just because you’re not hearing rumble it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Make sure you stay connected enough to know what’s happening and provide redirection if need be.

Guidelines for the performing stage

·       During this stage I recommend team building activities. The reason for it is because you don’t want anyone to start working in silos as that’s detrimental to the team environment, and for productivity and team performance as well. Fortunately, during this stage the conflicts are a thing of the past and they have either overcome those or learned to live with each other. You will need to help them remember that they do still need to work together.

Guidelines for the adjourning stage

·       This is a very peculiar stage because most leaders think that just because the conflicts are over, they are now free to go on with their own plans and that’s not a good thing. Let me explain! Without the proper motivation and encouragement during this stage you might lose the good employees, especially if they were not able to resolve the conflict with the others, and what’s worst you might be left with those who are not engaged and thus creating an unhealthy atmosphere. The good employees might get discouraged and thus think that without improvement there’s no future for them in the organization. Even if they stay with the team, they may become demoralized which will lead to other performance concerns. This is a great stage to challenge the team to help them stay motivated by engaging them! By this stage you should have identified the future leaders, and thus should use this opportunity to grow them or coach them. You should have also identified deficiencies as well and can strategize ways to address those. In doing this you will be showing your team that the work of keeping the team engaged and performing well is a long investment you are willing to put in for the sake of a healthy team environment.

 

References

The Upwork Team. The 5 stages of Team Development. April 28. 2021. As retrieved from https://www.upwork.com/resources/stages-of-team-development

Wienclaw, R. A. (2021). Teams and Team Building. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

 

Oración para cuando te sientes atacado(a)

 

 

Señor tú me rodeas cual escudo y mantienes en alto mi cabeza (Salmo 3:3). Me concedes la victoria sobre mis enemigos (Deuteronomio 28:7). Vísteme de armadura espiritual para poder hacer frente a las artimañas del enemigo (Efesio 6:11) y líbrame de todo mal (2 Timoteo 4:18). Señor es que las armas con las que yo lucho no son de este mundo, sino que tienen poder para derribar fortalezas (2 Corintios 10:3). Por que mi lucha no es contra seres humanos, sino contra poderes, y autoridades; contra potestades que dominan este mundo (Efesios 6:12). Dame la sabiduría para vencer el mal con el bien (Romanos 12:21) y gracias, Padre por que tu me das la victoria (1 Corintios 15:57).

Creating resolutions/goals with a purpose

 

	New Year’s resolutions/goals

 

 

 

The New Year is typically a time most people take to reflect on who they have been and how they can improve in the new year. It can get stressful however, to think what should I improve, how do I go about it and why?

Here is my plan for keeping it simple and I hope it helps you, as much as it has helped me over the years!

Your goals or as many call them, new year’s resolutions, should include three purposes and we’ll even look into ways to make it happen. Number one, create a goal that will grow you in your spiritual sphere. The spiritual aspect of an individual is very important for their psychological well-being because it allows them to find meaning in life. Now please don’t misunderstand, to be spiritual you do not need to be religious. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, the difference between religion and spirituality is that religion provides with an “organized system of beliefs that call for certain actions by the individual” while spirituality is left to the individual’s beliefs and way of living. Neither one is wrong, however you decide which you will follow.

          Here are some initiatives for you to consider accomplishing this resolution.

·       Read the bible (or whatever spiritual book you deem appropriate)

·       Pray or meditate

·       Join a group or church

·       Some people fast to find a connection to their spiritual side

·       Get a spiritual mentor

Your second goal/new year resolution should include learning a new skill. This one is simple, if you don’t know something and in the past, it has presented an issue to you, learn it this year. For example, in the past for me not being well versed in excel presented roadblocks for me both at work and at school. Rather than saying, oh well, I learned as much as I could by taking online learnings and practicing on my own. I especially like this goal, because every year whether you attend school or not, it helps challenge yourself and grow. In addition, it keeps your brain nice and healthy!

Here are some initiatives you can implement to accomplish this one.

·       Learn a new skill at work, find a mentor that can teach it to you and get on it!

·       Make use of podcasts or videos available to you on that skill

·       If you are wanting to learn a new language, consider applications on your cell phone such as, duolingo.

·       Read about it, hear about it, and talk about it! To learn a new skill your brain will need to be exposed to it in several different ways.

·       Practice, practice and practice! The experts on that skill you are wanting to acquire were not born doing it. It takes a whole lot of practice.

That last goal/new year resolution will have you becoming healthier both physically and mentally. I know what you’re thinking! Oh, here we go, I have to lose weight and stop eating fried food! Not necessarily! Unless you want to, of course. This resolution does not require for you to make an ambitious goal out of it. For example, lose 20 pounds, or stop smoking or stop drinking. It’s smaller changes that you might not even notice you are making and in the long run will lead to a healthier you.

<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3868522496910045"
     crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
     style="display:block; text-align:center;"
     data-ad-layout="in-article"
     data-ad-format="fluid"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-3868522496910045"
     data-ad-slot="2373368541"></ins>
<script>
     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>

          Here are some initiatives to consider helping you get healthier!

·       Walk 30 minutes daily. This one you will find that will help you mentally as well, as for those 30 minutes you will not only have a chance to clear your mind, but your body will be producing a lot more ‘happy hormones’.

·       Meditate for a few minutes a day.

·       Drink more water.

·       Eat less sugary items.

·       Cut back on unhealthy eating habits progressively.

·       Sleep better.

·       Keep a journal to help you express your emotions in a way that allows for you to go back and see what progress you have made.

 

By following these simple, yet very effective actions you will be on your way to a successful new year in terms of your resolutions/goals.  

Call it what you want, but do not call it work-life balance

 

Call it work-life harmony, intermingle or integration, but do not call it work life balance!

 

To begin this article, I must define what work-life so called balance is all about, and the definition can be different for many people, but generally is typically defined as the amount of time you spend doing your job versus the amount of time you spend in your pursuit of happiness. The problem is the word balance creates an illusion that to have it all together it means you would spend an equal amount of time at work as you would in the other areas of your life. And that’s the reason why we have so many people, especially women with families, burnout in their quest to finding the so-called unachievable balance.

                      

Why is it important to find a balance anyway?

Finding the right “balance” is important to maintain an appropriate mental health which is needed to provide with good care to those you serve at work, especially if you are in the healthcare industry. Researchers have found that healthcare professionals experience stress at higher rates than any other industry. In fact, studies have taught us that, physicians who have experienced continuous stress at work, have higher incidents of adverse patient care or in simpler terms, mistakes at work. It comes at no surprise then that provider burnout can increase the rate of issues around patient safety by doubling the chances of these occurring. Burnout is the way the body responds to the excessive exposure of work-related stressors (Maslach, et al., 2009). According to Maslach’s theory of burnout, the cause of burnout is found in the lack of balance between the emotional demands of a job and rewards for it.  The evidence of burnout is seen in the feelings of exhaustion, the lack of efficacy in completing tasks and feeling unaccomplished which often leads the employee to emotionally disengage from their duties.

Now what about your home life? How is that affected by the inability to find balance? Well, think about it this way. The average American works at least 40 hours a week and that’s without including those who end up working at least an additional couple of hours from home. Even if you don’t sleep well, every adult needs to sleep some time, and while I have yet to do the research on how much people sleep, let’s assume everyone sleeps 7-8 hours a night. That leaves all of us with a little over 8 hours a day to provide our families with the quality time they need from us, exercise, take care of the house and take on a hobby for our mental health. That being said, we didn’t take into consideration the number of adults who work more than 40 hours a week, nor did we consider those who come home already exhausted both physically and emotionally due to the demands of their jobs, or those whose jobs never really end because even when they are home, they are on-call. Gee, no wonder healthcare employees ranked among the 6^th highest divorce rates of the nation according to monster.com (These jobs have the highest and lowest divorce rates) and are known to report increased rates of depression and even suicidal ideation (Fond, et al., 2022).

I’d like to suggest that the term work-life balance is in part what is causing the most frustration and feelings of un-accomplishment that can potentially cause the emotional turmoil that may lead to mental health illness. This is because the term itself suggest that  our work and personal lives exist separately and are continuously competing against each other for our attention. Perhaps if we stop looking at it as a ‘balance,’ but instead consider the intermingle between the two, we might live healthier lives.

<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3868522496910045"
     crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
     style="display:block"
     data-ad-format="fluid"
     data-ad-layout-key="-fb+5w+4e-db+86"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-3868522496910045"
     data-ad-slot="4125433915"></ins>
<script>
     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>

    A healthier way of referring to the two sides of someone’s life may be, work-life integration, or as Jeff Bezos refers to it, “work/life harmony.” It simply means it takes effort to blend our personal and professional responsibilities harmoniously. By looking at it from this perspective, work is simply one of the various aspects of our lives, which needs to be considered alongside other important concerns, such as our home/family lives, our responsibility in our church/community, and our spiritual and emotional well-being. The argument I propose is that if we stop dividing the aspects of our lives, and instead intermingle one another and if we stopped pretending the scale needs to be in the middle for us to be healthier, by recognizing that the quest to find the ‘impossible’ might be what’s causing us to fail in the first place then we might be facilitating a healthier employee. We need to be more realistic and realize that some aspects will require more of our attention and time at a certain point than others. For example, if I’m a mom who works at the executive level of a retailing business, I might spend more time and energy at home than at work, when a child of mine is celebrating a birthday, and if I’m opening a new store it might require of me to spend more time and energy at work during that period than at home. This might be considered a more feasible ‘balance’, and  not necessarily being able to spend equal amounts of time and energy at home and at work.

 

 

 

 

   

    Therefore, let us consider that achieving a healthy work-life integration or harmony can not

only potentially reduce stress and improve emotional states but also increase overall productivity and 

employers’ bottom-line. I think this is the part that most senior leaders do not recognize is critical to 

the success of their organization. Many missed the fact that the employee’s mental health can and will 

impact your success. Mental health is the number one cause for most long-term absences (Hameed, et 

al., 2022). An employee who is often missing out on work because of their mental health illness will 

not perform as efficiently as one who is at work as scheduled. Burnout is known to be strongly 

associated with increased rates of depression and even suicide, especially among the workers of 

healthcare organizations (Fond, et al., 2022). Understanding this is important so that we can provide 

better health care for patients and for senior leaders to strategize ways to provide a healthy work 

environment and culture that facilitates an employee's psychological wellness.

The different ways to look at our professional and personal responsibilities and considered them to be ‘balanced.’ This too is a healthier well-balanced employee!

                

 

 

 

References

Fond, G., Fernandes, S., Lucas, G., Greenberg, N., & Boyer, L. (2022). Depression in healthcare         workers: Results from the nationwide AMADEUS survey. International Journal of           Nursing Studies, 135, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2022.104328

Hameed, I., Ijaz, M. U., & Sabharwal, M. (2022). The Impact of Human Resources Environment    and Organizational Identification on Employees’ Psychological Well-Being. Public                 Personnel Management, 51(1), 71–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/00910260211001397

 

Martis, Lisa (2017). These jobs have the highest and lowest divorce rates. Monster career advice         As retrieved from https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/job-divorce-rate-1017.