In this week’s MSLD520 blog I reflect on task-facilitating
and relationship-building for enhancing team performance as described in
Whetten & Cameron (2011) and how I perceive them to enhance team
performance. I will also reflect on how I perceive myself as a team member, how
I engage my team to accomplish tasks and how I might improve team cohesion and
collaboration.
Task Facilitating
Whetten and Cameron (2011) list 10 task facilitating roles
in teams. Let’s explore each.
1. Direction
Giving
Providing a path to
achieve an objective in a direct manner. Commonly referred to as “giving
orders”. In a team setting giving direction should be reserved for getting the
team / team member back on track. To much direction giving will stifle team
creativity, so striking a good balance is important in team achievement
outcomes.
2. Information
Seeking
The information seeking
role is one that asks questions and probes for information. Information seeking
skills are a very critical component of teams. Without this skill, the depth
and breadth from which a problem is analyzed could be shallow and narrow vs.
deep and wide. Also the accuracy of the information could suffer. In short, the
absence of a team member with good information seeking skills will hamper /
degrade team effectiveness.
3. Information
Giving
Someone who disseminates
information. This could be a team member (including the leader) who has
specific knowledge who shares this knowledge with others. Information giving
could also be performed by the information seeker. This is why trust among team
members is so important because information is power and people are can be
reluctant to share power with others, especially ones they do not trust.
4. Elaborating
Every team should have a
good elaborator. Elaborators are able to take information and put into a
context that all team members can relate to, whether it be in a story or in a
personal example. When the entire team understands the concept in the same manner,
then everyone is on the same page and is more cohesive.
5. Urging
Urging…well, I think
what Whetten & Cameron are trying to convey is you need someone that can
connect emotionally to the other team members in an inspirational way. Almost
like a football coach would at halftime down 21-0. “Come on guys, one play at a
time. Just execute your responsibilities and we’ll get back in this thing!”
6. Monitoring
Monitoring is also a
critical function that ensures team members continue making progress to achieve
the team goal. I currently use earned value software to monitor team progress
and any deviations in progress are identified before they become problematic.
Nice tool.
7. Process
Analyzing
Process analyzing is
needed when monitoring shows progress is not meeting expectations at which
point team processes are reviewed to ensure efficiency and timeliness.
8. Reality
Testing
Reality testing in my
mind would be done by someone playing the role of a devil’s advocate.
Groupthink when ideas are sound and good is not nearly as dangerous as
Groupthink when ideas are poorly grounded. It’s the devil advocate’s job to
ensure groupthink isn’t the cause of team failure.
9. Enforcing
Enforcing rules and
agreed upon procedures. The longer a team is together, the more likely they are
to need an enforcer who will step up and remind the rule breakers and the
procedures gone awry to get them back inline. Enforcing, direction giving and
urging roles seem to be roles that are natural fits with each other.
10. Summarizing
Taking ideas, concepts and
accomplishments and packaging them into a conclusion that team members can
understand and relate to.
Relationship Building
Whetten and Cameron (2011) list 8 relationship building
roles in teams. The relationship building role has many parallels to supportive
leadership.
1. Supporting
Supporting roles help
keep the motivation high. They provide praise, they acknowledge other’s
contributions and promote a friendly atmosphere. The supporting role builds
trust and camaraderie among team members and promote an overall healthy work
environment. Also a key element of empowerment. “A fourth technique for helping
others experience empowerment is providing them with social and emotional
support.” (Whetten & Cameron, 2011, pp. 454-455).
2. Harmonizing
Harmonizing roles are
peace making roles. Peace makers help team members with dispute find
resolution. Sometimes it takes a third party to zoom out and take an objective
look at a dispute. I really enjoyed what the Whetten & Cameroon (2011) text
had to offer as an example “I hear the two of you essentially saying the same
thing.” (p. 515).
3. Tension
Relieving
Tension relieving seems
to be closely related to harmonizing with this distinction; Humor is involved.
This approach can be risky if he parties involved don’t find humor in what is
said.
4. Confronting
Confronting is closely
related to enforcing with the distinction of confronting is focused on
correcting disruptive or unproductive behavior and enforcing is focused on
rules and agreed upon procedures (not necessarily due to behavior issues).
5. Energizing
Energizing roles are
filled by team members who are passionate, who show enthusiasm. The passion and
enthusiasm are contagious and often can provide the necessary stimulus to
energize the rest of the team. “Of all the emotions that will move you audience
to embrace you point of view, enthusiasm is the most important” (Whalen, 2007,
p. 21). Although Whalen 2007 refers to “audience” in his assertion, I believe
that it would be reasonable to apply this assertion to teams.
6. Developing
Developing roles are
filled by team members that are “teachers” and “coaches”. Whetten & Cameron
describe developing in this manner “Assisting others to learn, grow and
achieve, orienting and coaching members of the team.” (p. 514).
7. Consensus
Building
Consensus building is
“helping build solidarity among team members, encouraging agreement, and
helping interactions to be smooth”. (Whetten & Cameron, 2011, p. 514).
While consensus building can help build solidarity and a cohesive team, it is
one of the elements of team relationship building that could lead to groupthink
if not kept in check.
8. Empathizing
Empathizing in genuine
ways when a team member needs support, will build trust and team unity. Can be
the glue that keeps a team together. Showing to a team member who needs it,
communicates to them they matter and they are important.
Which Roles Are Roles I Would Naturally
Gravitate To?
All of the task-facilitating roles. Why? Well I have been
in leadership roles almost my entire adult life and I thrive in leadership
roles because I like to make a positive impact on people’s lives. My leadership
style is one of an interactive supportive leader, so my tendencies are to enjoy
more the coaching and teaching roles, although I recognize the importance of
enforcement and monitoring. Not afraid to be corrective if need be. What does
this mean in context of being in a team environment? #1, I wouldn’t have a
problem assuming any of the roles. #2, I would capitulate the enforcement and
monitoring roles to someone who is a more natural fit in that area.
References:
Whalen, J. (2007). The professional communications toolkit.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Whetten, D. & Cameron, K.,
(2011). Developing management skills.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
