Healthcare management concepts and practices

Healthcare management (Discussion questions)

How do you plan to develop and motivate your team?

First student

One common model of team engagement is Bruce Tuckman's famous delineation of team development called 'forming, norming, storming, and performing' (Chapman 2013) Tuckman believed that all teams go through several stages, gradually attaining independence from the leader, as they become more functional and eventually reach the goals they were originally created to fulfill. However, motivating a team, particularly during the initial, difficult stages of formation can be challenging. It is essential to establish ground rules and goals to create a harmonious team composed of members that are respectful of one another. Ultimately, a team which works well together is the first, most important motivating factor. All of the rhetoric in the world will not create a functional team if this critical interpersonal foundation is not built.

The leader must adjust his or her managerial style over the course of team development. During the first initial stages a more directive approach may be necessitated. However, gradually the leader can delegate more as the members understand where their efforts fit into the larger puzzle of the project. "Team members look after each other. The team requires delegated tasks and projects from the leader. The team does not need to be instructed or assisted. Team members might ask for assistance from the leader with personal and interpersonal development" (Chapman 2013). That sense of having an important goal and the need to put aside egotism and personal needs only comes when the leader is able to clearly communicate why the different phases of the project are essential. The leader should seek to bolster team confidence by celebrating each benchmark that is achieved.

Reference

Chapman, A. (2013). Bruce Tuckman forming norming storming performing model.

Business Balls. Retrieved from: http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingperforming.htm

Second student