If things are especially stormy, having clear, short-term deadlines and objectives, and procedures for meetings that are fair and strictly observed can keep unhealthy interpersonal conflicts to a minimum. If any conflicts ensue, they should be about the task, not the person.
The 'norming' phase is when members begin to have a feeling of belonging to something larger and more important than their immediate selves. A sense of cohesiveness develops, and the team can afford to be slightly informal. Team members may become more flexible about roles and more creative in their responses to challenges. "Finally, the group attains the fourth and final stage in which interpersonal structure becomes the tool of task activities. Roles become flexible and functional, and group energy is channeled into the task. Structural issues have been resolved, and structure can now become supportive of task performance" (Smith 2005).
Of course, not all teams proceed so smoothly along the path of forming, storming, norming and performing. One potentially 'deadly' aspect of teams is the danger of social loafing. However, the smallness of...
Feeling a lack of investment in the group is at the core of individual nonperformance, as can feeling as though one is not being 'watched' by other group members. Maintaining a sense of accountability throughout the process is essential. Keeping in contact with one another, and mutual monitoring, as well as being monitored by an outside authority, is one positive way to minimize the risks of individual non-performance. Face-to-face meetings, daily check-ins with email, all create a sense of common mission that will act as a kind of socially facilitating influence that motivates the team to keep on task.
Works Cited
Smith, M.K. (2005). Bruce W. Tuckman - forming, storming, norming and performing in Groups. The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved March 7, 2009 at www.infed.org/thinkers/tuckman.htm.
Social loafing. (2009). Changing Minds. Retrieved March 7, 2009 at http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/social_loafing.htm
Defining teams
