Written by: Katina Smith, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
If you are in charge of leading project teams, it is so important that you are aware of the different phases and how a team progresses over time. As a leader, you are the key to the success of the project team and meeting company goals. Your decisions and actions will affect the culture of the team and the workplace as a whole.
Teams in the Workplace
I remember the excitement I felt when I took one of my business undergraduate courses because we often talked about how workplaces were moving toward a team concept. I thought to myself that it would be great to work on a team. Well, that was over twenty years ago and here we are still working in environments where teamwork is essential to completing daily tasks.
I did not know my first official job out of college would be working on a team and that my last position in the corporate world also would entail working in a team environment. The difference between these two experiences was that the first was a permanent team that I was assigned to, and the latter was working on teams that were constantly changing over the course of my career.
There are different approaches to leading when you are on a more permanent team than one where the members change constantly. However, both types of teams will go through the different phases of teams which include an introduction, exploration, adjustment, productivity, and finalization.
Depending on the length of the project or how long you are assigned to the team, you may not experience all phases. For example, if an individual is only assigned to the team to complete certain tasks, they may start in the introduction phase and leave during the exploration phase. Furthermore, if the project is scheduled for only a few weeks, the team may not get through all five phases. Depending on the team dynamic, the productivity phase may not fully form.
Introduction Phase
The first phase which is the introduction is a time when the team begins to get acquainted with one another. Team members essentially are attempting to understand their roles, assignments, and how they fit into the overall picture.
Getting team members together immediately is very critical in this particular phase. Ideally, it’s best to have an initial meeting at least one to two weeks before the project begins if possible. This will allow the assigned staff to have the opportunity to prepare mentally. At the initial meeting, you should welcome the team and set clear expectations regarding:
Assignments
Project deadlines
Problem-solving
Effective team communication
Your leadership style
Your availability and best contact information
During this meeting, it’s important to also establish and communicate boundaries. For example, you may establish boundaries centered around respecting others when they are sharing their thoughts and ideas. Another boundary might relate to working hours. In the workplace today, employees are looking for more work-life balance so team members may only work during the weekday and not on weekends. It may even be a great idea to get input from team members on what boundaries are important to them. As the leader, you may receive several questions from the team during this phase, but this should be expected.
Exploration Phase
The second phase is exploration, where team members may be a little skeptical. There is usually a lot of conflict during this phase because team members are learning how to work with different personalities and other perspectives as well as getting used to their leader. Conflict is a normal part of any team.
The key is staying on top of what is going on and finding healthy ways to discuss and address issues. If you are working in the office, it may be a little easier to sit down together and have a conversation. However, when you are working remotely, this can be difficult especially if the staff has no prior working relationship or they do not see one another often. In cases like this, it is going to be even more critical to act immediately. After an initial discussion about any issues or problems that team members are having, it’s important to follow-up with the team to make sure everyone is in a place of understanding and is ready to move forward. If some team members are not ready to move forward, it will be necessary to have further discussions and come up with a resolution that works for you as the leader and team members.
Adjustment Phase
In the adjustment phase, each member is getting used to being a part of the team. Team members are beginning to understand their roles better and working toward getting tasks done. There are still probably many questions that need to be answered and team members may need clarification and your involvement as the leader with certain tasks. In this phase, some team members may be hesitant to act without your consent if you have given them free rein to do their assignments, but you can reassure the team and remind them that they have the power to make decisions.
Communicating with your team regularly is key. You may want to set up weekly status meetings so that you can make sure everything is on track and the team will meet the established milestones. You may also ask team members to send you a progress report for their assigned tasks. It will be very important to encourage team members and provide feedback on what they are doing well. Also, if there are areas where they can improve, this would be a great time to share this information. This will give them the opportunity to improve and make corrections. You don’t want team members to have any surprises regarding their performance at the end of the project.
Productivity Phase
When you reach the productivity phase, give yourself and the team a hand clap! Getting to this phase is not easy, but it is possible. At this phase, team members have become a lot more familiar with one another and have built trust and respect. They are working well together and know what it takes to get the job done.
As a leader, you can relax a little more, but not too much. You still want to keep the lines of communication open and check in with the team regularly. However, you may not have to do as much checking in, especially since the team is more independent. But keep in mind that every employee is different because you have some individuals that are self-motivated and will get their tasks done when asked. While some employees you may have to speak with often and encourage them a little more than others.
Finalization Phase
The last phase is finalization. This is where you wrap up the tasks and assignments and begin to celebrate your success! Make sure to thank the team members for their efforts. It is also a time of reflection, evaluation, and improvement. It is a good idea to set up a meeting with the team to find out what lessons you learned during the project.
As the leader, you can ask the team to come prepared to discuss their thoughts on the project. Some questions you can provide beforehand include:
Did you meet your milestones? If not, why weren’t they met?
What went well on the project?
What did not go so well and what could have been done differently?
What is one thing that you learned during the project?
Did you feel you had the support you needed to successfully complete the project?
Remember that this process is not about blaming others and pointing the finger. It is about being accountable and growing as an employee. Therefore, remember to be respectful when providing feedback and to listen with an open mind.
Having a Work-Life Balance and Avoiding Burnout
As the leader of the project team, it is so important that you are aware of what’s happening with each team member. Meeting deadlines is necessary to keep the project on time and within budget, but you also want to make sure that the team does not experience burnout while working toward the goals. The Mayo Clinic outlines clear signs of burnout that you may want to be cognizant of during the course of the project.
If you believe that your team is burning out, it may be time to pull in more resources, adjust your milestones, or encourage team members to take a little time off. But ensure that you have other staff that can cover for the team member. There are so many benefits for companies when they create a good work-life balance for their staff.
Your ultimate goal is for your team to have a great sense of accomplishment and like they have contributed to the overall success of the company. But remember throughout each phase to also have fun! These strategies are a major part of building a healthy workplace culture where employees feel excited about work and are thriving on the job.
Call To Action
If you want more productive and engaged employees in the workplace and are looking for training programs to support your employees, I can help you with workplace wellness training and coaching in the areas of leadership, relationships, mindset, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management. I can be reached here.
Katina Smith, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Katina Smith is a Workplace Wellness Trainer, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor, and Certified Mental Wellness coach. She has over 20 years of experience evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of programs and operations and over 10 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. Katina drives outcomes through active listening and utilizing scientifically proven methods that yield results when applied. She is the founder of Happiness In You, a health and wellness company that helps clients feel confident and live a healthy and happy life.
