{"id":83,"date":"2018-05-25T00:16:50","date_gmt":"2018-05-25T04:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/chapter\/understandingteamdynamics\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T17:44:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T21:44:04","slug":"understandingteamdynamics","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/chapter\/understandingteamdynamics\/","title":{"raw":"4.1  Understanding Team Dynamics","rendered":"4.1  Understanding Team Dynamics"},"content":{"raw":"Teams are formed for a variety of reasons, and thus there are many kinds of teams. They can be categorized by function or by performance. For example, a \u201ccross-functional team\u201d combines people with diverse areas of expertise (such as mechanical, electrical, and software engineering) to all work on connected parts of the same project, while a \u201cwithin-function team\u201d is comprised of people with the same area of expertise.\r\n\r\nTeams can also be categorized by how well they perform.\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 1em\">Katzenbach and Smith in<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 1em\">The Wisdom of Teams[footnote]J. R. Katzenbach and D.K. Smith,The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-performance Organisation, Harvard Business School, Boston, 1993.[\/footnote]<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 1em\">\u00a0describe 4 categories of teams based on how well they perform.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-554 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-1024x145.png\" alt=\"Pseudo Team, Potential Team, Real Team, and High Performing Team\" width=\"1024\" height=\"145\" \/>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Pseudo Team<\/strong>:\u00a0 a group of people not achieving what you would expect, based on their individual potential. They tend to work as isolated individuals rather than as a cohesive team, lacking strong communication with each other and commitment to the team\u2019s goals. They either lack clear team processes, or do not follow them; team meetings are not productive; team members don\u2019t feel accountable to each other; and there is little or no attempt to improve.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Potential Team<\/strong>: each team member performs at the level of the average team member, or maybe slightly above, developing some synergy and effective communication, but not reaching their potential as a team.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Real Team:<\/strong> A small number of people with complementary skills and compatible commitment levels maintain accountability to each other, their team processes, and overall goals to achieve a successful outcome through a high level of synergy.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>High Performing Team<\/strong>: Few teams reach this level. A \u201chigh performing team\u201d exceeds the abilities of individual team members and can accomplish far better results together than they could individually. Team members bring out the best in each other and see the interpersonal aspects of the team as just important as the tasks. Team synergy is established through strong communication, clear team processes, and commitment to the project and to each other's continual development. Building this kind of team synergy usually happens over time (and multiple projects) and takes consistent effort and commitment.<\/p>\r\nFor a team to reach this level of performance, all members need to be focused not only on the success of the project, but also on effective team dynamics as well as personal growth.\u00a0 To set your team up for success, consider the following:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>SIZE<\/strong>: You need to be able to meet and communicate regularly. Typically, smaller teams are more effective than larger ones, but that will depend on the kind of project or task you are working on.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>SKILLS<\/strong>: team members should have adequate levels of complementary skills, and\/or be willing to develop skills required to complete the project.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>PURPOSE &amp; GOALS<\/strong>: all team members need to feel that the project is meaningful and important, and should have some agency in defining the purpose and goals. All team members must be able to clearly articulate the goals.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>PROCESSES<\/strong>: the team needs to have clearly stated processes and approaches to completing work that are understood by all, and that allocate work equitably and fairly to each team member.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>ACCOUNTABILITY<\/strong>: All team members need to feel accountable to each other and to the project, and the team needs to have mechanisms in place to ensure ensure accountability and address lapses fairly.<\/p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>EXERCISE 4.1<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0Reflect on Previous Teamwork<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nThink of a time when you had to work with others to produce or achieve something \u2013 a design, poster, presentation, document,\u00a0<em>etc<\/em>. You might have been working on a school assignment, been part of a sports team, work team, a club, or a musical band. Briefly describe what the task was and then consider the following questions:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>What was the team\u2019s overall goal? Did you have a clear goal you all committed to?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What was your job within the team? Were roles clearly defined?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How were the jobs distributed? Was the workload fair?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How well did your team function? How would you categorize this team based on the types described above? (Group, Pseudo-team, Potential team, Real Team, or High Performing team)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Did anyone on the team hijack (take over) the project? Hitchhike (not contribute)? Isolate (work on their own and fail to communicate with the team?) What effect did this have?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Was the outcome successful?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Did your teammates teach you useful things and help you develop skills?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Would you happily work with those teammates again on another project? Why or why not?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThey say \u201cteamwork makes the dream work!\u201d Becoming a member of a real or high performing team requires significant commitment and an understanding of team dynamics. The following sections provide some perspectives on team dynamics that are often used in professional contexts to promote strong team performance and manage crises effectively; these include the <strong>GRIP<\/strong> model, the <strong>Tuckman<\/strong> model, the <strong>Lencioni<\/strong> model, the <strong>DISC<\/strong> model, and the <strong>Thomas Kilman Conflict Management<\/strong> model.\r\n<h1 style=\"margin-top: 2.14286em;margin-bottom: 1.42857em;line-height: 1.28571em\">GRIP Model<\/h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: start\">Richard Beckhard's GRPI model,[footnote]R. Beckhard, (1972). \u201cOptimizing team building efforts,\u201d\u00a0<em>Journal of Contemporary Business<\/em>, 1972, pp. 23\u201327.[\/footnote] originally developed in 1972, has been widely adapted in sports contexts as the\u00a0<strong>GRIP<\/strong>\u00a0model (see\u00a0<strong>Figure 4.1.1<\/strong>), outlining four interrelated components of highly effective teamwork:<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Goals<\/strong>: everyone must fully understand and be committed to the goals of the team, and of the organization. Everyone\u2019s goals must be aligned in order to establish trust, make progress, and achieve desired outcome.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Roles<\/strong>: all team members must know what part they play, what is expected, and how they will be held accountable and responsible.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Interpersonal<\/strong>: quality communication and collaboration require and foster trust among team members; sensitivity and flexibility needed to deal with conflict and make progress.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Processes<\/strong>: well-defined system for how decisions are made, how the team solves problems and addresses conflict; well-defined work flow and procedures to be followed in completing the project.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_81\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"700\"]<img class=\"wp-image-81\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1.png\" alt=\"A circle in 4 pieces representing each of the GRIP elements: GOALS, ROLES, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND PROCESSES\" width=\"700\" height=\"576\" \/> <em><strong>Figure 4.1.1<\/strong> GRIP Model for establishing successful teamwork dynamics.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Apply the GRIP Model to your team<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nSet a strong foundation for your team's success by using the these GRIP model principles:\r\n\r\n<strong>DISCUSS GOALS<\/strong>: All team members should explicitly discuss and agree on the team\u2019s goals as well as their individual commitment levels, to ensure they are aligned. Define some \u201cbig picture\u201d goals for your project, but also consider goals that each team member would like to achieve. For example, if one team member\u2019s goal is put in the extra effort needed to exceed expectations and achieve above average results, while another team member wants to simply produce work that is \u2018good enough\u2019, their goals and commitment are not aligned and this will lead to problems down the road if not addresses proactively.\r\n\r\n<strong>CHOOSE ROLES<\/strong>: Team members should discuss their strengths and weaknesses related to the team task (clearly, you will need to do some task analysis first to ensure you understand what the task entails), and decide on who will take on which roles. Team members might \u201cwork to their strengths\u201d \u2013 for example, someone who is very detail oriented might take on the role of editor; someone who has strong word processing skills might take on the role of document designer. However, you might also take a \u201cgrowth mindset\u201d approach, and choose roles that will allow you to strengthen weak areas, and build skills that you want to improve on. You might decide to alternate roles, so everyone has a chance to develop various skills. Consider how taking on roles integrates with the goals you have identified.\r\n\r\n<strong>INTERPERSONAL<\/strong>: We all have different ways of communicating, and sometimes miscommunication can happen without us realizing it. One person might find it helpful to engage in some off-task \u201csmall talk\u201d at the beginning of a team meeting as a kind of ice breaker or warm up, while another might find this annoying and inefficient. Discuss with each other what kinds of communication help to motivate you, and what kinds can \u201cshut you down.\u201d Determine how you can be sensitive to each other\u2019s communication styles and preferred workflows.\r\n\r\n<strong>DEFINE PROCESSES<\/strong>: Start defining some processes for how your team will communicate, make decisions, and ensure an effective workflow. For example, consider what communication channels your team will use for brief check ins and questions, for more sustained collaboration and discussion, for sharing documents, <em>etc<\/em>. Will you create agendas to guide your meetings? Will you take minutes to record the decisions and progress made at meetings? How will you share them?\r\n\r\nUsing this GRIP process at the beginning of your project \u2013 in the \u201cforming\u201d stage \u2013 will help to set your team up for successful collaboration. You can refine the work you\u2019ve done here and use it to create a Team Charter, as discussed in section <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/chapter\/teampmtools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4.3 Project Management Tools and Teamwork Strategies<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>The Tuckman Team Model<\/h1>\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">\"Tuckman's Stages of Group Development,\" proposed by psychologist Bruce Tuckman in 1965,[footnote]B. Tuckman, \"Developmental sequence in small groups,\" <em>Psychological Bulletin<\/em>, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 384-399. Available: http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1037\/h0022100 : [\/footnote] is one of the most famous theories of team development. It describes four stages that teams may progress through: <strong>forming, storming, norming<\/strong>, and <strong>performing<\/strong> (a 5th stage was added later:\u00a0 <strong>adjourning<\/strong>). The stages move from organizing your team (defining goals, choosing roles, and developing processes) to collaborating on the results you are trying to achieve.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">Although the stages appear linear, in fact teams may move back and forth through these stages, depending on events that may influence the team and the communications strategies that they use. For example, a new member may be added to an already established team, which will require the team to revisit the forming stage. Some teams can also stall in a stage and never fully realize their potential. <strong>Figure 4.1.2<\/strong>\u00a0outlines these stages that are described in more detail below.\u00a0While reading about each stage, you will note how crucial clear communication is at each stage!<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure><figcaption><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-205 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-1024x911.png\" alt=\"A circular diagram of Tuckman\u2019s Model of team development showing four stages: Forming, strorming, norming, and performing.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"911\" \/><em><strong>\r\nFigure 4.1.2<\/strong> The Stages of the Tuckman model of team development<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<strong>FORMING<\/strong>: During the\u00a0team forming\u00a0stage, everyone is getting to know each other and are trying to make a good impression. A fun team-forming activity can be a good way to help get to know each other, build trust, and get to know the various strengths and weaknesses of the team members and how these might apply to the team project. This is a good time to create a set of shared expectations, guidelines, or a <strong>Team Charter<\/strong>, that defines how the team agrees to operate for the duration of the project. Team members usually exchange contact and scheduling information, and set up a communication channel. This is an orientation stage, on both an interpersonal and professional level, where preliminary boundaries and expectations are established.\r\n\r\n<strong>STORMING<\/strong>: The\u00a0<strong>storming<\/strong>\u00a0stage is the one most often characterized by group conflict. It is the stage where the preliminary boundaries and expectations are tested as individuals learn more about each other\u2019s motivations, commitment levels, strengths, weaknesses, ideas and strategies. This coincides with the \u201cbrainstorming\u201d stage of the design process, in which each member contributes ideas to help define the focus and trajectory of the project. It is important to recognize that conflict at this stage can be very productive, if managed effectively (using the strategies outlined in your Team Charter). Remaining overly polite and accommodating might seem like a tempting way to avoid conflict, but this rarely results in innovative ideas and approaches. Sometimes the best ideas are forged in the fires of disagreement and animated discussion where all team members feel safe to voice their ideas. However, some teams get stuck at this stage and revert back to working individually and become a \u201cpseudo team.\u201d\r\n\r\nTo help get through this stage successfully, you might agree on brainstorming rules (\u201cno bad ideas!\u201d), use pros and cons list, designate someone as the \u201cdevil\u2019s advocate\u201d whose official role is to poke holes and argue against. Commit to valuing the diversity of opinions and approaches in your team (see <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/chapter\/4-4-managing-team-conflict\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4.2 Managing Team Conflict<\/a> for additional tips). At this stage, team members may refine their goals and roles in the project. Learning to harness the constructive potential of conflict and compromise in this stage is important to setting your team up for a successful \u201cnorming\u201d stage where you start to really make progress.\r\n\r\n<strong>NORMING<\/strong>: During the\u00a0<strong>norming<\/strong> stage, conflicts have been largely resolved, team members have proven flexible and supportive, each team member knows their role and works on their part of the project, follows the designated team processes and guidelines, and all is going well. Sometimes, people work independently in this stage, but frequently check in with teammates to make sure workflow is efficient and effective. For example, you will want to make sure you aren\u2019t accidentally duplicating work or developing work that is inconsistent with what other team members are doing. A teammate may become ill and unable to meet a deadline, so others agree on how to proceed. Group cohesion ensures that everyone is responsible for their task and accountable to the team; team members acknowledge and appreciate each other\u2019s contributions. Gantt Charts or Work Plans can be very helpful in keeping everyone on track during this stage. Problems might arise at this stage if a team member has been absent and has not caught up, or if team members do not fully understand their role, team expectations, or the overall goal. If this happens, revisiting the forming or storming stage may be required.\r\n\r\n<strong>PERFORMING<\/strong>: Reaching the\u00a0<strong>performing<\/strong>\u00a0stage is the goal of high-performing teams. This usually only happens when teams have worked together well on several projects, have established a synergy, and have developed systems that that make projects go smoothly and efficiently. The first time a team works together, they might not reach this stage; \u201cperforming\u201d teams have established trust in each other, have well-defined roles and goals, and follow the strategies and processes they have chosen to achieve them. They can move quickly and efficiently, work interdependently, and understand how to best support each other when needed.\r\n\r\n<strong>ADJOURNING: <\/strong>\u00a0At the end of the project, team members celebrate their achievements, express their appreciate for each other\u2019s contributions, reflect on what they have learned, and go their separate ways. If the team has successfully established trust and synergy, this parting can be somewhat emotional (leading to what some have called a \"mourning\" stage).\r\n\r\n<strong style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Figure 4.1.3 <\/strong><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">[footnote]Dlogo Nicoleti. \u201cModelo de Tuckman.png\u201d, <\/span><em style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Wikimedia Commons<\/em><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">, <\/span><a style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Modelo_de_Tuckman.png\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Modelo_de_Tuckman.png<\/a><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">\u00a0.\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\">CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">\u00a0.[\/footnote] depicts the trajectory of each team member during each stage.<\/span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_81\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<img class=\"CC BY-SA 4.0 wp-image-79 size-large\" title=\"DIogo Nicoleti [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-1024x247.png\" alt=\"Forming: 4 arrows pointing to the centre. Storming, 4 arrows going in various random directions. Norming: 4 arrows going in almost the same direction. Performing: 4 arrows perfectly aligned. Adjourning: 4 arrows pointing outward from the centre in the 4 cardinal directions.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"247\" \/> <em><strong>Figure 4.1.3<\/strong>\u00a0Trajectory of team mates during each stage of the Tuckman team formation model.<\/em>[\/caption]For an entertaining overview, watch this video on the Tuckman phases of team development, as depicted in <em>The Fellowship of the Rings<\/em>:\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ysWWGf8VsOg[\/embed]\r\n<h1>Lencioni Model<\/h1>\r\nIn his 2005 book,\u00a0<em>The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni, [footnote]P<\/em>. Lencioni, <em>Five Dysfunctions of a Team<\/em>, New York, NY:\u00a0 John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2002.<em>[\/footnote]\u00a0outlines<\/em>\u00a0five common problems teams experience that impact their effectiveness:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Lack of trust<\/strong>:\u00a0 if team members do not trust each other, they are unlikely to feel safe enough to speak honestly, take risks, or ask for help. A lack of trust means a low level of comfort that makes it difficult to communicate, commit, and perform effectively as a team<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Fear of conflict<\/strong>:\u00a0 avoiding conflict can lead to an artificial \u201cpeace\u201d at the expense of progress and innovation, or it can lead to unaddressed dysfunction that undermines the team. Shifting mindset to see conflict as a normal part of teamwork can be very productive if managed effectively.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Lack of commitment<\/strong>:\u00a0 having insufficient control or ownership of team processes and decisions can lead to a lack of commitment, where team members do not complete their assigned work, do not follow through on decisions or tasks, do not meet deadlines, and let their teammates down, ultimately affecting the success of the whole project.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Avoidance of accountability<\/strong>: if team members do not feel accountable to all other members of their team (rather than just the \u201cboss\u201d), they are less likely to care about not letting each other down.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Inattention to team results<\/strong>:\u00a0 when team members focus on their own personal goals instead of project goals, they lose sight of the expected results that actually measure the success of the project. Not focusing on the results during the process means that no one is planning how to improve those results.<\/p>\r\nLencioni designed a \u201cpyramid\u201d showing how each \u201cdysfunction\u201d is connected and builds upon previous ones.<strong>\u00a0Figure 4.1.4<\/strong> illustrates how to proactively address each of these issues, first and most importantly by establishing trust among all team members. Establishing trust is a crucial foundational step to being able to manage conflict effectively, achieve commitment, create accountability and focus on team results.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_206\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1024\"]<img class=\"wp-image-206 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-1024x575.png\" alt=\"A pyramid with layers, starting at the bottom with &quot;establish trust among team members&quot;, &quot;accept and manage conflict,&quot; &quot;maintain commitment,&quot; &quot;promote accountability,&quot; and &quot;focus on results&quot;\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" \/> <strong>Figure 4.1.4<\/strong> Proactive steps for preventing the dysfunctions described by Lencioni[\/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>DISC Model<strong>\r\n<\/strong><\/h1>\r\nDISC theory, developed in 1928 by Dr. William Moulton Marston (who also, as it happens, created the <em>Wonder Woman<\/em> comic series!), has evolved into a useful model for conflict management as it predicts behaviours based on four key personality traits he originally described as Dominance, Inducement, Submission, and Compliance.[footnote]W. M. Marsten, <em>Emotions of Normal People<\/em>. Keegan Paul Trench Trubner and Co. Ltd., 1928; republished London: Routledge, 2002 [\/footnote] The names of these four traits have been variously revised over the decades, so you might find different terms used in different contexts. The four general traits are now often described as (1) Dominance, (2) Influence\/Inspiring (3) Steadiness\/Supportive, and (4) Compliance\/Conscientiousness (see <strong>Figure 4.1.5<\/strong>).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_81\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/296\/2018\/05\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3.png\"><img class=\"wp-image-80 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-1024x682.png\" alt=\"Circle separated into 4 quadrants, each with one of the DISC profiles briefly described\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" \/><\/a> <em><strong>Figure 4.1.5\u00a0 <\/strong>DISC Profile outlining the key characteristics of Dominance, Influencing, Supporting, and Conscientious personality types.\u00a0<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIndustries often use DISC assessments in professional contexts. Having some insight into your teammates\u2019 personality traits can help when trying to resolve conflicts. General characteristics of each trait are as follows:\r\n\r\n<strong>Dominance <\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics<\/em>: direct, decisive, ego-driven, problem-solver, and risk-taker; likes new challenges and freedom from routine; driven to overcome obstacles<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: great organizer and time manager; challenges the status quo; innovative<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: can be argumentative, disrespectful of authority, and overly ambitious (taking on too much); can be blunt, stubborn, and aggressive<\/p>\r\n<strong>Inspiring\/Influential<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics<\/em>: enthusiastic, persuasive, optimistic, trusting, impulsive, charismatic, and emotional<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: creative problem solver; great cheer-leader, negotiator, and peace-maker; a real \u201cpeople person\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: more concerned with popularity than tangible results; lacks attention to detail<\/p>\r\n<strong>Steady\/Supportive<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics<\/em>: reliable, predictable, friendly, good listener, team player, empathetic, easy-going, and altruistic.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: dependable, loyal; respects authority; has patience and empathy; good at conflict resolution; willing to compromise.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: resistant to change; sensitive to criticism; difficulty prioritizing<\/p>\r\n<strong>Cautious\/Conscientious\/Compliant<\/strong>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics: <\/em> has high standards<em>; <\/em>values precision and accuracy; analytical and systematic; even-tempered, realistic, and logical; methodical; respect for authority<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: great information gatherer\/researcher; able to define situations precisely and accurately; offers realistic perspective<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: can get bogged down in details; needs clear boundaries, procedures, and methods; difficulty accepting criticism; may avoid conflict or just \u201cgive in.\u201d May be overly timid.<\/p>\r\nYou might recognize yourself in one of these descriptions, or you might have characteristics of 2 or more \u201ctypes.\u201d Having the team consider where they might fall in this typology can help you determine roles and give you insights into how to resolve issues.\r\n<h1>Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Model<\/h1>\r\nThe Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Management model[footnote]K. W. Thomas &amp; R. H. Kilmann, \u201cThomas\u2013Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument,\u201d Tuxedo NY: Xicom, 1974.[\/footnote] is used by Myers Briggs among others for understanding and managing conflict. This model, shown in <strong>Figure 4.1.6<\/strong>,\u00a0 outlines 5 main conflict styles or \u201cmodes\u201d (<em>competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, <\/em>and<em> collaborating<\/em>), and places them in a matrix with two dimensions: <strong><em>Assertiveness<\/em><\/strong> (the degree to which one tries to meet their own needs) and <strong><em>Cooperativeness<\/em><\/strong> (the degree to which one tries to meet the needs of the other team members).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_207\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<img class=\"wp-image-207 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-1024x592.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"592\" \/> <strong>Figure 4.1.6.<\/strong> Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Management model[\/caption]\r\n\r\nEach approach can have both positive and negative impacts:\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Collaborating<\/strong> requires high level of both cooperativeness and assertiveness, but often leads to the best results. However, this may require persistence and effort for team members to successfully persuade each other and achieve consensus.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Compromising<\/strong> can seem a bit easier to achieve, but by definition, it \u201ccompromises\u201d the quality of the final product. Everyone \u201cgets a little\u201d and everyone \u201cgives a little;\u201d everyone may be somewhat happy, but also a bit unhappy with the final result.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Competition<\/strong> can drive excellence, but within a team, keep in mind that competition usually results in \u201cwinners\u201d and \u201closers\u201d \u2013 and this does not make for a constructive team.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Accommodating<\/strong> can also be a useful approach if someone feels very strongly about their position and there is no harm in giving them the win. However, this should not come at the expense of something you also feel strongly about that could have really helped the team.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Avoiding conflict<\/strong> can sometimes be a wise choice, if the issue is a small one and the outcome does not have a significant impact. The old adages \u201cdon\u2019t sweat the small stuff\u201d and \u201cpick your battles\u201d apply here. However, in many cases, avoiding a problem will not make it go away, and indeed, it may well get worse, leading to unwanted consequences. Consider the \u201ccost-benefit\u201d analysis of avoiding vs engaging with the conflict to solve the problem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Applying the Models<\/h1>\r\nClearly collaborating with others can have its challenges! But consider the pros and cons of individual vs teamwork when working on a writing-intensive project:\r\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"width: 100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\"><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\"><strong>Individual Work<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\"><strong>Collaboration<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Choosing a Topic and Approach<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are in control of the topic and approach; you have to make all the decisions, and you have to be able to complete all the tasks yourself.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">You must negotiate the focus of your work and the approaches you will use, but you share the work of making these decisions, relying on more than just your own knowledge and skills.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Task Analysis<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You have to make sure you understand all the assignment instructions, project requirements, and evaluation criteria, as well as remember due dates, etc.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Teammates may interpret assignment criteria and project requirements differently, resulting in discussion and questions, and ultimately stronger task understanding. Teammates remind each other about due dates and requirements.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Research<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are solely responsible for devising research questions, choosing research methods, finding and integrating all the research needed to support your project, and citing sources properly.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">You have a team to brainstorm research questions, compare approaches, divide up the work of reading and synthesizing sources to support your project; you have other eyes to spot citation errors and research gaps that need filling.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Writing<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">Writing on your own makes it easier to maintain a consistent \u201cvoice\u201d in terms of purpose, style, and tone,<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Collaborating requires the team to be aware of each other\u2019s different styles, and aim for a consistent overall \u201cvoice\u201d<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Critical Thinking<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are solely responsible for coming up with and refining ideas, evaluating source material for credibility, constructing persuasive arguments that will appeal to your intended audience, etc.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Teammates can bounce ideas around, give each other feedback about choices and help refine ideas. They might have more nuanced ideas about what might appeal to (or offend) your intended audience.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Document Design<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You make all the design choices, and it\u2019s relatively easy to be consistent. But you are limited by your own word processing skill level and awareness of design choices.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">When collaborating, you have to ensure that everyone is using consistent design features so that the document doesn\u2019t end up in chaos, but you have more skills to draw up to enhance the look and readability of your document.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Reviewing<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">When reviewing and editing your own work, it can be easy to miss errors. Also, you know what you mean, and it can be hard to see where expression might be ambiguous or confusing to other readers.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Teammates understand your purpose in writing, and can spot your mistakes more easily. They can indicate when something you\u2019ve written could be more clearly articulated. You can learn techniques by seeing how others revise and edit their own work.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAccountability\r\n\r\n&nbsp;<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are only accountable to yourself, so you can work at your own speed and determine what quality you are aiming for. If you procrastinate, no one else is affected.<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Being accountable to others makes you more likely to complete work on time, or even early to ensure time for peer review. However, one team member\u2019 work habits and commitment level can negatively affect the outcome of the project.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nIdeally, students can learn a great deal from their teammates \u2013 the more diverse the team, the more opportunities to learn! For example, your teammates can help you\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>develop a greater awareness of many different perspectives and approaches<\/li>\r\n \t<li>combine your different knowledge and skill levels to fill in gaps and solve problems in innovative ways<\/li>\r\n \t<li>understand the assignment expectations more fully and know if you are on track<\/li>\r\n \t<li>learn different ways of communicating ideas, needs, and concerns<\/li>\r\n \t<li>develop ways of sharing the workload equitably and efficiently<\/li>\r\n \t<li>understand how to establish trust and accountability, how to support each other without overstepping, how to give constructive feedback, and when to compromise.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nSeeing first-hand how others approach the project you are working on \u2013 how they do task analysis, research, brainstorm, and plan; how they write (draft, revise, give and receive feedback, etc) \u2013 can teach you more than any lecture!\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>EXERCISE 4.2<\/strong>\u00a0 Apply these models to your experience<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nApply one or more of these models to your past or current experience of teamwork:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Have you consciously or unknowingly engaged in the Tuckman team formation steps?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Can you determine which of the DISC characteristics most closely matches your personality traits?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Have you experienced a team project where misaligned goals or unclear roles had a negative impact?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do you think learning about the conflict modes or typical dysfunctions can help make your future team experiences more productive?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Could you propose an alternative model for effective teamwork?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<p>Teams are formed for a variety of reasons, and thus there are many kinds of teams. They can be categorized by function or by performance. For example, a \u201ccross-functional team\u201d combines people with diverse areas of expertise (such as mechanical, electrical, and software engineering) to all work on connected parts of the same project, while a \u201cwithin-function team\u201d is comprised of people with the same area of expertise.<\/p>\n<p>Teams can also be categorized by how well they perform.\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 1em\">Katzenbach and Smith in<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 1em\">The Wisdom of Teams<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"J. R. Katzenbach and D.K. Smith,The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-performance Organisation, Harvard Business School, Boston, 1993.\" id=\"return-footnote-83-1\" href=\"#footnote-83-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/em><span style=\"font-size: 1em\">\u00a0describe 4 categories of teams based on how well they perform.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-554 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-1024x145.png\" alt=\"Pseudo Team, Potential Team, Real Team, and High Performing Team\" width=\"1024\" height=\"145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-1024x145.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-300x43.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-768x109.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-1536x218.png 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-2048x290.png 2048w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-65x9.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-225x32.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Types-of-Teams-350x50.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Pseudo Team<\/strong>:\u00a0 a group of people not achieving what you would expect, based on their individual potential. They tend to work as isolated individuals rather than as a cohesive team, lacking strong communication with each other and commitment to the team\u2019s goals. They either lack clear team processes, or do not follow them; team meetings are not productive; team members don\u2019t feel accountable to each other; and there is little or no attempt to improve.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Potential Team<\/strong>: each team member performs at the level of the average team member, or maybe slightly above, developing some synergy and effective communication, but not reaching their potential as a team.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Real Team:<\/strong> A small number of people with complementary skills and compatible commitment levels maintain accountability to each other, their team processes, and overall goals to achieve a successful outcome through a high level of synergy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>High Performing Team<\/strong>: Few teams reach this level. A \u201chigh performing team\u201d exceeds the abilities of individual team members and can accomplish far better results together than they could individually. Team members bring out the best in each other and see the interpersonal aspects of the team as just important as the tasks. Team synergy is established through strong communication, clear team processes, and commitment to the project and to each other&#8217;s continual development. Building this kind of team synergy usually happens over time (and multiple projects) and takes consistent effort and commitment.<\/p>\n<p>For a team to reach this level of performance, all members need to be focused not only on the success of the project, but also on effective team dynamics as well as personal growth.\u00a0 To set your team up for success, consider the following:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>SIZE<\/strong>: You need to be able to meet and communicate regularly. Typically, smaller teams are more effective than larger ones, but that will depend on the kind of project or task you are working on.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>SKILLS<\/strong>: team members should have adequate levels of complementary skills, and\/or be willing to develop skills required to complete the project.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>PURPOSE &amp; GOALS<\/strong>: all team members need to feel that the project is meaningful and important, and should have some agency in defining the purpose and goals. All team members must be able to clearly articulate the goals.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>PROCESSES<\/strong>: the team needs to have clearly stated processes and approaches to completing work that are understood by all, and that allocate work equitably and fairly to each team member.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>ACCOUNTABILITY<\/strong>: All team members need to feel accountable to each other and to the project, and the team needs to have mechanisms in place to ensure ensure accountability and address lapses fairly.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>EXERCISE 4.1<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0Reflect on Previous Teamwork<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Think of a time when you had to work with others to produce or achieve something \u2013 a design, poster, presentation, document,\u00a0<em>etc<\/em>. You might have been working on a school assignment, been part of a sports team, work team, a club, or a musical band. Briefly describe what the task was and then consider the following questions:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What was the team\u2019s overall goal? Did you have a clear goal you all committed to?<\/li>\n<li>What was your job within the team? Were roles clearly defined?<\/li>\n<li>How were the jobs distributed? Was the workload fair?<\/li>\n<li>How well did your team function? How would you categorize this team based on the types described above? (Group, Pseudo-team, Potential team, Real Team, or High Performing team)<\/li>\n<li>Did anyone on the team hijack (take over) the project? Hitchhike (not contribute)? Isolate (work on their own and fail to communicate with the team?) What effect did this have?<\/li>\n<li>Was the outcome successful?<\/li>\n<li>Did your teammates teach you useful things and help you develop skills?<\/li>\n<li>Would you happily work with those teammates again on another project? Why or why not?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>They say \u201cteamwork makes the dream work!\u201d Becoming a member of a real or high performing team requires significant commitment and an understanding of team dynamics. The following sections provide some perspectives on team dynamics that are often used in professional contexts to promote strong team performance and manage crises effectively; these include the <strong>GRIP<\/strong> model, the <strong>Tuckman<\/strong> model, the <strong>Lencioni<\/strong> model, the <strong>DISC<\/strong> model, and the <strong>Thomas Kilman Conflict Management<\/strong> model.<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"margin-top: 2.14286em;margin-bottom: 1.42857em;line-height: 1.28571em\">GRIP Model<\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: start\">Richard Beckhard&#8217;s GRPI model,<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"R. Beckhard, (1972). \u201cOptimizing team building efforts,\u201d\u00a0Journal of Contemporary Business, 1972, pp. 23\u201327.\" id=\"return-footnote-83-2\" href=\"#footnote-83-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a> originally developed in 1972, has been widely adapted in sports contexts as the\u00a0<strong>GRIP<\/strong>\u00a0model (see\u00a0<strong>Figure 4.1.1<\/strong>), outlining four interrelated components of highly effective teamwork:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Goals<\/strong>: everyone must fully understand and be committed to the goals of the team, and of the organization. Everyone\u2019s goals must be aligned in order to establish trust, make progress, and achieve desired outcome.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Roles<\/strong>: all team members must know what part they play, what is expected, and how they will be held accountable and responsible.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Interpersonal<\/strong>: quality communication and collaboration require and foster trust among team members; sensitivity and flexibility needed to deal with conflict and make progress.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Processes<\/strong>: well-defined system for how decisions are made, how the team solves problems and addresses conflict; well-defined work flow and procedures to be followed in completing the project.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1.png\" alt=\"A circle in 4 pieces representing each of the GRIP elements: GOALS, ROLES, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND PROCESSES\" width=\"700\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1.png 948w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1-300x247.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1-768x632.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1-65x53.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1-225x185.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/GRIP-Model-1-350x288.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Figure 4.1.1<\/strong> GRIP Model for establishing successful teamwork dynamics.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Apply the GRIP Model to your team<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Set a strong foundation for your team&#8217;s success by using the these GRIP model principles:<\/p>\n<p><strong>DISCUSS GOALS<\/strong>: All team members should explicitly discuss and agree on the team\u2019s goals as well as their individual commitment levels, to ensure they are aligned. Define some \u201cbig picture\u201d goals for your project, but also consider goals that each team member would like to achieve. For example, if one team member\u2019s goal is put in the extra effort needed to exceed expectations and achieve above average results, while another team member wants to simply produce work that is \u2018good enough\u2019, their goals and commitment are not aligned and this will lead to problems down the road if not addresses proactively.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CHOOSE ROLES<\/strong>: Team members should discuss their strengths and weaknesses related to the team task (clearly, you will need to do some task analysis first to ensure you understand what the task entails), and decide on who will take on which roles. Team members might \u201cwork to their strengths\u201d \u2013 for example, someone who is very detail oriented might take on the role of editor; someone who has strong word processing skills might take on the role of document designer. However, you might also take a \u201cgrowth mindset\u201d approach, and choose roles that will allow you to strengthen weak areas, and build skills that you want to improve on. You might decide to alternate roles, so everyone has a chance to develop various skills. Consider how taking on roles integrates with the goals you have identified.<\/p>\n<p><strong>INTERPERSONAL<\/strong>: We all have different ways of communicating, and sometimes miscommunication can happen without us realizing it. One person might find it helpful to engage in some off-task \u201csmall talk\u201d at the beginning of a team meeting as a kind of ice breaker or warm up, while another might find this annoying and inefficient. Discuss with each other what kinds of communication help to motivate you, and what kinds can \u201cshut you down.\u201d Determine how you can be sensitive to each other\u2019s communication styles and preferred workflows.<\/p>\n<p><strong>DEFINE PROCESSES<\/strong>: Start defining some processes for how your team will communicate, make decisions, and ensure an effective workflow. For example, consider what communication channels your team will use for brief check ins and questions, for more sustained collaboration and discussion, for sharing documents, <em>etc<\/em>. Will you create agendas to guide your meetings? Will you take minutes to record the decisions and progress made at meetings? How will you share them?<\/p>\n<p>Using this GRIP process at the beginning of your project \u2013 in the \u201cforming\u201d stage \u2013 will help to set your team up for successful collaboration. You can refine the work you\u2019ve done here and use it to create a Team Charter, as discussed in section <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/chapter\/teampmtools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4.3 Project Management Tools and Teamwork Strategies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1>The Tuckman Team Model<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">&#8220;Tuckman&#8217;s Stages of Group Development,&#8221; proposed by psychologist Bruce Tuckman in 1965,<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"B. Tuckman, &quot;Developmental sequence in small groups,&quot; Psychological Bulletin, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 384-399. Available: http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1037\/h0022100 :\" id=\"return-footnote-83-3\" href=\"#footnote-83-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a> is one of the most famous theories of team development. It describes four stages that teams may progress through: <strong>forming, storming, norming<\/strong>, and <strong>performing<\/strong> (a 5th stage was added later:\u00a0 <strong>adjourning<\/strong>). The stages move from organizing your team (defining goals, choosing roles, and developing processes) to collaborating on the results you are trying to achieve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">Although the stages appear linear, in fact teams may move back and forth through these stages, depending on events that may influence the team and the communications strategies that they use. For example, a new member may be added to an already established team, which will require the team to revisit the forming stage. Some teams can also stall in a stage and never fully realize their potential. <strong>Figure 4.1.2<\/strong>\u00a0outlines these stages that are described in more detail below.\u00a0While reading about each stage, you will note how crucial clear communication is at each stage!<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-205 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-1024x911.png\" alt=\"A circular diagram of Tuckman\u2019s Model of team development showing four stages: Forming, strorming, norming, and performing.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"911\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-1024x911.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-300x267.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-768x683.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-65x58.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-225x200.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model-350x311.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Tuckman-model.png 1306w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><em><strong><br \/>\nFigure 4.1.2<\/strong> The Stages of the Tuckman model of team development<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>FORMING<\/strong>: During the\u00a0team forming\u00a0stage, everyone is getting to know each other and are trying to make a good impression. A fun team-forming activity can be a good way to help get to know each other, build trust, and get to know the various strengths and weaknesses of the team members and how these might apply to the team project. This is a good time to create a set of shared expectations, guidelines, or a <strong>Team Charter<\/strong>, that defines how the team agrees to operate for the duration of the project. Team members usually exchange contact and scheduling information, and set up a communication channel. This is an orientation stage, on both an interpersonal and professional level, where preliminary boundaries and expectations are established.<\/p>\n<p><strong>STORMING<\/strong>: The\u00a0<strong>storming<\/strong>\u00a0stage is the one most often characterized by group conflict. It is the stage where the preliminary boundaries and expectations are tested as individuals learn more about each other\u2019s motivations, commitment levels, strengths, weaknesses, ideas and strategies. This coincides with the \u201cbrainstorming\u201d stage of the design process, in which each member contributes ideas to help define the focus and trajectory of the project. It is important to recognize that conflict at this stage can be very productive, if managed effectively (using the strategies outlined in your Team Charter). Remaining overly polite and accommodating might seem like a tempting way to avoid conflict, but this rarely results in innovative ideas and approaches. Sometimes the best ideas are forged in the fires of disagreement and animated discussion where all team members feel safe to voice their ideas. However, some teams get stuck at this stage and revert back to working individually and become a \u201cpseudo team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To help get through this stage successfully, you might agree on brainstorming rules (\u201cno bad ideas!\u201d), use pros and cons list, designate someone as the \u201cdevil\u2019s advocate\u201d whose official role is to poke holes and argue against. Commit to valuing the diversity of opinions and approaches in your team (see <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/chapter\/4-4-managing-team-conflict\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4.2 Managing Team Conflict<\/a> for additional tips). At this stage, team members may refine their goals and roles in the project. Learning to harness the constructive potential of conflict and compromise in this stage is important to setting your team up for a successful \u201cnorming\u201d stage where you start to really make progress.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NORMING<\/strong>: During the\u00a0<strong>norming<\/strong> stage, conflicts have been largely resolved, team members have proven flexible and supportive, each team member knows their role and works on their part of the project, follows the designated team processes and guidelines, and all is going well. Sometimes, people work independently in this stage, but frequently check in with teammates to make sure workflow is efficient and effective. For example, you will want to make sure you aren\u2019t accidentally duplicating work or developing work that is inconsistent with what other team members are doing. A teammate may become ill and unable to meet a deadline, so others agree on how to proceed. Group cohesion ensures that everyone is responsible for their task and accountable to the team; team members acknowledge and appreciate each other\u2019s contributions. Gantt Charts or Work Plans can be very helpful in keeping everyone on track during this stage. Problems might arise at this stage if a team member has been absent and has not caught up, or if team members do not fully understand their role, team expectations, or the overall goal. If this happens, revisiting the forming or storming stage may be required.<\/p>\n<p><strong>PERFORMING<\/strong>: Reaching the\u00a0<strong>performing<\/strong>\u00a0stage is the goal of high-performing teams. This usually only happens when teams have worked together well on several projects, have established a synergy, and have developed systems that that make projects go smoothly and efficiently. The first time a team works together, they might not reach this stage; \u201cperforming\u201d teams have established trust in each other, have well-defined roles and goals, and follow the strategies and processes they have chosen to achieve them. They can move quickly and efficiently, work interdependently, and understand how to best support each other when needed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ADJOURNING: <\/strong>\u00a0At the end of the project, team members celebrate their achievements, express their appreciate for each other\u2019s contributions, reflect on what they have learned, and go their separate ways. If the team has successfully established trust and synergy, this parting can be somewhat emotional (leading to what some have called a &#8220;mourning&#8221; stage).<\/p>\n<p><strong style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Figure 4.1.3 <\/strong><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\"><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Dlogo Nicoleti. \u201cModelo de Tuckman.png\u201d, Wikimedia Commons, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Modelo_de_Tuckman.png\u00a0.\u00a0CC BY-SA 4.0\u00a0.\" id=\"return-footnote-83-4\" href=\"#footnote-83-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a> depicts the trajectory of each team member during each stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"CC BY-SA 4.0 wp-image-79 size-large\" title=\"DIogo Nicoleti [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-1024x247.png\" alt=\"Forming: 4 arrows pointing to the centre. Storming, 4 arrows going in various random directions. Norming: 4 arrows going in almost the same direction. Performing: 4 arrows perfectly aligned. Adjourning: 4 arrows pointing outward from the centre in the 4 cardinal directions.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"247\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-1024x247.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-300x72.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-768x185.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-65x16.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-225x54.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM-350x84.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-24-at-1.40.42-PM.png 1312w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Figure 4.1.3<\/strong>\u00a0Trajectory of team mates during each stage of the Tuckman team formation model.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For an entertaining overview, watch this video on the Tuckman phases of team development, as depicted in <em>The Fellowship of the Rings<\/em>:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"Forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning (as told by the Fellowship of the Ring)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ysWWGf8VsOg?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h1>Lencioni Model<\/h1>\n<p>In his 2005 book,\u00a0<em>The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni, <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"P. Lencioni, Five Dysfunctions of a Team, New York, NY:\u00a0 John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2002.\" id=\"return-footnote-83-5\" href=\"#footnote-83-5\" aria-label=\"Footnote 5\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0outlines<\/em>\u00a0five common problems teams experience that impact their effectiveness:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Lack of trust<\/strong>:\u00a0 if team members do not trust each other, they are unlikely to feel safe enough to speak honestly, take risks, or ask for help. A lack of trust means a low level of comfort that makes it difficult to communicate, commit, and perform effectively as a team<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Fear of conflict<\/strong>:\u00a0 avoiding conflict can lead to an artificial \u201cpeace\u201d at the expense of progress and innovation, or it can lead to unaddressed dysfunction that undermines the team. Shifting mindset to see conflict as a normal part of teamwork can be very productive if managed effectively.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Lack of commitment<\/strong>:\u00a0 having insufficient control or ownership of team processes and decisions can lead to a lack of commitment, where team members do not complete their assigned work, do not follow through on decisions or tasks, do not meet deadlines, and let their teammates down, ultimately affecting the success of the whole project.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Avoidance of accountability<\/strong>: if team members do not feel accountable to all other members of their team (rather than just the \u201cboss\u201d), they are less likely to care about not letting each other down.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Inattention to team results<\/strong>:\u00a0 when team members focus on their own personal goals instead of project goals, they lose sight of the expected results that actually measure the success of the project. Not focusing on the results during the process means that no one is planning how to improve those results.<\/p>\n<p>Lencioni designed a \u201cpyramid\u201d showing how each \u201cdysfunction\u201d is connected and builds upon previous ones.<strong>\u00a0Figure 4.1.4<\/strong> illustrates how to proactively address each of these issues, first and most importantly by establishing trust among all team members. Establishing trust is a crucial foundational step to being able to manage conflict effectively, achieve commitment, create accountability and focus on team results.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_206\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-206 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-1024x575.png\" alt=\"A pyramid with layers, starting at the bottom with &quot;establish trust among team members&quot;, &quot;accept and manage conflict,&quot; &quot;maintain commitment,&quot; &quot;promote accountability,&quot; and &quot;focus on results&quot;\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-1536x863.png 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-65x37.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-225x126.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped-350x197.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Lencioni-model-flipped.png 1702w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-206\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 4.1.4<\/strong> Proactive steps for preventing the dysfunctions described by Lencioni<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1>DISC Model<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>DISC theory, developed in 1928 by Dr. William Moulton Marston (who also, as it happens, created the <em>Wonder Woman<\/em> comic series!), has evolved into a useful model for conflict management as it predicts behaviours based on four key personality traits he originally described as Dominance, Inducement, Submission, and Compliance.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"W. M. Marsten, Emotions of Normal People. Keegan Paul Trench Trubner and Co. Ltd., 1928; republished London: Routledge, 2002\" id=\"return-footnote-83-6\" href=\"#footnote-83-6\" aria-label=\"Footnote 6\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[6]<\/sup><\/a> The names of these four traits have been variously revised over the decades, so you might find different terms used in different contexts. The four general traits are now often described as (1) Dominance, (2) Influence\/Inspiring (3) Steadiness\/Supportive, and (4) Compliance\/Conscientiousness (see <strong>Figure 4.1.5<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/296\/2018\/05\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-80 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-1024x682.png\" alt=\"Circle separated into 4 quadrants, each with one of the DISC profiles briefly described\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-1024x682.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-65x43.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-225x150.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3-350x233.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2026\/01\/DISC-image-Fig-4.2.3.png 1178w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Figure 4.1.5\u00a0 <\/strong>DISC Profile outlining the key characteristics of Dominance, Influencing, Supporting, and Conscientious personality types.\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Industries often use DISC assessments in professional contexts. Having some insight into your teammates\u2019 personality traits can help when trying to resolve conflicts. General characteristics of each trait are as follows:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dominance <\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics<\/em>: direct, decisive, ego-driven, problem-solver, and risk-taker; likes new challenges and freedom from routine; driven to overcome obstacles<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: great organizer and time manager; challenges the status quo; innovative<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: can be argumentative, disrespectful of authority, and overly ambitious (taking on too much); can be blunt, stubborn, and aggressive<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspiring\/Influential<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics<\/em>: enthusiastic, persuasive, optimistic, trusting, impulsive, charismatic, and emotional<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: creative problem solver; great cheer-leader, negotiator, and peace-maker; a real \u201cpeople person\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: more concerned with popularity than tangible results; lacks attention to detail<\/p>\n<p><strong>Steady\/Supportive<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics<\/em>: reliable, predictable, friendly, good listener, team player, empathetic, easy-going, and altruistic.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: dependable, loyal; respects authority; has patience and empathy; good at conflict resolution; willing to compromise.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: resistant to change; sensitive to criticism; difficulty prioritizing<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cautious\/Conscientious\/Compliant<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Characteristics: <\/em> has high standards<em>; <\/em>values precision and accuracy; analytical and systematic; even-tempered, realistic, and logical; methodical; respect for authority<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Strengths<\/em>: great information gatherer\/researcher; able to define situations precisely and accurately; offers realistic perspective<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><em>Weaknesses<\/em>: can get bogged down in details; needs clear boundaries, procedures, and methods; difficulty accepting criticism; may avoid conflict or just \u201cgive in.\u201d May be overly timid.<\/p>\n<p>You might recognize yourself in one of these descriptions, or you might have characteristics of 2 or more \u201ctypes.\u201d Having the team consider where they might fall in this typology can help you determine roles and give you insights into how to resolve issues.<\/p>\n<h1>Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Model<\/h1>\n<p>The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Management model<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"K. W. Thomas &amp; R. H. Kilmann, \u201cThomas\u2013Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument,\u201d Tuxedo NY: Xicom, 1974.\" id=\"return-footnote-83-7\" href=\"#footnote-83-7\" aria-label=\"Footnote 7\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[7]<\/sup><\/a> is used by Myers Briggs among others for understanding and managing conflict. This model, shown in <strong>Figure 4.1.6<\/strong>,\u00a0 outlines 5 main conflict styles or \u201cmodes\u201d (<em>competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, <\/em>and<em> collaborating<\/em>), and places them in a matrix with two dimensions: <strong><em>Assertiveness<\/em><\/strong> (the degree to which one tries to meet their own needs) and <strong><em>Cooperativeness<\/em><\/strong> (the degree to which one tries to meet the needs of the other team members).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_207\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-207\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-207 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-1024x592.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-1024x592.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-768x444.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-1536x888.png 1536w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-65x38.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-225x130.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model-350x202.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2569\/2018\/05\/Thomas-Kilmann-model.png 1568w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-207\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 4.1.6.<\/strong> Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Management model<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Each approach can have both positive and negative impacts:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Collaborating<\/strong> requires high level of both cooperativeness and assertiveness, but often leads to the best results. However, this may require persistence and effort for team members to successfully persuade each other and achieve consensus.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Compromising<\/strong> can seem a bit easier to achieve, but by definition, it \u201ccompromises\u201d the quality of the final product. Everyone \u201cgets a little\u201d and everyone \u201cgives a little;\u201d everyone may be somewhat happy, but also a bit unhappy with the final result.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Competition<\/strong> can drive excellence, but within a team, keep in mind that competition usually results in \u201cwinners\u201d and \u201closers\u201d \u2013 and this does not make for a constructive team.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Accommodating<\/strong> can also be a useful approach if someone feels very strongly about their position and there is no harm in giving them the win. However, this should not come at the expense of something you also feel strongly about that could have really helped the team.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><strong>Avoiding conflict<\/strong> can sometimes be a wise choice, if the issue is a small one and the outcome does not have a significant impact. The old adages \u201cdon\u2019t sweat the small stuff\u201d and \u201cpick your battles\u201d apply here. However, in many cases, avoiding a problem will not make it go away, and indeed, it may well get worse, leading to unwanted consequences. Consider the \u201ccost-benefit\u201d analysis of avoiding vs engaging with the conflict to solve the problem.<\/p>\n<h1>Applying the Models<\/h1>\n<p>Clearly collaborating with others can have its challenges! But consider the pros and cons of individual vs teamwork when working on a writing-intensive project:<\/p>\n<table class=\"grid\" style=\"width: 100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\"><strong>Individual Work<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\"><strong>Collaboration<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Choosing a Topic and Approach<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are in control of the topic and approach; you have to make all the decisions, and you have to be able to complete all the tasks yourself.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">You must negotiate the focus of your work and the approaches you will use, but you share the work of making these decisions, relying on more than just your own knowledge and skills.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Task Analysis<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You have to make sure you understand all the assignment instructions, project requirements, and evaluation criteria, as well as remember due dates, etc.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Teammates may interpret assignment criteria and project requirements differently, resulting in discussion and questions, and ultimately stronger task understanding. Teammates remind each other about due dates and requirements.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Research<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are solely responsible for devising research questions, choosing research methods, finding and integrating all the research needed to support your project, and citing sources properly.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">You have a team to brainstorm research questions, compare approaches, divide up the work of reading and synthesizing sources to support your project; you have other eyes to spot citation errors and research gaps that need filling.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Writing<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">Writing on your own makes it easier to maintain a consistent \u201cvoice\u201d in terms of purpose, style, and tone,<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Collaborating requires the team to be aware of each other\u2019s different styles, and aim for a consistent overall \u201cvoice\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Critical Thinking<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are solely responsible for coming up with and refining ideas, evaluating source material for credibility, constructing persuasive arguments that will appeal to your intended audience, etc.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Teammates can bounce ideas around, give each other feedback about choices and help refine ideas. They might have more nuanced ideas about what might appeal to (or offend) your intended audience.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Document Design<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You make all the design choices, and it\u2019s relatively easy to be consistent. But you are limited by your own word processing skill level and awareness of design choices.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">When collaborating, you have to ensure that everyone is using consistent design features so that the document doesn\u2019t end up in chaos, but you have more skills to draw up to enhance the look and readability of your document.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">Reviewing<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">When reviewing and editing your own work, it can be easy to miss errors. Also, you know what you mean, and it can be hard to see where expression might be ambiguous or confusing to other readers.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Teammates understand your purpose in writing, and can spot your mistakes more easily. They can indicate when something you\u2019ve written could be more clearly articulated. You can learn techniques by seeing how others revise and edit their own work.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 108.398px\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Accountability<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 218.172px\">You are only accountable to yourself, so you can work at your own speed and determine what quality you are aiming for. If you procrastinate, no one else is affected.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 280.57px\">Being accountable to others makes you more likely to complete work on time, or even early to ensure time for peer review. However, one team member\u2019 work habits and commitment level can negatively affect the outcome of the project.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Ideally, students can learn a great deal from their teammates \u2013 the more diverse the team, the more opportunities to learn! For example, your teammates can help you<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>develop a greater awareness of many different perspectives and approaches<\/li>\n<li>combine your different knowledge and skill levels to fill in gaps and solve problems in innovative ways<\/li>\n<li>understand the assignment expectations more fully and know if you are on track<\/li>\n<li>learn different ways of communicating ideas, needs, and concerns<\/li>\n<li>develop ways of sharing the workload equitably and efficiently<\/li>\n<li>understand how to establish trust and accountability, how to support each other without overstepping, how to give constructive feedback, and when to compromise.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Seeing first-hand how others approach the project you are working on \u2013 how they do task analysis, research, brainstorm, and plan; how they write (draft, revise, give and receive feedback, etc) \u2013 can teach you more than any lecture!<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>EXERCISE 4.2<\/strong>\u00a0 Apply these models to your experience<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Apply one or more of these models to your past or current experience of teamwork:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Have you consciously or unknowingly engaged in the Tuckman team formation steps?<\/li>\n<li>Can you determine which of the DISC characteristics most closely matches your personality traits?<\/li>\n<li>Have you experienced a team project where misaligned goals or unclear roles had a negative impact?<\/li>\n<li>Do you think learning about the conflict modes or typical dysfunctions can help make your future team experiences more productive?<\/li>\n<li>Could you propose an alternative model for effective teamwork?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-83-1\">J. R. Katzenbach and D.K. Smith,The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-performance Organisation, Harvard Business School, Boston, 1993. <a href=\"#return-footnote-83-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-83-2\">R. Beckhard, (1972). \u201cOptimizing team building efforts,\u201d\u00a0<em>Journal of Contemporary Business<\/em>, 1972, pp. 23\u201327. <a href=\"#return-footnote-83-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-83-3\">B. Tuckman, \"Developmental sequence in small groups,\" <em>Psychological Bulletin<\/em>, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 384-399. Available: http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1037\/h0022100 :  <a href=\"#return-footnote-83-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-83-4\">Dlogo Nicoleti. \u201cModelo de Tuckman.png\u201d, <\/span><em style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">Wikimedia Commons<\/em><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">, <\/span><a style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\" href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Modelo_de_Tuckman.png\">https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Modelo_de_Tuckman.png<\/a><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">\u00a0.\u00a0<\/span><a style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\">CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">\u00a0. <a href=\"#return-footnote-83-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-83-5\">P<\/em>. Lencioni, <em>Five Dysfunctions of a Team<\/em>, New York, NY:\u00a0 John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2002.<em> <a href=\"#return-footnote-83-5\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 5\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-83-6\">W. M. Marsten, <em>Emotions of Normal People<\/em>. Keegan Paul Trench Trubner and Co. Ltd., 1928; republished London: Routledge, 2002  <a href=\"#return-footnote-83-6\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 6\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-83-7\">K. W. Thomas &amp; R. H. Kilmann, \u201cThomas\u2013Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument,\u201d Tuxedo NY: Xicom, 1974. <a href=\"#return-footnote-83-7\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 7\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":20,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[49],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-83","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","chapter-type-numberless"],"part":72,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/83","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/83\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":836,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/83\/revisions\/836"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/72"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/83\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=83"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=83"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting2ed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=83"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}