An Introduction to Teamwork

Authored by Andrea White, PhD and Valerie West, EdD for the C3 Initiative

Click to edit Master subtitle style

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Teaching Team Skills:

Goals for Today
Introduction to Team

Competencies/ Content for teaching Team exercise as an example Observation and Feedback Review Handbook Contents Questions and evaluation

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What is a Team?
Two or more

individuals with a high degree of interdependence geared toward the achievement of a goal or the completion of a task.
Teams make

decisions, solve problems, provide support, accomplish 3/29/12 missions, and plan

How is a Team Different from a Group or Committee?

Teams embody a collective action arising out of

task interdependency

Members of the team agree on the goal Members agree that they must work together to

achieve the goal

Each member is viewed as having one or more

important roles to play to successfully achieve the goal work groups

There is less hierarchy within the unit than in most

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Why is Teamwork Important in Healthcare?

While our healthcare delivery system has the

potential to be outstanding, our system currently is not as safe, effective, or efficient as it should be.

Promoting teamwork and good communication

among health professionals can dramatically improve healthcare delivery, resulting in much better outcomes for our patients.
How do we know this?

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There are Many Types of Teams

Examples of Teams:
Athletic Team people working together to win a game Natural Work Group people working together every

day in same office with similar processes and equipment Business Team cross-functional team overseeing a specific product line or customer segment Improvement Team ad hoc team with responsibility for improving an existing process Healthcare Team several healthcare professionals working closely together for the benefit of a patient or group of patients
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When to use a team?

Quality and Acceptance
Low Quality/ Low acceptance Flip a coin Low Quality/ High Acceptance Group decision High Quality/ Low acceptance Ask an Expert High Quality/ High acceptance Team Consensus

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Understanding group behavior

Group Content - what is being said, the words, the

discussion

Group Process - how the group works, methods,

ways of making decisions, how people participate

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 Who talks to whom? Who interrupts and how is it handled? How are quiet members treated? High and low participators? Shifts in

Aspects of Group Process: Communication

participation levels? Do people look at each other when they talk? How are new members treated?

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Aspects of Group Process: Decision -making

What process does the group use to make decisions? Is the process agreed upon by everyone? Does the process change as group proceeds? Does anyone make a decision and carry it out without

agreement from the others? Is there evidence of a majority pushing a decision Are minority opinions heard?

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Aspects of Group Process: Problem-solving

Does the group take time to understand the

problem? Is the problem well articulated? Is there time for brainstorming creative solutions? Can the group move to from problem identification, identifying possible solutions, to selecting solutions and implementation?
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Group Problem Solving

IDENTIFY Involve PROBLEM Generate ideas Presentat people Listen for ion Details/Fi common nish Themes Motiva

te Monitor progress Find resources Assign responsibilities

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Organize ideas

Develop plan

Evaluate alternatives Get information Manage conflict

Recognizing Dysfunctional Behavior

Blocking Aggression Dominating Withdrawing Out of field behavior

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Team Roles: Task

Initiating Seeking and Giving Information Clarifying Summarizing Consensus Taking Accountability

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Team Roles: Relationships

Communication Gatekeeping Encouraging Resolving Conflict Acknowledging Feelings Setting Standards/Norms Openness

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Attitudes for Effective Teamwork

Appreciation for value of team decisions Respect for team members Mutual trust Openness to feedback Reflection on group process and interest in

improving Shared vision

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Team Exercise
Instructions for

Observers Instructions for Team members Team Exercise Scoring, Team members and Observer comments Discussion

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What are Characteristics of Effective Teams?

Members have a clear goal The focus is on achieving results There is a plan for achieving the goal Members have clear roles Members are committed to the goal Members are competent They achieve decisions through consensus There is diversity among team members Members have effective interpersonal skills They know each other well and have good relationships

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More Characteristics
Each member feels empowered to act, speak up, offer

ideas Each member has a high standard of excellence An informal climate and easiness exists among members The team has the support of management The team is open to new ideas There is periodic self-assessment There is shared leadership of the team The team is a relatively small size There is recognition of team member accomplishments There are sufficient resources to support the team work
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Effective Team-Building Takes Time

There must be

frequent and prolonged contact

Team members come

together around a specific goal or project

Effective teams go

through four stages of team development

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What are the Four Stages of Team Development?

Forming Storming Norming Performing Every effective team

goes through these life cycle stages

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Forming
Team members are

introduced and begin getting to know each other Goals and tasks are established Generally polite behavior among members Norms are not understood
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Storming
Members are sizing

each other up and may feel more comfortable and voice their views Members may compete for team roles May argue about goals or how they should be accomplished May choose sides against other members
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Norming
Once issues are

resolved, agreement occurs around team norms and expectations

Trust and common

interests are developing

Roles and objectives

are clarified and 3/29/12 understood

Performing
Members make

contributions and are motivated by results Leadership is shared according to members knowledge and skills Norms and culture are well understood Tasks get accomplished effectively and efficiently

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References
Thiagarajan, S. and Parker, G. (1999). Teamwork and Teamplay. San

Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
Dean, P., LaVallee, R., & McLaughlin, C. (1999). Teams at the core of

continuous learning in McLaughlin, & Kaluzny, A. (eds.) Continuous Quality Improvement in Health Care: Theory, Implementation, and Applications, 147 168.

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