Referring to the experience described in the previous reflection in participation of planning a large event, there was a situation which strongly emphasized the importance of teamwork. Most of the volunteer workers were put into teams overseen by a supervisor that were responsible for a specific aspect of the event planning. Upon formation my team was tense, and we were struggling in many elements of work including communication, creative and practical collaboration, and organizational capacities. However, our supervisor was very experienced in the industry, having worked with multiple teams over the years. He quickly recognized the situation which was inhibiting our work. The team was gathered, and he facilitated a discussion to determine our comfortable areas, strengths, and skills, with each individual being given assignments that they worked best in. Performance and teamwork quickly improved and we were able to successfully execute our given part.
In the context of this situation, once again it became clear that theoretical applications of team management and collaboration are critical. The approaches that were implemented by my supervisor had their basis in management theory as well as his experienced of understanding the psychology of teams in complex work environments. One of the most foundational theories of teamwork is Bruce Tuckman’s Model of Team Stages. It suggests that teams develop over time, undergoing particular stages (not linear), each serving a purpose in the team’s growth and development as it eventually reaches peak performance and effectiveness (Black et al., 2019). In their research Bell et al. (2018) describe the importance of team composition, as the configuration team attributes ultimately influences the so-called ABCs of teamwork which are affective states, behavioral processes, and cognitive states. There is also the Belbin’s Theory of Team Roles which has seen success in modern management as well, attributing a well-functioning and optimized teamwork due to individuals being given the role where they best excel out of the seven possible which are: idea creator, information gatherer, decision-maker, implementer, influencer, energizer, and relationship manager (Ruch et al., 2016).
These theories all took place in the situation. Our team underwent a developmental trajectory where we worked together, figured out differences, and eventually adapted to ensure that our performance was at the highest level. The importance of team composition was critical as well in the ABCs, as it affected our emotional state, behavior, and cognitive perspectives. Initially, it was challenging and debilitating because the team composition was made of relatively inexperienced workers that were strongly disorganized. However, once our supervisor applied the theory of team roles to an extent, assigning roles and appropriate tasks for that role in the team to individuals which were more comfortable, the team composition improved as well. Going forward, the theories enrich my understanding of team management and teamwork in the context of my future professional practice in event management. Teams in the industry are expected to work on complex and multilateral projects, therefore management of these teams should focus on identifying individual strengths of members and bringing them together competently and comprehensively to promote the best teamwork practices.
Reference List
Bell, S.T., Brown, S.G.., Colahen, A. & Outland, N. (2018). Team composition and the ABCs of teamwork. American Psychologist, [online] 73(4), pp.349–362. Web.
Black, S., Gardner, D.G., Pierce, J.L & Steers, R. (2019). Organizational behavior. Houston, TX: OpenStax.
Ruch, W., Gander, F., Platt, T. and Hofmann, J. (2016). Team roles: Their relationships to character strengths and job satisfaction. The Journal of Positive Psychology, [online] 13(2), pp.190–199. Web.