How to Build a Cohesive, High-Performing Team

At some point in our lives, we have all been a part of a team.

Some of these teams may have effective and exciting while others may have been ineffective and infuriating. The biggest variable to team success was probably how cohesive it was.

Team cohesion happens when a team remains united while working to achieve a common goal. Being a cohesive team means that not only are group goals met, but everyone feels like they have contributed to the overall success of the group. 

So what does it take to make a team cohesive and how can team leaders help their team members succeed?

According to Bruce Tuckman, a famed researcher in group dynamics, there are four stages in team development that can be used to assess a team’s cohesiveness: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. 

By understanding these stages, leaders and team members can understand why certain behaviors are happening and make informed changes.

Stage One – Forming:

 The forming stage is characterized by individuals of the group getting to know one another through comparisons and social assessments. When employees are new to a team or a new team is being built, team members need time to adjust to their environment and understand who does what, what the boundaries are and discover how the team functions overall.

 Team leaders can help team members during this phase by:

1.    Establishing clear objectives.

2.    Establishing both group and individual goals for each team member.

3.    Implementing team building activities to allow members to get to know one another.

Stage Two – Storming:

Storming is generally characterized by conflict, generally due to the process of establishing roles. Teammates may become defensive about the way things are done or should be done, and managers may often experience push back. 

If your team is in this phase it is important to:

1.    Establish structures and procedures that are followed by all team members.

2.    Resolve conflict as it occurs; communication is key and it is important for individual team members and management to feel comfortable expressing themselves.

Explain these stages to team members so they can have a better understanding of why conflict arises.

Stage Three  – Norming:

Norming marks the point where the conflict begins to get resolved and is replaced with cooperation. In this stage, group norms are established and members often feel comfortable giving one another feedback which helps increase trust. Once your team has reached this stage it is important to:

1.    Have consistent meetings to ensure that everyone is still working towards the same goal and adjust as needed.

2.    Allow team members autonomy to work towards their goals.

3.    Continue to implement team building activities both inside and outside of the workplace to keep communication open and active.

Stage Four – Performing:

In this final stage, teams are generally performing at an optimal level, meaning each person is concerned with team success rather than solely individual recognition. In this stage, each person understands that their contributions are important and they should be willing to take risks – if they believe it will benefit the team. 

These teams possess a true sense of team cohesion. Once your teams have reached this stage it is important to:

1.    Celebrate your victories!

2.    Reforecast and target new goals, while continuing to have consistent meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page.

3.    Allow the team some room to make decisions – over-controlling at this stage may cause teams to regress back to lower stages.

Team cohesion is more crucial in the workplace than ever and is a vital “secret weapon” in today’s ultra-competitive marketplace. Commit to it today!