T EAM NORMING

Team coaches had a direct input in ensuring that their teams do not get detracted but retain momentum towards goal achievement. Their approaches and techniques used to establish norms within their teams differ from one coach to another and from type and source of conflict.

Team 2 had a variety of ways to inculcate team norms and they include being available to assist a team member, meetings where all openly communicate and they also have quarterly HR learning sessions.

So collectively we realised that we can use quarterly HR learning sessions (P2:76). At least you know it's a platform where you can bring issues that involves during the week, maybe you need clarity on how they’ve approached certain things or how you will still approach them, so there is a platform for that (P2:211)

And going forward we resolved to say, if there is an issue, let's speak about it there, let's try find a solution because we’re all here for the same goal and for us to not be trusting that my colleague has my back, that’s going to be difficult (P8:143)

And to say guys, at the end of the day, we’re a team, let's pave the way forward. We understand your emotions, we are sorry but let's make sure that how are we going to take this vehicle forward (P8: 493)

Team 3 decided on equality among team members to improve team dynamics:

I think that the most important thing in team dynamics is that everyone plays a role. No one is higher than the other, and everybody wants to play power games in a team, or I'm more important than you, or you’re more important than me (P6:147)

I show them in so many different ways that you know what, I need you to reach this line, I need you to do this (P7:257)

Team 4 resolved to introduce values like respect for one another, open communication and trust:

We have to define who we are, so we worked on the values, these values are for this department (P12:155). Open, Trust and Communication and Excellence which is shared with the corporate (P12:161)

You treat me with respect, I will also treat you with respect and she does that. Like treat her with respect, she will also treat you with respect (P11:184)

What we basically do is in some instances you may find that for all the projects that we do, we always allow the principle of team work (P16:248)

Most coaches had their own ways to instil norming. Some refocus the team to

the team goals, principles, and work ethics.

So you always need to understand the circumstances of the team and make sure that the you almost get a common enemy for the team so that they can gather themselves against that and then create an objective for the team to say, this is how we’re going to tackle it and this is how we’re going to support each other (3:99)

So we’ve got this rule, if you believe that something has slipped or whatever, you can walk to my cubicle, put your hand up and say, I think I may have made an error (P18:170).

Exactly. And usually if people are focused on the right thing at the right time, then you limit a lot of the storming that’s happening, because if people are unsure about where they are going or what they need to do, that’s when they have opportunity to spend time on it (P5:155)

A few coaches have encouraged the refocus on values to ensure that the team has a common understanding of expected behaviour and work ethics.

I have introduced structure, I've introduced process and some work ethic, some principles that we’ve adopted and they are keeping each other honest (P10:72)

I don’t mind if you have arrangements to start later and end later and things like that but let's keep the discipline back, the basics so that we know where we are going with each other, and so that we know that we will deliver on the job (P10:165)

If I believe that I've made an error, an error in judgement or whatever, tell him you know what, I think I may have made a mistake here, but this is how we’re going to rectify it (P18:172).

Other coaches were focused on instilling a culture; a culture that encourages working together as a team, communicating at all levels and peer reviews:

Feedback is very important and whenever I meet a new team and we go

through the phases of developing into a team (P13:105)

Just to build that relationship amongst them and also what we do is when you write reports you ask them to actually do a peer review of your work so that they can build that relationship of talking amongst themselves without first coming to me (16:239)

So we talk every day, there’s a good team spirit, a good atmosphere and once a quarter we will have a team meeting and say alright, these were the deliverables, have they been met? (P18:228)

Most teams and their coaches had undergone a norming phase in one form or other. They have attested that they had to find ways of working as a team to resolve current issues, which made them to progress to a performing phase.