Team development models

Unlocking Team Effectiveness: 7 Models for High-Performance Teams

What makes a great team stand out from a good one? Sometimes, putting together a “dream team” doesn’t necessarily lead to great results. Conversely, a team that didn’t seem to gel at first can suddenly deliver amazing results and surprise everyone. How can we make sure our teams always perform at their best? Is there a way to build a truly effective team that guarantees outstanding results?

1. What Is a Team Effectiveness Model?
2. How to Choose an Enterprise Team Effectiveness Model
3. 7 Team Effectiveness Models to Build High-Performing Teams 
4. What are the best models for team effectiveness?

What Is a Team Effectiveness Model?

A team effectiveness model is basically a description of the main things that help a team do well. This could include things like how the team is structured, how they communicate, who leads them, how they solve problems and manage conflict. A team effectiveness model is there to help teams understand how they can get the most out of their work and achieve their goals.

The idea of modeling teams and creating corresponding models has been developed by many researchers and scholars in psychology, sociology, management, and other fields. Over the years, lots of studies and practical observations have led to the creation of different models that describe how teams work, what makes them effective, and what factors influence that effectiveness. Each of these different models, which are designed to help teams grow and work more efficiently, has its ideal situations for use. If you think a different model will help you get results faster, easier, or more effectively, you can switch.

What research is behind the concept of team effectiveness models? Here are a few examples of scholars who’ve made big contributions to this field:

Bruce Tuckman and John Adair came up with one of the most well-known models of group development, called the “Tuckman Stages of Group Development«». It has four stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing. This model describes the typical phases groups go through when they’re first forming and then developing their dynamics.

Richard Hackman and his colleagues came up with the idea of the “Integrated Model of Team Effectiveness«». They came up with six factors that contribute to team effectiveness: clear goals, performance, structure, external support, competence, and cohesion. This model puts a lot of focus on both the internal workings of the team and how the team interacts with the outside world.

John Kotter looked into how organizations manage change. His “Eight-Step Change Model” is a great way to get changes implemented successfully in an organization. This model can also be used to solve problems and improve team performance in the context of teams.

Margaret J. Wheatley and her colleagues came up with the “Distributed Leadership” model, which shows how different team members can take on leadership roles in different situations and contexts. This model shows how important it is to manage a team collectively and to share leadership roles.

These studies and models are just a small part of the big picture of research on team dynamics and team effectiveness.

How to Choose an Enterprise Team Effectiveness Model

It’s hard to say exactly how many team effectiveness models there are, because they’re developed and adapted for different contexts and needs. Models can differ in how detailed they are, what they’re based on, and how they’re put together.

It all depends on what you’re looking for. There are lots of different factors to consider when choosing the right model for corporate team effectiveness. Here are a few things to think about when choosing a good model:

1. Goals and Needs of the Team

The first thing is to figure out what your team’s goals and needs are. What are the tasks it needs to accomplish? What problems do you need to solve? Take a look at what your team is all about and see which model will work best for them.

1. Size and Composition

The size and composition of your team can also affect which model of team effectiveness is best for you. Some models are better for small groups, while others are better for large corporate teams.

1. Type of Tasks and Projects

Think about the typical tasks and projects your team will work on. Some team effectiveness models are better suited to specific types of tasks. For instance, the Agile model might be a good fit for software development, while the Six Sigma model could be better for improving business processes.

1. Organizational Culture

It’s also worth thinking about the culture and values of your company when choosing a model. The team effectiveness model should fit in with your company’s overall strategy and approach to teamwork.

1. Resources and Training Availability

When you’re choosing a model, think about the availability of the resources you need and opportunities for training your team members. Some models might require you to invest more in training and development.

When choosing a team effectiveness model, make sure to analyze your organization’s unique needs and context. Also, don’t forget to discuss it with key stakeholders and team members! Next, we’ll take a look at some of the most well-known, frequently used, and effective team effectiveness models.

7 Team Effectiveness Models to Build High-Performing Teams 

1. The GRPI Team Effectiveness Model by Rubin, Plovnick, and Fry

The GRPI model, developed by Richard Beckhard, Allen Rubin, David Plovnick, and Edward Fry, is one of the most popular team effectiveness models out there. It’s an acronym that stands for the four key components you need for a successful team:

The GRPI model helps teams assess their current effectiveness and identify areas for improvement by looking at four key areas:

• Goals
• Roles
• Processes
• Interpersonal Relationships 

When you implement each component of the model, it helps your team work better together and achieve their goals.

Goals: This part of the model is all about setting clear, specific, and measurable goals that the team is aiming to achieve. The goals should be clear, everyone on the team should know what they are, and they should fit in with the company’s overall strategy.

Roles: This means figuring out what each team member is supposed to do. It’s important for each team member to understand their role, duties, and contributions towards achieving the goals. This also includes who does what tasks, who makes decisions, and who is responsible for specific functions.

Processes: This part is all about defining the best ways for the team to work together to achieve their goals. This also includes putting together action plans, project management systems, feedback methods, and regular meetings to discuss progress.

Interpersonal Relationships: This is all about building up good, productive relationships between team members. It also means creating an open and trusting environment, effective communication, conflict resolution, and mutual support and respect.

The GRPI Model has some great benefits:

— It’s simple and clear. The GRPI model is a simple and straightforward way to analyze and improve team performance. It’s easy to understand and apply in practice.

— A comprehensive approach: It covers the main things that go on in a team, including what they’re trying to achieve, who’s doing what, how they work together, and how they interact with each other. This allows for a complete picture of the team and lets you know where you can make improvements.

— Focus on results: The model’s components are designed to help teams achieve specific goals and improve work processes, which helps boost productivity and team effectiveness.

The GRPI Model has a few drawbacks:

— Simplified Perspective: The model doesn’t take into account everything that affects team effectiveness. It might miss things like culture, structure, and other aspects of team activities.

— The model is static. It tends to view team dynamics as a static process, which ignores changes that may occur over time. Teams change and grow over time, so the model should be able to adapt to these changes.

— Lack of detail: The GRPI model doesn’t always provide enough detailed info to address complex issues or specific situations. It can be a good starting point for analysis, but you might need to use other tools and methods to get a deeper understanding of the problem.

The GRPI model is a useful tool for assessing and improving team performance, but it’s important to understand its context and limitations.

2. Robert Katz and Thomas Kahn’s Model

This model, created by Robert Katz and Thomas Kahn back in 1978, breaks down team effectiveness into four main areas: context, components, process, and output. For a team to be truly successful, it needs to strike that balance.

Context: It’s the environment in which the team operates. This includes things like the company’s culture, structure, and goals, as well as things like the team’s resources, technology, and access to information. The context really affects how well the team can achieve its goals.

Components: This is about the internal aspects of the team, like how it’s structured, what processes it uses, who does what, and who’s responsible for what. To be effective, teams need a clear structure and role distribution, as well as efficient work processes to achieve their goals.

Process: It’s about how the team works together and how they interact within their work framework. This includes how the team communicates, makes decisions, deals with conflict, and works together to solve problems. Effective teams have solid interaction processes that help them succeed.

Output. This is what the team produces or achieves. These can be specific goals, completed projects, solved problems, or achieved interpersonal relationships. Effective teams deliver top-notch results that hit the mark in terms of their goals and expectations.

The Katz and Kahn Model has a few advantages:

— A comprehensive approach: The model looks at all the different aspects of team functioning, including the external environment, internal structures, interaction processes, and end results. This comprehensive approach gives you a full understanding of what makes a team effective.

— The model is simple and clear. The model is easy to understand and apply in practice, with four main components. It helps researchers and managers analyze and improve team performance using a simple framework.

— Adaptability: The model can be used in any context or industry, with different types of teams in various organizations and fields. This makes it flexible and applicable in a wide range of situations.

The Katz and Kahn Model has a few drawbacks:

— Generalization: The model might be too broad and not take into account the specific needs of different types of teams and contexts. This can make it tricky to apply in certain situations.

— Lack of detail: It gives a general overview, but it might not include all the details or specific action recommendations you need. This can leave managers and researchers in the dark about how to boost team effectiveness.

— The model doesn’t go into much detail about how teams work internally. The model looks at both the external and internal aspects of the team, but it doesn’t go into enough detail about how the team works internally and how its members interact with each other.

3. T7 Team Effectiveness Model

Philip Miller created the T7 model in 2003 to help teams measure their effectiveness and make improvements. Here are the main things it looks at:

1. Targets
2. Trust
3. Roles
4. Communication
5. Adaptability
6. Resources
7. Processes

Targets: Good teams know what they’re aiming for. These should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Trust is also important. Successful teams build trust among their members. This also means trusting each other’s abilities, dedication, and decision-making abilities.

Roles: Every team member should know what they’re supposed to be doing and what they’re responsible for. This helps to avoid wasting time and energy on tasks that could be done by someone else.

Communication is key! Good teams are all about open communication. This means sharing information, listening actively, giving and receiving feedback, and resolving conflicts.

Adaptability: Teams need to be able to react quickly to changes in the external environment or internal circumstances. This also means being flexible, adaptable, and able to work effectively in a changing environment.

Resources: Teams need the resources they need to achieve their goals, including money, materials, and people.

Processes: Good work processes help you achieve your goals. This means making work processes more efficient by getting rid of any unnecessary steps and boosting productivity.

Here are some of the advantages to the T7 model:

— Comprehensive approach: The seven key aspects of teamwork give us a complete picture of how well a team is doing.

— Simplicity: The model is easy to use and understand, so it’s suitable for a wide range of users.

— Focus on Results: The T7 model is all about getting the team where it needs to be and offers some handy tips for making things more efficient.

The T7 Model has a few drawbacks:

— Generalization: Some people think that the T7 model is too general and doesn’t take into account the unique characteristics of each team.

— How the T7 model is evaluated: It can be tricky to assess team effectiveness within the T7 model, as it’s all down to how you interpret the data.

— The need for adaptation: To make the T7 model work in a specific situation, it might need to be tweaked to fit the team’s characteristics and work context.

4. The LaFasto and Larson Teamwork Model 

The LaFasto and Larson model offers a structured approach to defining and evaluating team effectiveness, with a focus on what must go right and what can go wrong. The model is based on the idea that team effectiveness depends on four key factors:

• Goals
• Roles
• Relationships
• Processes

The LaFasto and Larson model helps you evaluate each of these four factors and identify areas where the team can improve its effectiveness. It helps leaders and team members figure out which parts of their work need to be fixed to make things work better.

Goals: What are the team’s goals for their work? Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Roles: Make sure you know what each team member is supposed to do. It’s important that everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing and how they fit into the bigger picture.

Relationships: How team members interact with each other. We should all treat each other with mutual respect, trust, and support.

Processes: The ways the team gets things done. It’s important to make sure that the processes we use are as effective as they can be, so that we can achieve our team goals.

The LaFasto and Larson model has a lot going for it:

— It’s simple and clear. It’s a simple and straightforward structure that can be easily adapted to different team situations.

— It’s all about focusing on the key areas. The model focuses on the main things that affect team effectiveness, like goals, roles, processes, relationships, and results.

— It also helps teams improve their dynamics. It helps teams figure out what they’re good at and what they could improve on, which helps them do their work better.

The LaFasto and Larson Model has a few drawbacks:

— Making things simple: The model might not fully capture the complexities of team dynamics, such as the impact of external factors or cultural nuances.

— The model doesn’t take into account the different ways people work. It might not fully capture the specific needs and preferences of each team member, focusing more on general aspects.

— It’s not very versatile. The model might not be as effective in situations that require more in-depth analysis or consideration of specific factors.

5. The Input-Process-Output Model of Team Effectiveness by Hackman

This model was developed by Richard Hackman, a professor at Harvard Business School. It focuses on factors determining team processes. This model looks at the things that affect how well a team works together.

1. Input, 
2. Internal Dynamics, 
3. Process, 
4. External Support, 
5. Output

The first thing to consider is the input. The starting point for the team, including what they have to work with. This includes clear and attainable goals, well-defined roles, necessary skills and expertise, and a supportive organizational environment.

Internal Dynamics: How the team members interact with each other. This means having trust, good communication, ways to make decisions, ways to deal with conflict, and ways to support each other.

The process is: The way the team goes about achieving its goals. This includes planning, coordinating tasks, and keeping an eye on progress.

External Support: The support the organization provides, like guidance from leaders, access to resources, and protection from external disruptions.

And finally, the output. The final products or outcomes that the team achieves. This includes how good the results are, how well the team is doing at meeting their goals, and how happy the team members are.

The advantages to Hackman’s model are:

— It’s a comprehensive approach. It covers all kinds of things that affect how well a team works, like goals, structure, skills, how they interact with each other, and how they get support, so it’s a great way to figure out how to make a team better.

— It’s based on research. The approach is based on academic research and theories related to team effectiveness, so it’s reliable and well-founded.

— It focuses on how well the team interacts with each other. The model really puts the focus on how the team interacts and communicates with each other, which is really important for the team to be successful. This helps us spot problems in how the team works together and focus our efforts on fixing them.

Here are some of the drawbacks of Hackman’s model:

— Complexity: The model’s multi-level structure and the need to assess various factors might make it tricky to apply in practice.

— Subjective Evaluation: Some parts of the model, like how the team works together and what help they get from outside, can be hard to measure and might be seen differently by different people, which can make the results less accurate and reliable.

— Limited Applicability: The model might not be the right fit for all types of teams and organizations. Depending on the context and specific situation, it might need to be adapted to work better.

6. Lencioni Model

The Lencioni Model was first introduced in the 2002 book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. The author, who knows a thing or two about teamwork and leadership, zeroes in on five key dysfunctions that can pop up in teams and offers strategies to overcome them. Here’s a quick overview of each of these dysfunctions:

Lack of trust is a big one. This is the first and most basic problem. This happens when team members don’t feel like they can be open and honest with each other. The solution is to create an atmosphere of trust and to understand that team members can rely on each other.

Fear of Conflict: In a healthy team, everyone should feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas, even if they disagree with each other. Fear of conflict stops people from talking openly and leads to quick decisions.

Lack of commitment can also be a problem. If team members don’t feel personally responsible for the decisions they make, it can lead to confusion and a lack of action. It’s important for each team member to back up the decisions made and be ready to take responsibility for making them happen.

Avoidance of Accountability: This is when team members try to avoid taking responsibility for their actions and decisions, which can lead to unfulfilled duties and reduced performance. The solution is for each team member to know what they’re responsible for and be willing to take accountability for it.

Not Paying Attention to Results: When team members put their own interests above the team’s, it can lead to disappointing results. It’s important for each team member to be focused on achieving common goals and be ready to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of the team.

Here are the good things about the Lencioni Model:

— It’s simple and clear. The Lencioni Model makes it easy for managers and leaders to understand team dysfunctions.

— It’s all about the key issues. The model zeroes in on the main issues that can pop up in a team, like a lack of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. Solving these problems can really help a team perform better.

— Practical Applicability: The model gives specific advice and practical steps to overcome each of the team dysfunctions, helping leaders build healthier and more productive teams.

The Lencioni Model has some drawbacks, too.

— Simplification of Reality: The model focuses on five key dysfunctions, which might lead to an oversimplification and insufficient consideration of other important aspects of team dynamics.

— Lack of attention to context: The model doesn’t always take into account the specific conditions and characteristics of each team or organization, which can make it tricky to apply in different situations.

— One-directional approach: The model assumes that each dysfunction will be overcome in a specific order, which might not be flexible enough for some team situations that require an individual approach.

7. Team Mandarin Model

The “Team Mandarin” model, created by Laurence Hollenbeck and Patricia Santucci in 2007, is a way to build effective teams based on six key elements:

• Goals
• Communication
• Learning
• Resources
• Management
• Technologies

Each of these elements is important for building a successful team, just like the different parts of a mandarin.

Goals: The main goals and tasks that the team is working towards. Clear goals help the team stay focused on the end result.

Communication: This is a big part of what makes a team successful. It means being open, clear, and active when it comes to listening to each other so that everyone can share information and ideas freely.

Learning: Teams have to keep on developing and learning from their mistakes. The learning process is all about analyzing past experiences, studying new methods, and striving for continuous improvement.

Resources: The team needs to have the right resources to do its work well. This can include money, materials, people, and information.

Management: Making sure that processes and resources are managed effectively within the team, including task distribution, priority setting, work monitoring, and conflict resolution.

Technologies: Using the right tech can really boost team performance. This can include software and hardware tools that make it easier to communicate, automate processes, and get access to the information you need.

The “Team Mandarin” model is all about helping teams work better together. It’s an integrated approach that helps teams achieve synergy and maximize their potential to reach common goals.

What are the best models for team effectiveness?

The right team effectiveness model really depends on what your team needs and what kind of work they’re doing. However, some models are pretty well-known and have been used successfully in lots of different situations. These three models are the most commonly used by team leaders and are considered the most effective.

Structured Approach

The GRPI Model by Rubin, Plovnick, and Fry offers a structured approach to analyzing and improving team performance. This model works well with different types of teams, as you can see from the examples below:

— Software Development Team in a Tech Startup: They set clear goals for each development sprint, make sure everyone knows what they’re doing, test the product, and make sure the product managers are on board. They also focus on building strong relationships with the team.

— The marketing team uses the GRPI model to make sure everyone’s on the same page and working towards the same goals.

Collaborative Work and Results

The Katzenbach and Smith model is all about working together and getting results. This model can be really effective in certain contexts, like:

— The New Product Development Team uses this model to make sure everyone’s on the same page, knows what they’re doing, and gets along.

— Consulting Firm Team: They use this model to create a dynamic and result-oriented work environment that encourages innovation and continuous learning.

— The marketing team at a big advertising company works towards shared campaign goals for clients. They clearly define roles and functions for each team member when creating and launching advertising materials. They actively share information and ideas, conduct regular training sessions, and encourage leadership within the team.

Simplicity and Practicality

The Hackman model is all about simplicity and practicality. It offers valuable tools and approaches for analyzing and improving team effectiveness. It’s one of the simplest and most practical models out there, and it’s great for situations like:

— Research Team Working on a University Project: They use the Hackman model to set clear goals and roles, create a supportive environment, and provide effective leadership to achieve scientific results.

— Manufacturing Team: They use the Hackman model to create effective production processes, motivate employees, and ensure a safe and supportive work environment.

— The sales team at a big international company has clear sales goals, is made up of highly skilled and motivated salespeople, operates under clear rules and procedures, regularly holds meetings and discusses issues, and gets support from management and internal resources to achieve their targets.

Using team effectiveness models helps organizations build high-performing work groups that can achieve their goals and adapt to changes. It doesn’t matter which model you choose, it’s important to think about what the team needs and the context in which they work to get the best results.