Strategic Team Development Flashcards

What are Tuckman's five stages of group development?

Answer: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning

Tuckman's model describes how teams progress: Forming (orientation), Storming (conflict), Norming (cohesion), Performing (productivity), and Adjourning (dissolution).

What is the difference between a team leader and a team manager?

Answer: Leaders inspire and motivate through influence; managers direct and control through authority

Team leaders primarily influence through vision, inspiration, and personal example, while managers exercise formal authority over tasks, resources, and organizational processes.

What is psychological safety in a team environment?

Answer: A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking without fear of punishment

Psychological safety, as defined by Amy Edmondson, is the belief that team members can speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes, and take risks without being humiliated or punished.

How should a team leader handle a consistently underperforming team member?

Answer: Have a private conversation to understand barriers, set clear expectations, and create an improvement plan

Effective leaders address underperformance through private conversations, seeking to understand root causes, setting clear expectations, providing support, and creating actionable improvement plans.

What is servant leadership?

Answer: A leadership philosophy where the leader prioritizes the growth, well-being, and empowerment of team members

Servant leadership, coined by Robert Greenleaf, prioritizes serving others first — the leader's primary goal is to support team members' development, well-being, and success.

What is the SMART goal framework for team objectives?

Answer: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound

SMART goals are Specific (clear what to achieve), Measurable (quantifiable), Achievable (realistic), Relevant (aligned with priorities), and Time-bound (with a deadline).